Gin Rummy is a fun, quick game for two players. Players attempt to transform their hands into as many sets and runs as possible.
Gin Rummy is an easy to learn, easy to play card game.
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play gin rummy below.
Gin Rummy Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; two players; pen and paper for scorekeeping
Deal
Each player is dealt ten cards. The top card of the remaining deck is flipped up to start the discard pile.
Objective
To create runs and sets with your ten cards. A run is three or more cards in a row of the same suit. A set is three or four of the same ranking card.
Game Play
The game begins with the non-dealer having the option to pick up the flipped up card. If passed on, the option goes to the dealer. If also passed on, play begins with the non-dealer drawing the top card of the deck. The player then decides on a card to discard.
Play then moves to the dealer to select the top discard or top card from the deck. Players continue to go back and forth, trying to form sets and runs in their hands.
Knocking
Once a player’s unmatched cards have a value of ten or less, he/she can knock by placing the discard facedown.
Layoff
When a player knocks, the opposing player gets to layoff any of his/her unmatched cards onto the knocking player’s matched cards, if possible.
Knock Scoring
The knocking player scores the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards minus the value of his/her unmatched cards.
Undercut
If an opposing player’s unmatched cards have a value less than, or equal to, the knocking player’s unmatched card value, the opposing player scores the difference in values plus ten points.
Going Gin
A player goes Gin by having no unmatched cards in his/her hand. When a player has Gin, he/she places the final discard facedown and announces “Gin.” No layoff occurs when a player goes Gin.
Gin Scoring
The player that goes Gin scores the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards plus 20 points.
Card Values
Aces are worth one point. 2s-10s are worth face value. Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth ten points.
Rules
The ace is always low
A card can only count in one combination.
Combinations of five are acceptable
The player that knocks does not get to layoff any unmatched cards
Cards cannot be laid off on unmatched cards to form a combination
If the draw deck gets to two cards remaining without a player knocking, the round is void and is re-dealt