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Gin Rummy or Gin is a traditional card matching game that requires 2 players and a standard 52 playing card deck with Kings high and Aces low. Each player uses their hand to form combinations of three or more cards, to get more than the 100 points required to win the game before their opponent does so when played over several hands.

THE DEAL

 

The deck is spread out on the table and each player takes a card. The player who draws the highest card chooses where to sit and deals out ten cards to each player, one by one, leaving the deck with the remaining cards in the center of the table. The top card of the stock deck is placed face up next to it to start the discard pile. In the following games, the player who wins the previous game becomes the dealer.

THE PLAY
 

The player opposite of the dealer has the option to play first by taking the top card of the discard pile. If they choose to pass, the dealer has the choice to take the top card of the discard pile. If they also choose to pass, the other player begins the game by taking the top card from the stock pile. From the first draw onward, a player must pick up a card from either the stock or the discard pile at the beginning of their turn and remove one card from their hand to the discard pile at the end of their turn.

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The game continues, with each player in turn being able to take the top card off the stock deck or the discard pile, then discarding a card, but which may not be the same card that they just picked up from the discard pile.

HOW TO WIN 

 

The game consists of players grouping the 10 cards in their hand to make minimum combinations of three cards of the same rank or runs of the same suit. The ace can be combined with the deuce but not with the king (K). A player can fold when their hand contains only unmatched cards worth a total value of no more than 10 points, making a Knock.

 

As soon as a player discards their last card, they show all of their cards, announcing the number of points that are left without combining. It is not compulsory to Knock, a player can prolong the game in order to improve their hand. The best hand is to make Gin, consisting of placing down the ten cards combined.

 

In either case, when a player folds, exposing all of their cards, the opponent does the same, having the opportunity to get rid of those cards that were left unmatched and being able to combine cards with those exposed by the player who Knocked or announced Gin.

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When a player announces Gin they win the partial game, whereas if a player Knocks, either that player or the opposing player can win it. The player wins if the value of their unmatched cards is less than the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards and the opponent wins if the value of their unmatched cards is equal to or less than that of the one that Knocked.

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The cards of the opponent to the one who announced Gin or Knocked are valued after having discarded the cards that they have not combined and that link with combinations of the hand laid down by the one declared Gin or Knock.

KEEPING SCORE

 

The game ends when one player has a score of 100 points or more.

 

If a player scores "Gin" they earn 20 points plus the value of their opponents unmatched cards. If they "Knock" to win instead, they score the difference in the value of their unmatched cards with those of their opponent. If the player "Knocks" but their opponent has a lower score, their opponent gets a bonus 10 points, plus the difference in the value of the unmatched cards between both players. If there is no difference neither player is awarded the bonus 10 points.