Play Gin Rummy online free against Hank, a friendly computer opponent. Build sets and runs, cut down your deadwood and knock — your hand sorts itself into melds and keeps count for you.
How to play Gin Rummy
Gin rummy is the classic two-player rummy game: quick to learn, with plenty of room for skill. Your goal in each hand is to arrange your cards into melds so that little or nothing is left over, then knock to end the hand before your opponent does. Hands are worth points, and the first player to reach 100 wins the game. BieGames follows the standard gin rummy rules described below, so everything you learn here works at any kitchen table.
The deal
Each player gets ten cards. The next card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest of the deck sits face down as the stock. The deal alternates between you and Hank. Hank deals the first hand of every game, so you get the first look at the up-card.
The up-card
On the very first turn the non-dealer may take the face-up card or pass. If they pass, the dealer gets the same choice. If both players pass, the non-dealer draws the top card of the stock and play carries on as normal.
Your turn
- Draw one card — either the top card of the stock or the top card of the discard pile.
- Discard one card face up on the discard pile. You can't throw back a card you just picked up from the discard pile.
Here, tap the stock or the discard pile to draw. Then tap a card in your hand to lift it, and tap it again (or press Discard) to throw it away.
Melds and deadwood
- Sets are three or four cards of the same rank, such as 8♠ 8♥ 8♦.
- Runs are three or more cards in sequence in one suit, such as 4♣ 5♣ 6♣. Aces are always low: A-2-3 is a run, but Q-K-A is not.
A card can belong to only one meld. Every card that isn't in a meld is deadwood. Aces count 1 point, number cards count their face value, and Jacks, Queens and Kings count 10. Your hand is arranged automatically, melds first with a small gap between groups, and the deadwood count is shown just above your cards.
Knocking
After you draw, if your deadwood will be 10 points or less once you discard, you may knock. Select the card to throw away and press Knock: it goes face down and both hands are laid out. Your opponent may then lay off deadwood on your melds — adding the fourth card to a set, or extending a run at either end, one card after another. Then the hand is scored.
Going gin
If all ten cards are in melds after your discard, you have gin — press Gin! for a bonus, and your opponent can't lay off anything. Rarer still is big gin: all eleven cards melded right after drawing, so you knock without discarding at all.
When the stock runs low
If a discard leaves only two cards in the stock and nobody has knocked, the hand is a draw. Nobody scores, and the same dealer deals again.
Gin Rummy scoring
Gin rummy scoring is all about the gap between the two hands' deadwood once the cards are on the table and any layoffs are made.
| Result | Who scores | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Knock | The knocker | Opponent's deadwood minus the knocker's deadwood |
| Undercut | The defender, when their deadwood is equal to or less than the knocker's | The difference plus a 25-point bonus |
| Gin | The player who went gin | Opponent's deadwood plus a 25-point bonus |
| Big gin | The player who went big gin | Opponent's deadwood plus a 31-point bonus |
| Game bonus | The first player to reach the target | 100 points |
| Line bonus | Each player | 25 points for every hand won |
An example. You knock with 6 deadwood. Hank has 21, but he lays off a 4 on one of your runs, leaving 17. You score 17 − 6 = 11 points. Had Hank got his deadwood down to 6 or less, he would have undercut you and scored the difference plus 25 instead.
Points carry over from hand to hand. The game ends as soon as someone reaches 100 — or 150 or 250 if you choose a longer game in Settings. That player adds the 100-point game bonus, both players add their line bonuses, and the final tally is shown before you play again.
Gin Rummy strategy tips
- Knock early when you can. In the first few turns your opponent's hand is still full of deadwood, so a quick knock with 8 or 9 usually scores well.
- Get rid of high cards that aren't working. A lone King or Queen costs 10 points if Hank knocks. Throw it before a 3 or a 4 that might still turn into something.
- Keep cards with chances. A pair of 5s or a near-run like 7♦ 8♦ can be finished by more than one card. A lone card in the middle of nowhere can't.
- Watch what Hank picks up. If he takes the 9♣ from the discard pile, he's building with nines or clubs. Avoid handing him another nine, the 8♣ or the 10♣.
- Watch what he throws away, too. If Hank discarded a 6, another 6 is a fairly safe card to give him.
- Count the dead cards. If two Jacks are already in the discard pile, your pair of Jacks can never become a set — break it up.
- Be careful knocking late. As the stock shrinks, your opponent's deadwood shrinks too, and knocking with 9 or 10 invites an undercut. Late in a hand, knock only with a low count, or play on for gin.
- Learn with the helpers. Watch the deadwood counter as you choose a discard, and press Hint whenever you'd like a suggestion.
Gin Rummy FAQ
How do you play gin rummy against the computer?
Each turn, draw from the stock or the discard pile, then discard one card. Build sets and runs, and knock once your unmatched cards add up to 10 or less. Hank, the computer player, plays by exactly the same rules. Press Hint any time you want a suggestion.
Is an Ace high or low in gin rummy?
Low only. An Ace counts 1 point as deadwood, and it can start a run (A-2-3) but can never follow a King, so Q-K-A is not a run.
What is an undercut?
If you knock and your opponent ends up with the same amount of deadwood as you or less, after laying off cards on your melds, they undercut you. They score the difference plus a 25-point bonus, and you score nothing for that hand.
Can you lay off cards when someone goes gin?
No. Layoffs are only allowed after an ordinary knock. Against gin or big gin, all of your deadwood counts.
What happens when the stock runs out?
When only two cards are left in the stock and nobody has knocked, the hand is a draw. Nobody scores, and the same player deals the next hand.
Does the computer see my cards?
No. Hank only knows what a player at a real table would know: his own hand, the discard pile, and which cards you picked up or threw away. He never looks at your hand or the stock.
Can I play gin rummy online free on my phone or tablet?
Yes. This gin rummy card game runs in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to install and no sign-up. Your game is saved automatically, so you can close the page and pick up where you left off.