🃑Gin Rummy

How to play Gin Rummy

Objective

Be first to 100 points by melding your hand into sets and runs and knocking with low deadwood.

Setup

• Two players get ten cards each.
• The next card starts the discard pile; the rest is the stock.

Rules

1. On your turn, draw from the stock or the discard pile, then discard one card.
2. Melds are three or four cards of the same rank, or three or more consecutive cards in one suit.
3. Unmatched cards are deadwood; face cards count 10 and Aces count 1.
4. Knock when your deadwood totals 10 or less — you score the difference against your opponent.
5. Zero deadwood is gin, worth a 25-point bonus. If the defender's deadwood is equal or lower, they undercut you for a 25-point bonus instead.

Strategy tips

• Discard high cards early to keep deadwood low.
• Cards that could join two different melds are worth keeping.
• Knocking early with 8-10 deadwood often beats waiting for gin.