Gin belongs to the rummy family. Here, “rummy” means basic rummy, the game where players lay down sets and runs during their turns. 500 Rummy and Indian Rummy are different games.
Rummy and gin rummy rules compared
| Rule | Basic rummy | Gin rummy |
|---|---|---|
| Players | Two to six | Two |
| Cards dealt | 10 each for two players; 7 for three or four; 6 for five or six | 10 each |
| Melds | Laid face up during play | Kept hidden until the hand ends |
| Layoffs | Onto exposed melds during your turn | Defender only, after an ordinary knock |
| Ending a hand | Get rid of all your cards | Knock with up to 10 deadwood points or go gin with zero |
| Cards counted | Every card opponents still hold when someone goes out | Deadwood remaining after layoffs; no layoffs after gin |
Melds and layoffs
You hold 5–6–7 of hearts. In basic rummy, you can lay down that run on your turn. Once it is on the table, another player with the 8 of hearts can add it during their turn.
In gin, the run stays in your hand. When you knock, your opponent can lay off an unmatched 8 of hearts onto it. Going gin blocks that layoff. As the knocker, you get no layoffs onto your opponent's melds.
How the scoring differs
In basic rummy, a run still in your hand costs points when someone else goes out. In gin, that same run counts as zero deadwood even though you never laid it down.
A winning gin knock scores the difference between the players' deadwood totals after layoffs. Going gin earns a bonus plus the opponent's full deadwood. An undercut awards the difference and a bonus to the defender.
Our gin scoring rules use 25-point gin and undercut bonuses, with a target of 100. Set your table's bonuses before dealing.
Two players or a group
Gin rummy is a two-player game. Basic rummy seats up to six at one table. With three or four people who want to play gin, rotate the dealer or form partnerships.
Sources
Basic rummy rules: Bicycle Cards, Rummy. Gin rules: Pagat, Gin Rummy.