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Gin Rummy Tips

The best tips to help you win at 'thinking man's poker'

Gin Rummy Rules and Objectives

To begin with, two players are dealt ten cards each, with the remaining 32 cards placed face down, forming the 'stock pile'. To begin the game, the top card is turned upwards and removed to become the first card on the 'discard pile'. Players take turns to pick a card from either pile, discarding one from their hand in the process.

The players' aim is to complete their hand of cards, by sorting their hands into 'melds' or 'sets' of cards, comprising of three or more cards of the same value or a straight of the same suit. For example, three jacks would form a set, and so too would the ace, two, three and four of clubs.

The end of the game is signalled by a 'knock' from one of the players. A player is able to knock once the value of his 'deadwood' cards is ten or less, where 'deadwood' refers to the cards that are not used in the player's sets. Points are calculated using the face value of the cards, with an Ace being one point and 10, jack, queen and king all worth ten points each. A score of zero, i.e. having no deadwood cards, is called a 'Gin', and is the ideal outcome for the player.

Once someone has knocked to end the game, both players are obliged to show their cards, and the player with the lowest value of deadwood cards wins the hand. If the player who totalled the lowest score was not the player who knocked, then they are said to have 'undercut' their opponent.

Gin Rummy Formats

There are three main ways to play gin rummy - first-to-knock, matchplay and moneyplay. First-to-knock is extremely simple, in that the first player who reduces their deadwood cards to ten points or less can knock and win the game, as well as the money at stake. This is the fastest version of gin rummy, and relies far more on luck than the other two versions, although it can be an excellent introduction to the game itself.

Matchplay requires several hands of cards, and adopts a scoring system in order to determine the winner. Points are calculated as the difference between the winner's deadwood points and the loser's deadwood points, with the scores accumulated each hand until one of the players reaches an agreed number of points, usually 50. Points bonuses are awarded for winning with a zero-deadwood hand, as well as winning by undercutting your opponent, although the number of points you get for each achievement can vary. The winner takes the money staked at the beginning of the game, but no more.

Moneyplay is the most popular offline form of the game, and is generally played to 100 points, using the same scoring system as above. The difference is that the money is paid per point difference, opening up the possibility for some big wins. When a player reaches 100 points, they are awarded an extra 100 point 'target' bonus and a 25 point 'line bonus'. The winning player then takes the value of the difference in the points.

For example, say player A is leading player B by 90 to 84. The next hand is won by player A, with the total of his deadwood cards being 5, with player B registering 15. Player A takes the 10 point difference, which moves his score on to 100, meaning that he has won the game. Player A is then awarded the 100 point target bonus and 25 point line bonus, taking the difference in scores to 225 - 84 = 141. If the players have agreed to play $1 per point, then Player A receives $141, provided this amount doesn't exceed the buy-in, which is also agreed prior to the game.

Gin Rummy Strategies

Effective strategies vary with what type of gin rummy you are playing. In the first-to-knock version a huge amount depends on the luck of the cards, and the emphasis is on trying to get the deadwood score down to ten or less as quickly as possible. It is best to sort your initial hand into sets or potential sets, which will help you to quickly decide which cards to keep or discard.

As luck plays less of a part with the longer versions of the game, the following strategies will prove to be more effective. In order to be successful it is important to take notice of what your opponent is doing, and not just concentrate on your own cards. You will often be able to pick up ideas of what sets your opponent is trying to collect by looking at what they discard. Note that your opponent may be doing the same, so picking cards from the stock pile is usually better for concealing your intentions.

As a general rule, you should be looking to have removed all high-value cards by the time the stock pile is halfway down. In the longer versions of the game, if your opponent knocks and you are left with a hand full of high cards then you are going to sustain a heavy loss. It is important not to 'wait' for a specific hand, but rather to take action on the cards you receive - waiting for a suited straight of 10, jack and queen will cost you dearly if it doesn't arrive.

Clearly the lower-value cards are to be taken care of, so think carefully before discarding the Ace, 2, 3 or 4, especially if you haven't seen your opponent remove any of these from their hand. That low value card may be exactly what your opponent needs to get him under that ten-point threshold.

When collecting same-suited straights of three or more, bear in mind that cards in the middle range are more value than those in low or high end cards, i.e. a same suited A-2 can only be completed with a same suited 3, while a 6-7 can be completed either end. Maximise your chances of winning by collecting combinations that have the potential to be turned into sets in both same suited straights or three/four of a kind.

The following online skill gaming sites are highly recommended for using our gin rummy strategies, and can be used for playing for free or for real money. Good luck!

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RedHotRummy - Click Here

GameAccount - Click Here

MoneyGaming - Click Here