Setup
Traditional gin rummy is played with two players and one standard 52-card deck. Jokers are not used.
- Deal 10 cards to each player.
- Place the remaining deck face down as the stock.
- Turn one card face up beside the stock to start the discard pile.
- The non-dealer gets first choice of the first face-up card in most traditional rules.
Opponent’s hand · 10 cards
Your hand · 10 cards
Melds
A meld is a group of cards that forms either a set or a run. Cards left outside your melds are called deadwood. Your goal is to keep your deadwood’s total value as low as possible.
Set
A set is three or four cards of the same rank, in different suits. For example, three 7s make a set.
Run
A run is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. For example, 4–5–6 of hearts make a run.
Aces are low: A–2–3 is valid, but Q–K–A is not.
A card can only belong to one meld at a time.
Deadwood
Deadwood is any card in your hand that is not part of a meld. Add up the values of those unmatched cards to find your deadwood total. Cards in a run or set contribute no deadwood points.
2 + 10 = 12 deadwood points
The run and set cover eight cards. The unmatched 2 and king are your deadwood.
| Card | Deadwood value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 point |
| 2 through 10 | Face value |
| Jack, queen, king | 10 points each |
Keep building melds to lower this total. Once your deadwood is low enough, you can end the hand by knocking.
How a turn works
Every normal turn has two parts: draw one card, then discard one card. Use your draw to build melds, then discard a card you do not need.
- Draw the top card from the stock or take the top card from the discard pile.
- Discard one card from your hand to the discard pile.
You briefly hold 11 cards after drawing. Your discard brings your hand back to 10, then your opponent takes a turn.
If you take the top discard, common rules do not let you immediately discard that same card on the same turn.
Knocking
Knocking ends the hand. You can knock as you discard if your remaining 10 cards have 10 deadwood points or less. You do not need to wait until every card belongs to a meld.
In the example above, suppose you draw the 3 of Spades and discard the King of Spades. Your remaining hand looks like this:
2 + 3 = 5 deadwood points
You can knock because 5 is no more than 10. You may also choose to keep playing.
What happens after a knock?
Both players reveal their hands and arrange their melds. Your opponent can then lay off unmatched cards onto your melds. For example, their 7 of Hearts could extend your 3–4–5–6 heart run, reducing their deadwood.
You compare deadwood after these layoffs. A knock does not guarantee a win: your opponent can win if their total is equal to or lower than yours. The scoring section below explains how.
For more examples, see the knocking guide.
Going gin
You go gin when all 10 cards remaining after your discard fit into melds. Your deadwood is zero.
Gin ends the hand and earns a bonus. Your opponent cannot lay off cards, so their full deadwood total counts toward your score.
Scoring
Score each hand, then add the points to your running game total. The examples here use our browser game's 25-point gin and undercut bonuses.
| Result | Who scores? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Successful knock | The knocker scores the difference in deadwood after layoffs. | You have 5; Gus has 17 after layoffs. You score 12. |
| Undercut | If the opponent has equal or lower deadwood after layoffs, they score the difference plus the undercut bonus. | You knock with 5; Gus has 3 after layoffs. Gus scores 2 + 25 = 27. |
| Gin | The player who goes gin scores the bonus plus the opponent's full deadwood. | You go gin; Gus has 17. You score 25 + 17 = 42. |
Winning the game
A game usually lasts several hands. A common target is 100 points; our browser game uses this target. Deal a fresh hand after each scored hand until a player reaches the target.
For both players' cards, layoffs, and the final calculation, see the complete scoring example.
Scoring variations and end-of-game bonuses
Bonus values vary by table. Some references use 20 for gin and 10 for undercut; many modern games use 25 for each. Agree on the rules before playing.
Our browser game uses 25-point gin and undercut bonuses. At game end, each player adds 25 per hand won; the winner adds 100, doubled to 200 for a shutout.
See the Gin Rummy variations guide for Oklahoma, Hollywood, and Straight Gin.
Related guides
Sources
Rules references: Bicycle Cards and Pagat. The scoring variations used in this game are listed above.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal in gin rummy?
In standard two-player gin rummy, each player is dealt 10 cards. One card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest form the stock.
What is the goal of gin rummy?
Build sets and runs, called melds, and reduce the total value of your unmatched cards, called deadwood.
When can you knock in gin rummy?
In common gin rummy rules, you can declare a knock as you discard if your remaining deadwood is 10 points or less.