Three guided positions, then a full game against the computer. No account. No real money.
Choose a guided lesson or start a match against the computer.
Draw first, then choose a card to discard.
HAND —20-POINT GIN · 10-POINT UNDERCUT
♧ Browser-based practice · No downloadAutomatic meld grouping · Rules below
THE IDEA IN ONE MINUTE
Ten cards. Make them fit.
Gin rummy is a two-player game about making combinations and reducing the value of the cards left over. Those leftover points are called deadwood. A low score in your hand is good; points won on the match scoreboard are good too.
Match three or four ranks, or collect three or more consecutive cards of one suit.
02
Draw one. Discard one.
Choose the stock or top discard. Keep what helps and let one card go.
03
Knock low. Or go gin.
Finish with ten deadwood or fewer to knock. Finish with none to go gin and earn a bonus.
GIN RUMMY RULES, MADE VISIBLE
Build a hand. Understand the finish.
How to play gin rummy from the opening deal to a winning score. These examples use the same rules as the practice table.
01
BEFORE THE FIRST TURN
How to set up gin rummy.
Use one standard 52-card deck without jokers. Deal ten cards to each player, one at a time. Turn the next card face up as the first discard and place the rest face down as the stock.
COMPUTER / OPPONENT
▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥ ▥
10 private cards
STOCK ▥31 face downDISCARD 5♥♥1 face up
YOU10 private cards · draw to 11 · discard back to 10
The non-dealer may take the opening upcard or pass. If they pass, the dealer has the same choice. If both decline, the non-dealer starts by drawing from the stock. Our practice match makes you the non-dealer first; the deal alternates after scored hands.
02
THE CARDS THAT BELONG TOGETHER
Sets, runs and deadwood.
A valid combination is called a meld. It must contain at least three cards. A card can only be used in one meld at a time.
7♠♠7♥♥7♦♦
A set: same rank.Three or four cards of the same rank, in different suits. A pair is not enough.
4♥♥5♥♥6♥♥
A run: one suit, in order.Three or more consecutive cards of one suit. Mixed suits and gaps do not count.
COUNT WHAT IS LEFT OVER
A♣ + 4♦ + Q♠ = 15.
Aces count as 1. Number cards count as shown. Jacks, queens and kings count as 10 each. Cards already in melds contribute no deadwood.
A♣♣4♦♦Q♠♠
↳
Aces stay low. A–2–3 of one suit is a run. Q–K–A is not. A run cannot wrap around from king to ace.
Overlapping combinations? With 7♠ 7♦ 7♥ 8♥ 9♥, the 7♥ could join either a set or a run, but not both. Our table automatically finds a grouping with the lowest deadwood. That grouping is used if you knock; it does not choose a different tied grouping to stop a lay-off.
03
THE RHYTHM OF A HAND
How a turn works: draw, then discard.
Draw one card. Take the unknown top card from the stock or the visible top card from the discard pile.
Review your eleven cards. Look for complete melds and decide which unmatched card to remove.
Discard one card. Finish with ten cards. If you took the top discard this turn, you must discard a different card.
Continue or knock. Play normally, or end the hand with a knock if your deadwood after discarding is ten or fewer.
Unlike some rummy games, you do not put melds down during normal play. Keep your whole hand private until someone knocks or goes gin. You cannot pick through the discard pile or take several discards.
After drawing, choose your discard. If the remaining deadwood is at most ten, you may knock instead of continuing. It is optional—and it can be undercut.
ZERO DEADWOOD
Go gin.
All ten remaining cards belong to melds. Discard the eleventh card and declare gin. You earn the gin bonus, and the opponent cannot lay off.
After an ordinary knock, the opponent reveals their own melds, then may add unmatched cards to the knocker’s melds. This is laying off. It can reduce their deadwood enough to overturn the knock. The knocker cannot lay off in return.
A LAY-OFF, MADE VISIBLE
4♥♥5♥♥6♥♥
＋
7♥♥
The knocker has 4♥ 5♥ 6♥. The opponent can attach 7♥, removing seven points from their own deadwood. An 8♥ could follow it. They cannot attach a heart to a different suit, add a fifth card to a set, or build a new meld from the knocker’s deadwood.
05
LOW DEADWOOD. HIGHER MATCH SCORE.
Gin rummy scoring, explained.
Count the knocker’s deadwood and the opponent’s deadwood after any permitted lay-offs. Points go to one player only. Gin prevents lay-offs and cannot be undercut.
You knock with 6 deadwood. The opponent has 15 after lay-offs. You score 15 − 6 = 9 points.
Knock winsThe difference
If your deadwood is lower, score the opponent’s remaining deadwood minus yours.
Gin20-point bonus
Score 20 plus the opponent’s deadwood. Their own melds still count; lay-offs do not.
Undercut10-point bonus to opponent
If the opponent’s deadwood is equal to or below your non-gin knock, they score 10 plus the difference.
Stock down to twoNo points
If a player discards without knocking when only two cards remain in the stock, the hand is cancelled. The same dealer deals again.
Our match ends when someone reaches or passes 100 points. This practice version does not add game, box or shutout bonuses. Those are used in some scoring systems, so agree your version before playing elsewhere.
06
AGREE THE VERSION FIRST
The rules used at our table.
One 52-card deck, two players, ten cards each. No jokers or wild cards.
Aces low only. Sets of three or four; runs of three or more.
Opening upcard offered to non-dealer, then dealer; both pass means non-dealer draws stock.
You cannot immediately return a card drawn from the discard pile.
Knock with ten deadwood or fewer after discarding. No Big Gin with eleven cards.
Gin bonus 20; undercut bonus 10. No lay-offs against gin.
First to 100, without end-of-match or box bonuses. Alternate dealer after scored hands; same dealer after a cancelled hand.
Meld grouping and opponent lay-offs are calculated automatically. The computer uses its own cards and the visible upcard, not your hidden hand.
The tutorial uses prepared positions. Free play uses a fresh shuffled deck for every hand.
Some tables use 25-point gin or undercut bonuses. Oklahoma Gin changes the knock limit using the opening upcard. Neither variation is used here.
Your table-side gin rummy reference. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print window.
GIN RUMMYTHE TABLE-SIDE GUIDE · CARD GAME RULES
The aim: build melds and reduce unmatched points.
Deal
Ten each. One upcard. The rest form the stock.
Melds
Three/four equal ranks, or three+ consecutive cards of one suit. Aces low. One meld per card.
Your turn
Draw one. Discard one. Don’t immediately return the upcard you took.
Deadwood
A = 1 · 2–10 = face value · J/Q/K = 10.
Knock
Ten or fewer unmatched points after discard. Opponent may lay off; lowest total wins.
Gin
No unmatched cards. Score 20 + opponent deadwood. No lay-offs.
Undercut
Opponent ties/beats your ordinary knock: they score 10 + the difference.
Practice rules: first to 100; no end-of-match bonuses. Two stock cards left after a non-knocking discard cancels the hand. No Big Gin or wild cards. Other tables use different bonuses. Practice scores have no cash value.
LEARN IT. DEAL IT. ENJOY IT. ♣
GOOD QUESTIONS
Less wondering. More understanding.
How do you play gin rummy for beginners?
Start with ten cards each. Draw one and discard one each turn, aiming for sets and runs. The points left outside those melds are deadwood. Knock with ten or fewer after discarding, or go gin with none. The tutorial above walks you through three prepared finishes.
What is the difference between rummy and gin rummy?
Rummy names a family of games with different rules. In this version of gin rummy, two players keep ten-card hands and keep melds private until the hand ends. You finish by knocking or going gin; you do not lay melds on the table during normal turns.
Can I knock with exactly ten deadwood?
Yes. Ten is included in the limit at this table. It is optional and does not guarantee a win: the opponent can lay off and may undercut you.
Can you lay off after someone goes gin?
No. The opponent can form their own melds, but cannot attach leftover cards to a gin hand. After an ordinary knock, lay-offs are permitted.
What happens if deadwood is equal?
After a non-gin knock and permitted lay-offs, equal deadwood undercuts the knocker. The opponent scores the 10-point undercut bonus here.
Can an ace go after a king?
No. Aces are low only. A–2–3 of one suit is valid; Q–K–A is not. An ace always counts as one deadwood point.
Can I rearrange melds myself?
This practice table groups your cards automatically to minimise deadwood. It uses that selected grouping when you knock. The computer searches its own grouping and permitted lay-offs for its lowest final deadwood.
Does the computer see my hand?
Its move selection uses its own hand and the visible discard. It does not inspect your hand or the unseen stock to choose a draw or discard. All gameplay runs in your browser; this is a practice opponent rather than a tournament-strength player.
Are scores saved, and is there real-money play?
No accounts, saved scores, deposits or prizes. Match scores last only until you restart or reload the page. The site currently has no advertising or tracking scripts.
