Objective

The goal of Gin Rummy is to arrange the cards in your hand into groups called melds while keeping the value of your remaining unmatched cards (called deadwood) as low as possible. Each round, the player with less deadwood scores points. The first player to reach 100 points across multiple rounds wins the game.

The Deal

Gin Rummy uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. At the start of each round:

1. Each player is dealt 10 cards, face-down.
2. One card is placed face-up next to the deck to start the discard pile.
3. The remaining cards stay face-down in a pile called the stock (also called the draw pile).

You can see your own 10 cards, but your opponent's cards are hidden.

Card Values

Every card in Gin Rummy has a point value. These values matter when calculating deadwood and scoring.

Card	Point Value
Ace	1 point
2 through 10	Face value (a 5 is worth 5, a 10 is worth 10)
Jack, Queen, King	10 points each

Face cards and 10s are the most expensive deadwood. An unmatched King costs you 10 points, while an unmatched Ace costs only 1.

Melds

A meld is a valid group of three or more cards. Forming melds is how you reduce your deadwood. There are exactly two types:

Sets (same rank, different suits)

A set is three or four cards that share the same rank but have different suits.

Examples of valid sets:

• 7 of Hearts, 7 of Diamonds, 7 of Clubs
• Queen of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Clubs

Runs (consecutive ranks, same suit)

A run is three or more cards in consecutive order, all of the same suit. Aces are always low (they come before 2, not after King).

Examples of valid runs:

• 4, 5, 6 of Spades
• 9, 10, Jack, Queen of Hearts

A card can only belong to one meld at a time — you cannot count the same card in both a set and a run.

How a Turn Works

Gin Rummy turns follow a simple two-step pattern: draw one card, then discard one card.

Step 1 — Draw

At the start of your turn, you must draw exactly one card. You choose between two sources:

• Stock pile — Take the top card from the face-down deck. Your opponent does not see what you drew.
• Discard pile — Take the top face-up card from the discard pile. Your opponent can see which card you picked.

Step 2 — Discard

After drawing, you have 11 cards. You must discard one card face-up onto the discard pile to bring your hand back to 10. Choose a card that is not useful to your melds — ideally one with a high point value.

After you discard, your turn ends and your opponent takes their turn.

Knocking

After you discard, if your total deadwood value is 10 or less, you may knock to end the round. Knocking is optional — you can keep playing if you want to improve your hand further.

When you knock:

1. You reveal your hand, organizing your cards into melds and deadwood.
2. Your opponent reveals their hand and organizes their own melds.
3. Your opponent may lay off cards onto your melds (see below).
4. Both players' deadwood totals are compared to determine the round winner.

You do not need to have zero deadwood to knock. As long as your deadwood is 10 points or less after discarding, knocking is allowed.

Going Gin

If you manage to arrange all 10 cards in your hand into melds with zero deadwood, you have gin. Gin is the best possible outcome for a round:

• You earn a 25-point bonus on top of the deadwood difference.
• Your opponent cannot lay off any cards onto your melds.

Going gin is difficult because all 10 cards must form valid melds, but the bonus makes it very rewarding.

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Big Gin

Big gin is a rare and powerful move. If all 11 cards in your hand (before discarding) form valid melds, you can declare big gin without discarding. Big gin earns a 31-point bonus — even higher than regular gin.

Laying Off and Undercuts

Laying Off Cards

After a player knocks (but not after gin), the opponent gets a chance to lay off cards. Laying off means adding cards from your hand onto the knocker's revealed melds:

• If the knocker has a set of three 7s, you can add your 7 to make it a set of four.
• If the knocker has a run of 4-5-6 of Spades, you can add the 3 of Spades or 7 of Spades to extend it.

Each card you lay off is removed from your deadwood, which can change who wins the round.

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Undercuts — When the Knocker Loses

An undercut happens when the knocker's opponent ends up with equal or less deadwood than the knocker after laying off. This reverses the round:

• The opponent wins the round instead of the knocker.
• The opponent scores the deadwood difference plus a 25-point bonus.

Undercuts punish risky knocks. If your deadwood is close to 10, your opponent might lay off enough cards to undercut you.

Scoring

Points are awarded at the end of each round based on what happened:

Outcome	How Points Are Calculated
Knock (knocker wins)	Opponent's deadwood minus knocker's deadwood
Gin	Opponent's total deadwood + 25 bonus
Big Gin	Opponent's total deadwood + 31 bonus
Undercut (knocker loses)	Knocker's deadwood minus opponent's deadwood + 25 bonus

The game continues round after round. After each round, a new hand is dealt. The first player to accumulate 100 or more points wins the game.

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Winning the Game

When a player reaches 100 points, the game ends and they are declared the winner. The final screen shows the total scores from all rounds played.

Strategy Tips

Watch what your opponent discards

Every card your opponent throws away is a clue. If they discard a Queen of Hearts, they probably do not need Queens or Hearts. You can safely hold onto cards they are unlikely to pick up.

Watch what your opponent picks up

If your opponent takes a 7 from the discard pile, they are likely building a meld with 7s. Avoid discarding other 7s or cards near 7 in the same suit.

Get rid of high deadwood early

Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) and 10s cost 10 points each. If they are not part of a meld or close to forming one, discard them early. Holding onto expensive deadwood makes it harder to knock and puts you at risk of losing big if your opponent knocks first.

Keep flexible cards

Middle-rank cards like 5, 6, 7, and 8 can form runs in more combinations than edge cards. A 6 of Hearts can be part of 4-5-6, 5-6-7, or 6-7-8 of Hearts. An Ace can only start a run (A-2-3), and a King can only end one (J-Q-K).

Knock early rather than waiting for gin

If your deadwood is 5 or less, consider knocking. Waiting for the perfect gin hand is risky — your opponent may knock before you, or you may never draw the cards you need. A safe knock with low deadwood is usually better than a failed attempt at gin.

Be careful drawing from the discard pile

When you pick up a card from the discard pile, your opponent sees exactly which card you took. This tells them what you are building. Only draw from the discard if the card significantly improves your hand (completes a meld or reduces deadwood substantially).

Think about what is left in the deck

As the game progresses, you have seen many cards (your hand, the discard pile, cards your opponent has taken). Use this information to estimate the odds of drawing the card you need from the stock.

Common Questions

What is the difference between Gin Rummy and regular Rummy?

Gin Rummy is a two-player game where you keep your melds hidden in your hand until you knock or go gin. In regular Rummy (sometimes called "Straight Rummy"), players lay down melds on the table during their turn for everyone to see, and any number of players can participate.

Can I have more than two melds?

Yes. Your 10 cards can form as many melds as they fit into. For example, you could have a set of three, a run of three, and a run of four — leaving zero deadwood (gin).

What happens if the stock runs out?

If the stock pile is reduced to two cards and neither player has knocked, the round ends in a draw. No points are scored, and a new round is dealt.

Can an Ace be high (come after King)?

No. In Gin Rummy, Aces are always low. An Ace can start a run (A-2-3) but cannot follow a King (Q-K-A is not a valid run).

Do I have to knock when I can?

No. Knocking is always optional. Even if your deadwood is 0 (gin), you may choose to continue playing — though there is rarely a reason not to declare gin immediately.

What is deadwood exactly?

Deadwood is any card in your hand that is not part of a meld. Your deadwood value is the sum of the point values of all your unmatched cards. For example, if your unmatched cards are a 5 and a King, your deadwood is 15 (5 + 10).

Can I rearrange my melds?

You choose how to organize your melds when you knock. Before that, the arrangement exists only in your mind — the game does not require you to declare melds until the round ends. The game will automatically find the best arrangement that minimizes your deadwood.

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Step-by-Step Example Round

Here is what a typical round looks like from start to finish:

1. Deal — You receive 10 cards. A 9 of Clubs is placed face-up on the discard pile.
2. Your draw — You notice the 9 of Clubs pairs with the 9 of Hearts and 9 of Diamonds in your hand. You draw it from the discard pile.
3. Your discard — You now have 11 cards. You discard the King of Diamonds (10 points of deadwood you do not need).
4. Opponent's turn — Your opponent draws from the stock and discards a 3 of Hearts.
5. Several turns pass — Both players draw and discard, gradually forming melds.
6. You knock — Your hand has two melds (a set of 9s and a run of 4-5-6 of Spades) with only 6 points of deadwood. You knock.
7. Opponent lays off — Your opponent adds their 9 of Spades to your set of 9s. Their remaining deadwood is 18 points.
8. Scoring — You win the round. You score 18 minus 6 = 12 points.

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Summary

Gin Rummy is a fast-paced card game that rewards observation, memory, and smart decision-making. Each turn, draw one card and discard one, gradually building your hand into melds while reducing deadwood. When your deadwood is low enough, knock to score points — or aim for gin for a big bonus. Watch the discard pile, track what your opponent takes, manage your risk, and knock at the right moment. The first player to 100 points wins the game.