Gin Rummy is probably the best-known Rummy game and is one of the most popular forms of Rummy. It is generally a two-player game that reached its peak of popularity during World War II, when it became a national fad for movie stars and Hollywood players.

The Deck

Gin Rummy is played with one standard deck of 52 cards with no jokers and the cards in each suit rank, from low to high: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King.

Card Values

The cards have values as follows:

CARDS	VALUE	EXAMPLE
ACES **	1 POINT	A is worth 1 point
FACE CARDS (King, Queen, Jack)	10 POINTS	K is worth 10 points
ALL OTHER CARDS	PIP VALUE/ CARD VALUE	6 is worth 6 points

** Note that in Gin Rummy, the Ace is always low. For example, A-2-3 is a valid sequence but A-K-Q is not.

The Deal

To determine who deals first, the deck is shuffled, and each player draws a card. The player drawing the highest card (for purposes of the draw, suits rank spades high, then hearts, diamonds, and clubs) has the choice of seats, and decides who deals first. In some cases, the first dealer is chosen randomly and the turn to deal alternates between the players. Either player may shuffle the deck, but the dealer has the right of the last shuffle. The non-dealer must then cut the pack.

Each player is dealt ten cards, one at a time face down – the dealer deals first to his opponent and then to himself until each player has ten cards. The next card or the twenty-first card, also referred to as the up card, is then turned face up to start the discard pile and the remainder of the deck is placed face down beside it to form the stock. Once the cards have been dealt, the players can then view and sort their cards and the player to the left of the dealer, takes the first turn.

In another variation of the game, some players begin the game differently and the non-dealer receives 11 cards and the dealer 10 and no card is turned up. The non-dealer’s first turn is simply to discard a card, after which the dealer takes a normal turn, drawing the discard, or from the stock, and play alternates as usual.

Also, if the wrong player deals, the opponent may stop the deal if he catches it before the upcard is turned. If the upcard has been dealt, then the deal stands. Furthermore, if any card is exposed in dealing, there must be a new deal by the same dealer.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to collect a hand where most or all of the cards can be combined into sets and runs and the point value of the remaining unmatched cards is low. That is, the object of the game is to form melds or combinations.

A RUN or a SEQUENCE is three or more cards of the same suit in sequence. Some examples of a Valid Run include; 6, 7, 8; or 2 3, 4, 5 and some examples of an Invalid Run include; 8, 9, 10, J or 7, 8, 9.

A SET or GROUP or BOOK is three or four cards of the same rank and different suits. Some examples of a Valid Set include; J, J, J; or 3, 3, 3, 3 and some examples of an Invalid Set include; 7, 7, 8 or A, A, 10.

A card can belong to only one combination at a time. This means that you cannot use the same card as part of both a set of equal cards and a sequence of consecutive cards. For example, if you have the 4, you can either use it in a sequence such as 2, 3, 4 or in a set of 4, 4, 4, but not in both.

Play

A normal turn consists of two parts:

1. THE DRAW – You begin the game by taking one card from either the top of the stock pile or the top card on the discard pile, and adding it to your hand. The discard pile is face up and so you can see in advance what card you are getting. The stock pile is face down and so if you choose to draw from the stock, you do not see the card until after you have committed yourself to take it. If you draw from the stock, you add the card to your hand without showing it to the other players.

For the first turn of the hand, the draw is done in a special way. First, the person who did not deal chooses whether to take the turned up-card. If the non-dealer declines it, the dealer may take the card. If both players refuse the turned up-card, the non-dealer draws the top card from the stock pile. Whichever player took a card, they complete their turn by discarding and then it is the other player’s turn to play.

2. THE DISCARD – To complete your turn, one card must be discarded from your hand and placed on top of the discard pile face up. If you took the top card from the discard pile, you must discard a different card – taking the top discard and putting the same card back is not permitted.

Although the traditional rules prohibit a player from taking the previous player’s discard and discarding the same card, it is hard to think of a situation where it would be advantageous to do this if it were allowed. The Gin Rummy Association Rules do allow this play and the Game Colony Rules allow it in one specific situation which they refer to as ‘action on the 50th card’. This refers to when a player takes the third last card of the stock and discards without knocking, leaving two cards in the stock, the other player has one final chance to take the discard and knock. In this position, this same card can be discarded – if it does not improve his hand, the player simply turns it over on the pile to knock.

The general rule is that a player who looks back at a covered discard loses his right to his next draw. However, players may agree in advance that looking back at discards will be permitted. Also, if a player discards the wrong card when knocking, he may not retrieve it.

Knocking

You can end the play at your turn if, after drawing a card, you can form sufficient of your cards into valid combinations: sets and runs. This is done by discarding one card face down on the discard pile and exposing your whole hand, arranging it into sets and runs. Any remaining cards from your hand which are not part of a valid combination are called unmatched cards or deadwood and the total value of your deadwood must be 10 points or less. For example, a player holds two melds, 8, 8, 8 and 3, 4, 5 along with 13 points of unmelded cards (such as, 6, 4 and 3 = Total 13 points) – if he lays down his melds and discards the 6, he will have 7 (3+4) points of deadwood and may therefore knock. Ending the play in this way is known as knocking, presumably because it used to be signalled by the player knocking on the table. Nowadays, it is usual just to discard face down. Knocking with no unmatched cards at all is called going gin and this earns a special bonus.

A player who can meet the requirement of not more than 10 points deadwood can knock on any turn, including the first. A player is never forced to knock if able to, but may choose instead to carry on playing to try to get a better score.

Laying Off

The opponent of the player who knocked must spread their cards face-up, arranging them into sets and runs where possible. Provided that the knocker did not go gin, the opponent is also allowed to lay off any unmatched cards by using them to extend the sets and runs laid down by the knocker. Any cards that you add must form a legitimate meld and so, for example, if there is a run of 6, 7, 8 on the table, you may add 5 or you could add 4 and 5 or even 4, 5 and 9, 10. Also, if there is a set of three cards of the same rank and different suite, you may add the 4th card of the suit – for example, if there is a set of 4, 4, 4, you may add the 4.

If a player goes gin, then the opponent is not allowed to lay off any cards.

Note that the knocker is never allowed to lay off cards on the opponent’s sets or runs.

Ending the Hand

The play can also end if the stock pile is reduced to two cards and the player who took the third last card discards without knocking. In this case, the hand is cancelled and there is no score and the same dealer deals again. Some play that after the player who took the third last stock card discards this card, the other player can take this discard for the purpose of going gin or knocking after discarding a different card, but if the other player does neither of these the hand is cancelled.

Scoring

Scoring for each hand is based on the deadwood difference between the two hands and so for example, if the knocker has 8 points of deadwood and his opponent has 20 points of deadwood, then the knocker scores 12 points. If, however, the opponent had more melds and he has ended up with fewer points of deadwood than the knocker, then this is referred to as an undercut, and in this case, the knocker’s opponent scores the difference between the counts plus a 10 point bonus.

A player who goes gin scores a bonus 20 points, plus the opponent’s count in unmatched cards, if any. A player who goes gin can never be undercut. Even if the other player has no unmatched cards at all, the knocker gets the 20 point bonus and the other player scores nothing. Some people play that the bonus for going gin is 25 (rather than 20) and the bonus for an undercut is 20 or 25 (rather than 10). Some play that the bonus for an undercut, the bonus for going gin, and the box bonus for each game won are all 25 points. A running score is kept for each player and in addition, the winner of each hand is designated by drawing a line beneath his score.

Game

The game continues with further deals until one player’s cumulative score reaches 100 points or more. This player then receives an additional bonus of 100 points. If the loser failed to score anything at all during the game, then the winner scores an additional 100 point shutout or "schneider" bonus. Some play that if the loser failed to score during the whole game, the winner’s entire score is doubled (rather than just doubling the 100 game bonus to 200).

In addition, each player adds a further 20 points for each hand they won. This is called the line bonus or box bonus and these additional points cannot be counted as part of the 100 needed to win the game. After the bonuses have been added, the player with the lower score pays the player with the higher score an amount proportional to the difference between their scores.

Match
Gin Rummy is often played as a match, consisting of a number of games. A match is typically played to 500 points, though the match total may be any mutually agreed-upon number.

Some Tips

• Knock as soon as you can! You will not make Gin, but you’re more likely to pick up a lot of points from your opponent’s unmatched cards.
• Success in Gin Rummy depends largely on keeping track of the discards. From this you will know which of your own combinations can be created and you will also be able to guess which combinations your opponent is holding.
• According to leading Gin Rummy scientists, the most useful card in this game is the 7, as it features in more combinations than any other card. The least useful are the Ace and King.
• As in Poker, never try to "fill an inside straight" in Gin Rummy. If for example you have a 4 and a 5, you can add to this with either of two cards, a 3 or a 6. If you have a 4 and a 6, however, you are only half as likely to run across a 5.
• As a general rule, draw from the discard pile only to complete or add to a set, not to form a combination (two cards that may become a set).
• Try to put together two matched sets plus four or fewer unmatched low cards (you usually don’t have time to make three sets).
• If you know or think that a card might make or increase a meld for your opponent, keep it in your hand.

Variations of Gin Rummy

1. Simple Gin

Simple Gin is the version of Gin Rummy where you can knock only if you have gin. Since the winning player always has gin, there is no undercutting in this variation of Gin Rummy. Simple Gin is also usually played to 100 points. The first player who reaches or exceeds this number ends the game and receives the winning bonus (usually 100 points). Both players receive the addition the box bonus (usually 20 or 25 points) for each hand won by each player.

2. Oklahoma Gin

In Oklahoma Gin, the value of the original face up card will determine the maximum count of unmatched cards with which it is possible to knock. For example, if a seven is turned up, in order to knock you must reduce your count to 7 or fewer. Some play that if an Ace is turned up you may only knock if you can go gin.

Also, if the original face up card is a spade, the final score for that deal (including any undercut or gin bonus) is doubled. The target score for winning Oklahoma Gin is generally set at 150 rather than 100. Some play that a player who undercuts the knocker scores an extra box in addition to the undercut bonus. Also, a player who goes gin scores two extra boxes. These extra boxes are recorded on the score pad; and they do not count towards winning the game. Instead, at the end of the game, they are calculated as 20 or 25 points each, along with the normal boxes for hands won. If the up-card was a spade, you get two extra boxes for an undercut and four extra boxes for going gin.

3. Playing with 3 or 4 Players

When three people play gin rummy, the dealer deals to the other two players but does not take part in the play. The loser of each hand deals the next, which is therefore played between the winner and the dealer of the previous hand.

In Partnership Gin Rummy, four people can also play as two partnerships and in this case, each player in a team plays a separate game with one of the opposing pair. Players alternate opponents, but stay in the same teams and at the end of each hand, if both players on a team won, the team scores the total of their points. If one player from each team won, the team with the higher score scores the difference. The first team whose cumulative score reaches 125 points or more wins.