Gin Rummy Game Rules

 Gin Rummy Game Rules

Card Game Rules

Gin Rummy is a traditional card match game. Two players are required. A 52-card playing deck is used. The Kings and Aces are the highest and lowest. Gin Rummy is a card game where cards are valued by their numerical value. Aces have a value of 1 while face cards have a value of 10. Gin Rummy's goal is to get 100 points.

You can find more Rummy games in our guides for Basic Rummy, Canasta and Canasta.

Check out our standard packs here and one of the more recent arrivals here if you're looking for Rummy cards.

Set up

Before the game can begin, it is necessary to select a dealer. Each player draws one of the cards from a shuffled card deck. The dealer is the player with the lowest card.

The dealer will shuffle the deck, then each player will be dealt 10 cards. The stock is formed by placing the remaining cards face-down in the middle. The discard pile is formed by flipping the top card from the stock.

How to Play

The dealer is the player who has the opposite card. They have the option to take the top card in the discard pile and play first. If they pass, the dealer will take the top card in the discard pile. If they pass, the dealer will take the top card of the discard pile. Each player must take one card from the discard or stock piles at the beginning of each turn, and then remove it from their hands to go to the discard pile.

The goal is to get rid "deadwood" and meld as many cards as possible to be able to go Knock or Gin. Deadwood cards are those that do not meld. Points are not awarded to players who cannot reach Knock or Gin within the specified time.

Melting

A player can make an meld by having either three or more cards of the same suit or by having more than three of a particular run. A run is composed of three or more cards from the same suit in decreasing or increasing order. Gin Rummy is different from Basic Rummy in that players do not lay their melds down until someone goes Knock.

Knocking

Knock is when the card worth of their deadwood equals or exceeds 10 points. To go Knock the player places the card they intend to discard face-down on the discard pile. Once a player has gone Knock, all cards are face down and the non-knocking person can lay their deadwood cards onto any of the knocking players' piles. If a player has made an meld of three Kings and the player in the game has the fourth, they can place it on the 3King meld to complete their set. If a meld is made from the 2, 3, 4 and 4 of clubs, and the player playing has the Ace, they can place it on the 3 King meld to continue the run.

The non-knocking person who makes the most layoffs wins points. This is based upon the difference in the card values of any remaining deadwood. A non-Knocking member with less deadwood is known as an "undercut" and the nonknocking player gets the points.

Going Gin

A player can go Gin if they have gotten rid of all their deadwood through melds. Gin players receive a 25-point bonus and the deadwood value from the other player.

Example of a Game

Let's suppose that the deck has been dealt. You now have the following hand: The Ace, 4, 6, 7, Jack, Jack, King of Spades. Also, the Ace of Diamonds. The Queen of Spades card is in the discard pile. You choose the Queen from your discard pile, then you remove the initial Queen of clubs. This will create a run (J, Q and K). The turn of the other player is taken. You draw from the Stock and get a 2 of Diamonds. You draw an 8 of Spades on your next turn and you remove the 5 of clubs. Your hand now has 2 melds. A run of the J, Q and King of Spades as well as a run of 6/7, 7 and 8 of Spades. You also have four deadwood cards, an Ace and 4 of Spades. An Ace and 2 of diamonds are your deadwood cards. The 9 of Hearts is Knocked by the other player. You can beat the Knock of the other player by valuing your deadwood cards at 8 and winning the round. For the round, you get 11 points. This includes the bonus of 10 points and the difference between deadwood cards (9 plus 8) The Ultimate Strategy Guide to Gin Rummy