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JIEHUIDB

RULES & PRACTICE

How to Play Gin Rummy

Play Gin Rummy ↗

Game guide · JIEHUIDB

Gin Rummy: from controls to your first round

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. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer. Begin with the objective. The game uses a single 52-card deck with no jokers. Both players receive 10 cards. Aces are low and count 1. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer.

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

Use the rule sheet as a reference. The starting player may take the upcard or pass. If both players pass, the starter must draw from the stock. Check the relevant controls before continuing.

Understand the aim

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. Look at the complete hand before deciding.

How to proceed

  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.

Your inputs

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. Take the next action only when the current step is clear. Begin with the objective.

Work through an example

A knocker with 8 deadwood against a defender with 5 after layoffs is undercut: the defender scores 25 + 8 − 5 = 28. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

Avoid this misunderstanding

Begin with the objective. 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. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer.

Answers about the rules and controls

What is the aim?

Build sets and same-suit runs in a ten-card hand, then knock with 10 or fewer deadwood points or go Gin with none. Use the rule sheet as a reference. Use another round to revisit a decision.

How do I use the controls?

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. A clear plan starts with the current position. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

Which format is available?

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. Work at your own pace. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer.

What should I check before a move?

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. Work at your own pace. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

Can you give an example?

A knocker with 8 deadwood against a defender with 5 after layoffs is undercut: the defender scores 25 + 8 − 5 = 28. Look at the complete hand before deciding. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

When may I knock?

After drawing, select the card you would discard. The remaining 10 cards must have no more than 10 deadwood points. Work at your own pace. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

How much is an Ace?

An Ace is worth 1 and only starts a run: A–2–3 is valid, Q–K–A is not. For a calm first round, focus on one decision. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

What happens on a deadwood tie?

Unless the knocker went Gin, a tie is an undercut; the defender scores the 25-point bonus. For a calm first round, focus on one decision. The same rule applies on a phone and on a computer.

Are layoffs automatic?

Yes. The result searches the defender’s legal groups and possible extensions to find the least remaining deadwood. Look at the complete hand before deciding. Use another round to revisit a decision.

Can a hand end without a winner?

Yes. When the stock is reduced to two and the active player ends the turn without knocking, the hand has no score. Look at the complete hand before deciding. Take the next action only when the current step is clear.

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