- Gin gets the 20 point bonus the other player scores nothing. 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's bonus is 200 points rather than 100.
- Gin rummy, on the other hand, is played with between two to four players, Choosing the deal in gin rummy involves each player picking a card from a shuffled deck; the player that picks the lowest card is the one who deals first. Whoever has the lowest score after each hand is then given the dealer responsibility.
How to Play Gin Rummy
Gin Rummy is a card game for 2 to 4 players.
A standard deck of 52 playing cards is used with no jokers.
How to Play Gin Rummy After dealing the cards, the player who did not deal the cards starts the game. If he/she finds the card on the top of the Discard Pile useful, he/she can pick up that card and discard a not useful card from the 10 cards, he/she had and put that discarded card on the top of the Discard Pile face-up. Remove the jokers and shuffle the deck. Each player draws a card, and then shuffles it back into the deck. Whoever draws the highest card deals the first hand. Deal 10 cards each, alternating between players. Gin rummy is best played with only two players. But if you have a third person who wants to play, have one person act as the dealer without dealing themselves any cards. Then rotate this position around the table for each subsequent hand. For four players, play two separate games.
Aces are always low and in terms of points, all picture cards are worth 10 and the rest are worth the number of pips on the card – so 5 is worth 5 points, 8 is worth 8 points, etc.
Each player uses their 10 cards to make combinations of 3 or more cards making up a run or cards of the same rank.
Gin Rummy Rules
Each player chooses a random card to start and the player with the highest value card becomes the dealer for the first round. From the first hand forward, the player who wins the previous round is the dealer for the following round.
10 cards are dealt face down to each player and the remaining cards are placed into the center of the play area with the top card turned upwards.
The player to the left of the dealer goes first. The first round, each player can decide whether to pick up the upturned card and discard one of the 10 in their hand or keep the 10 cards they have.
If they choose to pick up the card and discard one, the next player has the choice of picking up the previously discarded card or keeping the 10 they have.
Once each player has had their first turn, the players then have to pick one card up and discard one card each turn. If they don't want the face-up card, they can pick the top card from the remaining pack in the middle of the play area. They then have to discard one card to ensure they always have 10 cards in their hand.
Play continues in this way until one player wins.
Above is an example of a layout for a game of Gin Rummy. Each player has 10 cards, you can only view yours and not your opponents, there are 2 piles of cards in the middle of the play area and you can take the upturned card if you wish – which your opponent will have discarded – or choose one from the face-down pile.
How to Score Points in Gin Rummy
Players need to use at least 9 of their 10 cards to make runs – cards in numerical order and of the same suit – or 3 or more cards of the same rank – value. Remember, Aces only count as low and therefore a player can have a hand of Ace, 2 and 3 but not Queen, King and Ace.
The game ends when one player has 9 or 10 matched cards. After they discard for the final time, if they use all 10 cards they would call Gin and turn their cards over, if they use 9 of the 10 they would Knock and turn their cards over to show what cards they have. Points are then worked out.
If a player uses all 10 cards, so a run of 4, a run of 3 and a set of 3 for example, then they have no points and win the hand.
If they use 9 of the 10 cards, then they have the value of the remaining card in their hand. All picture cards are worth 10 points, other cards are worth points equal to their face value.
The losing player shows their cards and any runs or sets of 3 or more cards are put to one side. The value of the remaining cards is added together to work out their total points value.
The winner of the hand is the player with the fewest points, they win the difference in the value of their cards compared to their opponents. If the winner of the hand uses all 10 cards, they have a points value of 0.
If a player uses all 10 cards, they would call Gin, then they get a 20 point bonus from the hand as well as the difference in points. If a player uses 9 cards they would Knock and receive a 10 point bonus if the value of their remaining card is less than the value of their opponents remaining card/s. If it is higher than their opponent they receive the 10 point bonus as well as the difference in points.
How to Win at Gin Rummy
After each hand, the points for each player are added together. The winner of an overall game of Gin Rummy is the player who reaches 100 points in total first.
Gin Rummy Strategy
As Gin Rummy is a quick and easy game to play, there isn't much of a strategy to follow. However, there are a few ways you can increase your chances of winning.
How To Play Gin Rummy 4 Players
Keep an eye on what cards your opponent discards. This can give you an idea of what they are trying to get, for example, if they pick up a 7 of diamonds then you know they are either after 7's or a run that includes a 7 of diamonds. If you have any cards that could assist either of these, try and keep hold of them for as long as possible.
Another advantage of knowing what has been discarded is that it gives you a better idea for what cards are left. If you see your opponent discard two Jacks, there is no point in keeping a pair of Jacks yourself in the hope of getting a set.
If you have a choice of cards to discard, keep the lower ones instead of the higher ones. The more points you have at the end of the game for cards that aren't involved in a set or run, the better for your opponent. If you do lose a hand, it is better to do so with lower value cards.
Knock early to try and catch your opponent with as many unmatched cards as possible. Although some players prefer waiting until they have Gin – using all 10 cards – it is worth Knocking when you have used 9 cards if there are a lot of cards left as your opponent may not have many matched cards and therefore you will be looking at more points than if you wait for a few more hands for Gin.
Gin Rummy Tips
Wherever possible, avoid taking a card from the discard pile. This gives your opponent information about the kind of hand/s you are looking to get and could lead to them withholding a card or cards that you need. Unless the card from the discard pile completes a run or set, avoid.
We mentioned in the Strategy section about Knocking early, this goes the other way in that if you Knock late with a weak hand your opponent may well have gotten rid of the high value ‘deadwood' and have a low hand so even if you Knock later on there is no guarantee you will win.
If the cards you hold are the later, the more you should consider trying to get Gin instead of Knocking.
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The Basics of Gin Rummy
-Number of players: two or more;
-Playing time: 5 minutes (per hand)
-Cards: standard deck with no joker.
-Ranking: King (high) down to Ace (low). Suits are equal. Court cards count 10 each, Aces count 1 and other cards their pip values.
-Deal: highest cut has option on deal. At this stage only, when cards are equal, suits are ranked in the following order: Spades (high), Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs (low). Each player is dealt 10 cards, singly and alternately, and the remainder of the pack is stacked face down to form the stock pile. The top card is turned over adjacent to it to start the discard pile. The dealer alternates.
History
Gin is probably the best of the two-handed Rummy card games. It was popular in America during the early decades of this century. It then suffered a decline, only to come back briefly to enjoy unprecedented publicity during the 1940s after Hollywood stars adopted it as their favorite game for filling in time between takes.;
Object of the Game
To form one's hand into melds (sets) and reduce the number and value of unmatched cards.
How to Play Gin Rummy
Elder may now draw a card and take the face-up card from the deck and replace it with a discard from hand. If Elder does not want it, Younger may pick it up and replace it with a discard from hand. If Younger does not want it, Elder now will draw the top card from the stock pile and replaces it with a card from hand face up to the discard pile (which is kept squared up so that the cards below it are not visible). From here on, a player may take either the face-up card from the discard pile or the top card from the stock pile, in both cases surrendering a card from hand to the discard pile.
There are two kinds of meld: a set of three or four cards of the same rank (for example, Jacks); and a sequence (three or more cards of the same suit in order, for example – 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, all of Diamonds). Notice that A, K, Q of a suit is not a sequence since Ace ranks low.
Either player with unmatched cards ('deadwood') that total 10 or less may, but is not obliged to, 'knock', thereby ending the hand. Knocking is done physically by rapping the table after drawing a card (but before discarding). The knocker discards and then puts the hand down, face up, divided into melds and deadwood. Provided that the knocker has deadwood the second player may now 'lay off' any number of cards from hand to the exposed melds; for example, by adding the fourth Jack to a set of three Jacks. The purpose of laying off is to reduce deadwood which otherwise counts against the player.
Scoring
When the opponent has laid off, both players declare the total value of their unmatched cards ('the count'). If the knocker's total is zero – in which case the opponent may not lay off – this is gin and scores 25 for the knocker.
If the opponent's total is higher, the knocker scores the point difference between the two hands (for instance, if the knocker declares four, and the opponent declares 27, the knocker scores 23). If the opponent's total is equal to or lower than that of the knocker, the opponent scores the difference, if any, plus 25 for 'the undercut'.
Running totals are kept with a line under each hand won, and the first player to reach 100 wins the game and scores an additional 100 points. Each player then adds 25 points for every hand won. If one player fails to score, the opponent's score is doubled ('shut out').
When the opponent has laid off, both players declare the total value of their unmatched cards ('the count'). If the knocker's total is zero – in which case the opponent may not lay off – this is gin and scores 25 for the knocker.
If the opponent's total is higher, the knocker scores the point difference between the two hands (for instance, if the knocker declares four, and the opponent declares 27, the knocker scores 23). If the opponent's total is equal to or lower than that of the knocker, the opponent scores the difference, if any, plus 25 for 'the undercut'.
Running totals are kept with a line under each hand won, and the first player to reach 100 wins the game and scores an additional 100 points. Each player then adds 25 points for every hand won. If one player fails to score, the opponent's score is doubled ('shut out').
Tips on How to Win Gin Rummy
It is imperative to remember every card in the up pile (recall that is squared up so that only the top card is exposed). This will be invaluable in calculating the odds against getting a card you want: there is no point holding on to two Jacks if the other two have been discarded! It is just as important to watch your opponent's play carefully: every up card is taken or rejected, and each card discarded, tells you something of the composition of his hand.
It is a good principle to knock as early as possible; but if there is a chance of gin it may be better to hold up, since if your opponent knocks you could well score for the undercut. However, do not hold up for more than a turn or two – a gin is only worth double a knock.
A hand can have several embryo melds. Which to keep and for long is a matter of judgment, but should take into account what lies in the discard pile. If you hold two cards of the same rank the chance of getting a third is about the same as of securing a sequence – provided that the pair of cards you hold are capable of being extended at either end. Don't for example; hang on to King, Queen or 8, 6. A favorable holding would be 4 of Clubs, 4 of Diamond, 3 of Clubs, when you have the advantage of two chances of a sequence and two for a set of 4s coupled with low penalty points if your opponent knocks.
Hold back any card you think your opponent wants. Apart from the obvious advantage, you may be able to lay it off if you are beaten to the knock. Otherwise, reduce your deadwood at every opportunity – even break up a pair if there is a significant gain. Discard a Queen from a pair, for example, if you pick up a deuce. Finally, if you knock, arrange your hand so as to minimize layoffs.
An Example Hand of Gin Rummy
Elder declines the turn-up. Younger takes it, melds three 7s and discards the 8 of diamonds.
Elder picks up 6 of Clubs and discards it, holding on to the King and Queen for one round. Younger picks up 6 of Diamonds and discards it likewise (it would have been better to have discarded the Queen of Hearts, but Younger is praying for the Jack of Hearts). Elder then picks up 3 of Clubs, making a second meld, and throws out King of Clubs.
Younger picks up 4 of Diamonds and discards Queen of Hearts – it would be dangerous to retain it any longer. Elder picks up 7 of Diamonds and gets rid of the Queen of Clubs; Younger picks up 6 of Hearts and discards the 10 of Hearts in order to reduce deadwood.
Elder picks up Jack of Diamonds and discards it.
Younger joyfully takes it to meld three Jacks and throws away the 9 of Hearts. Elder, joyful in turn, retrieves the 9 of Hearts; melds the 9s; knocks; discards the 7 of Diamonds; and spreads his hand, separating the melds.
Elder
Younger
How To Play Ginrumy
Elder has a count of one. Younger now spreads his hand and lays off the 6 of Hearts and 2 of Hearts, thereby reducing his deadwood, for a count of nine. Notice that Elder cannot now add the Ace to the heart meld. Elder wins by 8 points and at the end of the game will score a further 25 points for the line.
Variants
A number of variations in scoring may be encountered. A game can be for 150 or 200 points: the gin and box bonuses can score 20 instead of 25, and the undercut can score 10 instead of 20 – or indeed any combination of these and the point values are given above.
A common procedure is for the 21st card to be dealt to Elder who then discards to start the up pile.
A variant which has now largely taken over from the parent game, and is recommended is Oklahoma Gin. There is only one rule change: the turn-up determines the maximum number of points a player may have in deadwood in order to knock. If the turn-up is Ace, some players require gin in order to knock. Gamblers are fond of doubling scores for the hand if the turn-up is a Spade.
