Learn Gin Rummy: Tutorial

Each turn starts with the drawing phase. You must draw one card from either:

1. Stock pile: Draw the top card face-down (unknown card)

2. Discard pile: Take the face-up top card (visible to both players)

Drawing from the discard pile lets you grab a specific card you need, but it reveals your strategy to your opponent! Drawing from stock keeps your plans hidden.

After drawing, you will have 11 cards in hand and must then discard one card to end your turn.

In this example, the 5 of Hearts is on top of the discard pile.

There are two types of melds in Gin Rummy:

Sets: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank (e.g., three 9s: 9 of Clubs, 9 of Diamonds, 9 of Hearts).

Runs: 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., Jack, Queen, King of Hearts).

In this hand, Player 1 has:

- A run: K-Q-J of Hearts (3 consecutive hearts)

- A set: Two 9s (needs one more for a valid set)

Aces are always low (A-2-3 is valid, but Q-K-A is not). Each card can only belong to one meld.

Cards that are NOT part of any meld are called deadwood. The point values are:

- Face cards (K, Q, J): 10 points each

- Number cards (2-10): Face value (e.g., 7 = 7 points)

- Ace: 1 point

In this hand, Player 1 has:

- Melds: K-Q-J of Hearts (0 deadwood), 9-9-9 set (0 deadwood)

- Deadwood: 7 of Spades (7) + 3 of Hearts (3) + A of Spades (1) = 11 points

You want to reduce your deadwood to 10 or less to knock, or 0 to declare gin!

When your deadwood totals 10 points or less, you can knock to end the round. When you knock:

1. You discard one card

2. You reveal your melds and remaining deadwood

3. Your opponent gets a chance to lay off cards

In this example, Player 1 has melds (K-Q-J of Hearts and 9-9-9) with deadwood of A of Spades (1 point). That is well under 10, so Player 1 can knock!

After knocking, the opponent can attach their cards to YOUR melds if they fit -- this is called laying off and reduces their deadwood.

After a player knocks, the opponent can lay off cards onto the knocker's melds:

- Add a 4th card to a 3-card set (e.g., add 9 of Spades to three 9s)

- Extend a run at either end (e.g., add 10 of Hearts to J-Q-K of Hearts)

Laying off reduces the defender's deadwood, which matters for scoring.

In this example, Player 1 knocked with melds shown. Player 2 can lay off the 10 of Hearts onto the K-Q-J of Hearts run to extend it. Player 2 cannot lay off after a gin declaration.

When done laying off, select "done" to proceed to scoring.

If all your cards (except the discard) form valid melds with zero deadwood, you can declare Gin!

Gin is much more powerful than knocking:

- Your opponent cannot lay off any cards

- You score your opponent's total deadwood plus a 25-point bonus

In this example, Player 1 has: A-2-3 of Spades (run), 5-6-7 of Diamonds (run), and 9-9-9 (set). After discarding the remaining card, all cards are melded -- that is gin!

Going gin is the best possible outcome for a round.

Scoring after a knock:

Normal knock: Knocker scores the difference between opponent's deadwood and their own. Example: opponent has 25, you have 3, you score 22 points.

Undercut: If the defender's deadwood is equal to or less than the knocker's after laying off, the defender undercuts! The defender scores the difference plus a 25-point bonus.

Gin: Knocker scores opponent's deadwood plus 25 bonus.

The game continues round after round until one player reaches 100 points. Be careful when knocking -- getting undercut is costly!

The game ends when a player's cumulative score reaches 100 points or more. That player wins!

Here Player 1 has reached 105 points after 5 rounds, winning the game.

Strategy tips:

- Watch the discard pile -- only take cards that clearly improve your hand

- Track what your opponent picks up to guess their melds

- Be cautious knocking with high deadwood -- you risk getting undercut

- Aim for gin when possible -- the 25-point bonus and no lay-offs make it powerful

- Keep flexible cards that could fit into multiple melds (like middle cards of common suits)

Good luck!