Gin Rummy
The classic two-player rummy. Draw a card, throw one away, and shape your ten cards into sets and runs. Knock when the cards left over add up to ten or less, or wait for gin. Your hand sorts itself into melds and shows your deadwood as you play.
Two players. A game takes 10 to 15 minutes. More card games: Hearts, Spades, Cribbage and Euchre are in Yuzool's Card Games too.
How to play Gin Rummy
- The deal: ten cards each. The next card is turned face up to start the discard pile; the rest is the stock.
- Your turn: take either the top discard or the top card of the stock, then discard one card.
- Melds: a set is three or four cards of the same rank; a run is three or more cards in order in one suit. The ace is low only (A-2-3).
- Deadwood: cards not in a meld. Court cards count 10, aces 1, the rest their number.
- Knocking: when your deadwood after discarding is 10 or less you may knock and end the hand. With no deadwood at all, that is gin.
Tap a card to play it, or drag it to the table. Cards you can play are raised; tap a dimmed card to see why it can't be played. Undo takes back your last play until the next player has played. The full rules, with worked examples, are in How to play Gin Rummy.
Scoring
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| You knock with less deadwood | The difference between the two deadwood counts |
| Gin | The other player's deadwood plus 25 |
| Undercut (the other player's deadwood is equal or lower after laying off) | They score the difference plus 25 |
After a knock that is not gin, the other player may lay off loose cards on the knocker's melds before the count. The first player to 100 wins. If only two cards are left in the stock and nobody has knocked, the hand is a draw.
Tips
- Throw high loose cards early. A lone King is 10 points of deadwood if the other player knocks.
- Keep pairs and neighbours: two sevens, or the 7 and 8 of a suit, each need only one card.
- Watch the discards. If two of the Jacks have gone, your pair of Jacks will never be a set.
- Knock early. Early in a hand the other player is still holding plenty of deadwood.
Questions
Is Gin Rummy free to play here?
Yes. Gin Rummy against the Easy and Medium players is free, with no ads and no sign-up. Card Games Pro, a one-time $1.99 upgrade for all five games, adds the Hard player, full statistics, rule options and extra card backs and tables.
Does it sort my hand for me?
Yes. Your cards are grouped into the best melds, with the loose cards to the right and your deadwood count shown. When a discard would let you knock, the game asks.
Which rules are these?
Standard Gin Rummy: knock at 10 or less, 25 for gin, 25 for an undercut, ace low, game to 100. The pencil-and-paper game's line and game bonuses are left out, as they don't change who wins. Pro adds Oklahoma gin (the first upcard sets the knock limit) and games to 50 or 250.
Is my game saved?
Yes, in this browser on this device, even in the middle of a hand.