If the knocker’s count is lower, the knocker scores the difference between the two counts. Some play that after the player who took the third last stock card discards, the other player can take this discard for the purpose of going gin or knocking after discarding a different card, but if the other player does neither of these the hand is cancelled.Įach player counts the total value of their unmatched cards. In this case the hand is cancelled, there is no score, and the same dealer deals again. The play also ends if the stock pile is reduced to two cards, and the player who took the third last card discards without knocking. Note that the knocker is never allowed to lay off cards on the oppponent’s sets or runs. If a player goes gin, the opponent is not allowed to lay off any cards. Provided that the knocker did not go gin, the opponent is also allowed to lay off any unmatched cards by using them to extend the sets and runs laid down by the knocker – by adding a fourth card of the same rank to a group of three, or further consecutive cards of the same suit to either end of a sequence. The opponent of the player who knocked must spread their cards face-up, arranging them into sets and runs where possible. A player is never forced to knock if able to, but may choose instead to carry on playing, to try to get a better score. Knocking with no unmatched cards at all is called going gin, and earns a special bonus.Ī player who can meet the requirement of not more than 10 deadwood can knock on any turn, including the first. Ending the play in this way is known as knocking, presumably because it used to be signalled by the player knocking on the table, though nowadays it is usual just to discard face down.

and the total value of your deadwood must be 10 points or less. Any remaining cards from your hand which are not part of a valid combination are called unmatched cards or deadwood. This is done by discarding one card face down on the discard pile andFexposing your whole hand, arranging it as far as possible into sets (groups of equal cards) and runs (sequences). You can end the play at your turn if, after drawing a card, you can form sufficient of your cards into valid combinations: sets and runs. Whichever player took a card completes their turn by discarding and then it is the other player’s turn to play. If both players refuse the turned-up card, the non-dealer draws the top card from the stock pile. If the non-dealer declines it, the dealer may take the card. First, the person who did not deal chooses whether to take the turned up-card. If you took the top card from the discard pile, you must discard a different card – taking the top discard and putting the same card back is not permitted.įor the first turn of the hand, the draw is done in a special way. The Discard To complete your turn, one card must be discarded from your hand and placed on top of the discard pile face up. If you draw from the stock, you add the card to your hand without showing it to the other players. The stock is face down, so if you choose to draw from the stock you do not see the card until after you have committed yourself to take it. The discard pile is face up, so you can see in advance what you are getting. You must begin by taking one card from either the top of the stock pile or the top card on the discard pile, and adding it to your hand. A-2-3 is a valid sequence but A-K-Q is not. Note that in Gin Rummy the Ace is always low. A card can belong to only one combination at a time – you cannot use the same card as part of both a set of equal cards and a sequence of consecutive cards. A set or group is three or four cards of the same rank, such as 7, 7, 7. The object of the game is to collect a hand where most or all of the cards can be combined into sets and runs and the point value of the remaining unmatched cards is low.Ī run or sequence consists of three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order, such as 4, 5, 6 or 8, 9, 10, J. The players look at and sort their cards. The twenty-first card is turned face up to start the discard pile and the remainder of the deck is placed face down beside it to form the stock. Each player is dealt ten cards, one at a time. The first dealer is chosen randomly, and the turn to deal alternates between the players. Number cards are worth their index value.The Deck used for Gin Rummy is the standard deck of 52 Cards. The game is generally played by two players, each receiving ten cards. Gin Rummy is one of the most popular forms of rummy.

Gin rummy 4 players