Gin Rummy

Gin Rummy is the classic two-player rummy game: draw and discard until your hand is built into sets and runs, then knock or go gin before your opponent does. Play this gin rummy card game free in your browser against a computer opponent, with no download or sign-up, on desktop or on your phone.

How to play

Each player is dealt 10 cards. The next card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest form the stock.

• The upcard: on the first turn the non-dealer may take the face-up card. If they pass, the dealer may take it. If both pass, the non-dealer starts by drawing from the stock.
• Your turn: draw one card, either the top of the stock or the top of the discard pile, then discard one card face up. You can’t take the top discard and throw the same card back in the same turn.
• Melds: a set is 3 or 4 cards of the same rank, like 8♠ 8♥ 8♦. A run is 3 or more cards of the same suit in sequence, like 4♣ 5♣ 6♣. Aces are low, so A-2-3 is a run but Q-K-A is not. Each card can only belong to one meld.
• Deadwood: any card not in a meld. Aces count 1, number cards count their face value, and jacks, queens and kings count 10.

The game splits your hand into the best possible melds for you, even when a card could go in either a set or a run, and shows your deadwood total under your cards.

Knocking and gin

After you draw, you can end the hand by knocking if your deadwood would be 10 or less after your discard. Both hands are then shown. Your opponent lays out their own melds and can lay off their unmatched cards onto your melds, such as the fourth 8 for your set. You can’t lay off onto theirs.

If you knock with zero deadwood, that’s gin. Your opponent isn’t allowed to lay off any cards after gin.

If the stock gets down to its last two cards and the player who just drew discards without knocking, the hand is a draw. Nobody scores, and the same dealer deals again.

Scoring

• Knock: the knocker scores the difference between the two deadwood counts.
• Undercut: if the defender’s deadwood is equal to or lower than the knocker’s, the defender scores the difference plus a 25-point undercut bonus.
• Gin: 25 points plus the opponent’s full deadwood. A gin hand can’t be undercut.
• Game: the first player to reach 100 points wins and adds a 100-point game bonus (doubled to 200 if the loser didn’t score at all). Both players then add a 25-point box bonus for each hand they won.

The winner of each hand deals the next one.

Strategy tips

• Dump high cards early. Unmatched kings, queens and jacks cost 10 points each if your opponent knocks. Get rid of them before low cards that do the same job.
• Watch what your opponent picks up. If they take a 9 from the discard pile, they’re probably collecting 9s or a run nearby. Don’t feed them cards next to it.
• Knock early, chase gin late. Early in the hand your opponent’s deadwood is usually high, so a quick knock scores well. Going for gin is worth it when your deadwood is already tiny.
• Mind the undercut. Knocking with 8 or 9 late in the hand is risky, because your opponent has had time to build melds and lay off.

FAQ

Is Gin Rummy free to play?

Yes. It’s completely free with no account and no install.

What’s the difference between gin and knocking?

Knocking ends the hand with up to 10 points of deadwood, and your opponent can lay off cards and possibly undercut you. Gin means every card is in a meld. It earns a 25-point bonus, and your opponent can’t lay off.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. Tap the stock or the discard pile to draw, tap a card to select it, and tap it again to discard. The Knock button shows up as soon as you’re allowed to knock.