Gin Rummy

Gin Rummy, the popular game of grouping cards

*** Aim of the game ***

Gin Rummy is a card game that consists of forming combinations of three or more cards, to get more than the 100 points required to win the game before their opponent does so, played over several rounds.

*** Deck of cards ***

Gin Rummy is played with a 52 card English deck, without the wild cards (jokers).

*** Order and value of the cards ***

The order of the cards in Gin Rummy, from highest to lowest, is: king (K), queen (Q), jack (J), ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, deuce and ace.

The figure cards are worth 10 points and the other cards are worth the value indicated by their pips.

*** Dealing the cards ***

Ten card to each player, leaving the deck with the remaining cards in the centre.

The top card of the stock deck is placed face up next to it to start the discard pile.

*** Gameplay ***

The game consists of 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).

Each player can take the top card off the stock deck or the discard pile, then discarding a card.

A player can fold when their hand contains only unmatched cards worth a total value of no more than 10 points, making a Knock. It is not compulsory to Knock. The best hand is to make Gin, consisting of placing down the ten cards combined.

*** Scoring in the game ***

A game ends when sufficient rounds have been played to allow one player to get 100 or more points.

The player who makes Gin, scores 20 points plus the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards.

If the player who Knocks wins the game, they score the difference in the value of their unmatched cards with those of their opponent. If the opponent wins, they score 10 points plus the difference in the value of the unmatched cards between both players.

*** Game Modes ***

There are several game modes:

- Gin Rummy: To finish the game you can do Gin (all cards linked) or Knock (the unmatched cards have a value not higher than 10 points).

- Straight Gin: To finish the game it is necessary to make Gin (all cards linked).

- Hollywood Gin

- Oklahoma Gin

- Round-the-Corner Gin

- Doubling Gin