Gin Rummy
Also called Gin
Draw and discard to build sets and runs. Knock when your leftover cards add up to 10 or less.
the best bit: calling gin when they were one card away
- Players
- 2
- Time
- 20–45 min
- Learn in
- A few minutes
- Mood
- Chill
- Format
- Everyone for themselves
The 30-second version
A two-player classic. Each turn, draw a card and discard one, trying to arrange your ten cards into sets of the same rank and runs in the same suit. When your unmatched cards add up to 10 or less, you can knock and end the hand. Go out with nothing left over and that's gin.
don't explain it all up front. play one practice round.
Grab these
Set up
- Deal ten cards each. Put the rest face down as the draw pile and turn the top card face up to start the discard pile.
How to play
-
Draw
On your turn, take the top card of the draw pile or the discard pile.
-
Discard
End your turn by putting one card face up on the discard pile.
-
Build melds
Arrange your cards into sets, three or four of the same rank, and runs, three or more in a row of one suit. Aces are low.
-
Knock
When the cards left out of your melds add up to 10 or less, you can knock: discard, then lay your hand face up. Face cards count 10, aces 1, and the rest their number.
-
Lay off
Your opponent lays out their melds and can add their loose cards onto yours.
-
Score
If your leftover total is lower, score the difference. If theirs is the same or lower, they score the difference plus 25. Knock with nothing left over, called gin, and score their total plus 25, with no laying off.
How to win
The first player to 100 points wins.
From experience…
- Watch what they take from the discard pile. It tells you what they're building.
- Knock early. Holding out for gin often costs you the hand.