Card games
Gin Rummy
Gin
Knock early, or go for gin
Gin Rummy is the two-player card game Americans have played for a century, on kitchen tables, trains and porches. Each player holds ten cards and tries to arrange them into sets and runs; the cards left over are your deadwood. Get it low enough and you can knock to end the hand — or hold out for gin.
- Players
- 2 players
- Length
- 10–25 min per game
- Type
- Card games
Play Gin Rummy online with friends
Gin needs just two players: invite a friend, or play a bot while you wait — your friend can take the bot’s seat before the first card is decided. Every draw, knock and lay-off plays out on a 3D table, with voice chat if you like.
How to play
- 1
Each player gets 10 cards from a 52-card deck; the next card is turned up to start the discard pile.
- 2
The non-dealer may take that upcard first; if they pass, the dealer may. If both pass, the non-dealer draws from the stock.
- 3
On each turn, draw the top card of the stock or the discard pile, then discard one card — never the card you just took from the pile.
- 4
Melds are sets of 3 or 4 cards of one rank, or runs of 3 or more in one suit. Aces are low: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not.
- 5
When your unmatched cards — your deadwood, aces 1 and pictures 10 — add up to 10 or less, you may knock. Both hands are shown, and your opponent lays off what fits on your melds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I knock on my first turn?
Yes, as soon as your deadwood after the discard is 10 or less (in Oklahoma, the upcard’s value).
Why can’t my opponent lay off after I go gin?
That’s the reward for gin: no lay-offs, no undercut, and a 25-point bonus.
What happens when the stock runs low?
When a discard leaves only two cards in the stock, the hand ends with no score and is dealt again.
What is Oklahoma Gin?
A table option: the first upcard sets how low your deadwood must be to knock — an ace means gin only — and a spade upcard doubles the hand.
How is Gin Rummy different from 51 Rummy?
51 is a four-player game in which you open with 51 points and empty your hand on the table; in Gin you’re two, nobody melds during play, and you end the hand by knocking with low deadwood.
