📌 Quick Info
- Name of the Game: Gin Rummy
- Number of Players: 2
- Decks Required: 1 Standard 52-card deck (no Jokers)
🎯 Objective
To form sets and runs from your 10 cards and “knock” (end the game) when your unmatched cards (deadwood) total 10 points or fewer.
🛠️ What You Need
- 1 Standard 52-card deck
- Score sheet and pen
- Table space for draw and discard piles
🔄 How to Play – Step by Step
▶️ Setup
- Each player is dealt 10 cards.
- The next card is placed face-up to start the discard pile.
- The rest of the deck is placed face-down as the draw pile.
▶️ On Your Turn
- Draw a card from the top of the draw pile or discard pile.
- Then discard one card face-up to the discard pile.
- Try to form your 10 cards into valid sets or runs.
🧠 What is a Valid Hand?
- Set: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank (e.g., 5♠ 5♣ 5♦)
- Run: 3+ cards in sequence of the same suit (e.g., 6♥ 7♥ 8♥)
You must reduce your deadwood (unmatched cards) to 10 points or fewer to knock.
📜 Rules
- Face cards are worth 10 points; Aces are worth 1 point; Number cards = face value.
- You may “knock” if your deadwood is 10 or fewer points.
- If all cards form sets/runs (0 deadwood), it’s called “Gin” — worth bonus points.
⚙️ Optional / House Rules
- Big Gin: If a player uses all 11 cards, they earn extra bonus points.
- Undercut Bonus: If the knocker’s opponent has equal or fewer deadwood, they score extra.
🧮 Example Play
Your hand: 3♣ 4♣ 5♣ | 8♦ 8♠ 8♥ | Q♦ | J♠ | 6♠ | 2♦
You form:
- Run: 3♣ 4♣ 5♣
- Set: 8♦ 8♠ 8♥
- Deadwood: Q♦ (10), J♠ (10), 6♠ (6), 2♦ (2) = Total 28 → Too high to knock
If you draw a 6♣, you can form another run and possibly go Gin!
📚 History & Origin
- Created in New York around 1909 by Elwood T. Baker and his son.
- Grew popular during the 1930s-40s as a fast-paced two-player game.
- Often featured in classic movies and still enjoyed worldwide today.