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Gin Rummy Rules: How to Play Gin Rummy, Step by Step

Gin rummy is a two-player card game. You draw and discard to build your hand into sets and runs, and when the cards left over add up to 10 points or less, you knock to end the hand. The first player to 100 points wins.

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Gin rummy at a glance

Melds and deadwood

A meld is a group of cards that belong together. There are two kinds:

• Set: three or four cards of the same rank, such as 9♣ 9♦ 9♠.
• Run: three or more cards in sequence in the same suit, such as 5♥︎ 6♥︎ 7♥︎.

Ace is always low: A-2-3 is a run, but Q-K-A is not. Each card can belong to only one meld at a time.

Cards that aren’t in a meld are deadwood. Deadwood is counted by value:

Example. The hand 5♥︎ 6♥︎ 7♥︎ · 9♣ 9♦︎ 9♠ · K♣ Q♦︎ 3♠ 2♦︎ has a run and a set. The deadwood is K + Q + 3 + 2 = 25.

The deal

To choose the first dealer, each player cuts the deck. In our game the lower card deals; some players let the higher card choose instead. After that, the deal alternates each hand.

The dealer gives 10 cards to each player, one at a time. The next card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest of the deck is placed face down beside it as the stock.

The first card

The dealer’s opponent may take the face-up card to start. If they don’t want it, the dealer may take it. If both pass, the dealer’s opponent draws the top card of the stock, and play continues normally.

Taking a turn

1. Draw one card: either the top card of the discard pile or the top card of the stock.
2. Discard one card face up onto the discard pile. You may not throw back the card you just took from the discard pile in the same turn.

Remember that your opponent sees every card you take from the discard pile. Taking a 7 tells them you are collecting 7s or cards near it.

If only two cards are left in the stock and nobody has knocked, the hand is a draw and nobody scores.

Knocking and going gin

After you draw, if you can discard and be left with 10 points or less of deadwood, you may knock: discard, then lay your cards face up, arranged into melds and deadwood. The hand is over.

If your deadwood is zero, every card is in a meld, and that is called going gin. Gin earns a bonus and your opponent can’t lay off any cards.

You don’t have to knock as soon as you can. Waiting might get you to gin, but it gives your opponent more turns to lower their own deadwood.

Laying off

When you knock (but not when you go gin), your opponent lays out their own melds and may then lay off their deadwood cards onto your melds, as long as the cards fit:

• the fourth card of one of your sets, or
• a card that extends one of your runs at either end, in the same suit, and they can keep extending it.

Laid-off cards no longer count as deadwood for your opponent. Only the player who didn’t knock can lay off.

Scoring a hand

A knock, worked through

You knock holding 4♠ 5♠ 6♠ · K♥︎ K♦︎ K♣ · 9♥︎ 9♣ 9♦︎ with 3♥︎ left over: 3 deadwood.

Your opponent holds A♣ A♦︎ A♥︎ · 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ · 7♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♦︎. They meld the aces and the club run, then lay off the 7♠ on your 4-5-6♠ run. Their deadwood is Q + J + 10 = 30.

You score 30 − 3 = 27.

An undercut

If you knock with 8 deadwood and your opponent ends up with only 5 after laying off, they have undercut you. They score 8 − 5 + 25 = 28.

Winning the game

Scores carry over from hand to hand. The first player to reach 100 points wins the game. Then the bonuses are added:

The difference between the two totals is the margin of victory. Many families use slightly different bonus amounts. These are the ones our game uses.

Tips for beginners

• Throw high, unmatched cards early. A lone King costs 10 points if your opponent knocks.
• Watch the discard pile. Every card your opponent picks up is a clue. Avoid discarding cards that fit with it.
• Knock early when you can. Early in the hand your opponent usually has a lot of deadwood, so a quick knock often scores well.
• Keep flexible cards. A 7♥ next to 8♥ and another 7 can grow into either a run or a set.

Gin rummy words

Meld

A set (same rank) or a run (same suit, in sequence) of three or more cards.

Deadwood

Cards not in any meld, and their total value.

Knock

Ending the hand with 10 or less in deadwood.

Gin

Knocking with no deadwood at all.

Undercut

When the player who didn’t knock has as little deadwood as the knocker, or less.

Lay off

Adding your deadwood cards to the knocker’s melds.

Stock

The face-down pile you draw from.

Upcard

The first face-up card that starts the discard pile.

Box (line)

A hand won, worth a 25-point bonus at the end of the game.

Shutout (schneider)

Winning a game in which the opponent didn’t win a single hand.

Common questions