CARD TABLE · COMPLETE RULES

Gin Rummy

Build sets and same-suit runs while reducing unmatched deadwood, then knock or go gin.

Players
2
Typical time
Table-defined
In the app
Rules + scorekeeping
01

Deal and melds

  1. Deal ten cards each. Turn one card up beside the stock. Non-dealer has first chance to take it, then dealer; if both decline, non-dealer draws from stock.
  2. A set is three or four cards of one rank. A run is three or more consecutive cards in one suit. A card cannot belong to two melds.
  3. Aces are low only. Deadwood values are ace=1, number cards face value, face cards=10.
02

Turn and knock

  1. Draw the top stock card or the top discard, then discard one. A drawn discard cannot be immediately returned.
  2. A player may knock after discarding when their deadwood is 10 or less. Going gin means all ten cards are melded with zero deadwood.
  3. After a normal knock, the opponent lays out melds and may lay deadwood onto the knocker’s melds. No layoff is allowed against gin.
  4. If the stock falls to two cards without a knock, the hand is normally canceled and the same dealer redeals.
03

Scoring

  1. Normal knock: knocker scores the difference between deadwood totals when theirs is lower.
  2. Gin: player scores opponent deadwood plus a 25-point gin bonus.
  3. Undercut: if defender’s deadwood is equal to or below the knocker’s, defender scores the difference plus 25.
  4. Continue dealing until a player reaches 100 or the agreed target. Traditional match bonuses vary and should be agreed separately.

Common house rules

  • Gin/undercut bonus of 20 or 25
  • Oklahoma Gin
  • Hollywood scoring
  • Line/box/game bonuses
  • Straight gin with no knocking
RULE REFERENCESPagat Gin Rummy rules