How to Play Gin Rummy

Game guide · 20ZL

The essentials of playing Gin Rummy

Keep the active rule in mind. Build sets and same-suit runs in a ten-card hand, then knock with 10 or fewer deadwood points or go Gin with none. Return to the explanation when a decision is unclear. Use the rule sheet as a reference. The game uses a single 52-card deck with no jokers. Both players receive 10 cards. Aces are low and count 1. Return to the explanation when a decision is unclear.

Two-player game against a computer. Fixed house scoring: 25-point Gin and undercut bonuses; first to 100, no line/game bonus. The starting player alternates each hand. Big Gin is not included. Current hands save locally.

Bring this focus to a round

Take a moment to read the table. The starting player may take the upcard or pass. If both players pass, the starter must draw from the stock. Use another round to revisit a decision.

Your objective

Build sets and same-suit runs in a ten-card hand, then knock with 10 or fewer deadwood points or go Gin with none. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer. Use the rule sheet as a reference.

The steps to play

1. The game uses a single 52-card deck with no jokers. Both players receive 10 cards. Aces are low and count 1.
2. The starting player may take the upcard or pass. If both players pass, the starter must draw from the stock.
3. Draw one card, then select a different discard when you took from the discard pile. Melds stay in your hand during play.
4. Choose Knock / Gin with a selected discard. After discarding, deadwood must be 10 or less. Otherwise continue playing.
5. Against a knock, the defender may group cards and lay off unmatched cards on the knocker’s melds. No layoffs are allowed against Gin.
6. Gin earns 25 plus defender deadwood. A successful knock earns the difference. A defender with an equal or lower count undercuts for 25 plus the difference.
7. The first player to reach 100 points wins this match. There are no additional line or end-of-match bonuses. A stock reduced to two cards ends a non-knocking hand with no score.

Choosing and moving on screen

Tap a card to select it. Use the labelled pile and action buttons. Sort by rank or suit; the hand wraps onto additional rows on a phone. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer. For a calm first round, focus on one decision.

See how the rules apply

A knocker with 8 deadwood against a defender with 5 after layoffs is undercut: the defender scores 25 + 8 − 5 = 28. Return to the explanation when a decision is unclear.

Keep this in mind

Look at the complete hand before deciding. Q–K–A is not a Gin run: Aces are low. A defender cannot lay off against Gin, and a picked-up discard cannot be returned on the same turn. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

Helpful answers for players