TallynightHow to keep score in Gin Rummy
In Gin Rummy, only the player who wins a hand scores. Knock with 10 or less in unmatched cards and you score the difference between your count and your opponent's, or go gin with none for 25 more. The first to 100 wins, and bonuses are added at the end.
- Players
- 2
- Who wins
- First to 100, then bonuses are added
- Knock with
- 10 or less in deadwood
- Bonuses
- Gin 25, undercut 25
How a hand is scored
Deadwood is every card that isn't in a set or a run. Aces count 1, number cards their face value, and jacks, queens and kings 10. You can knock when your deadwood is 10 or less.
| Result | Who scores | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Knock, and your deadwood is lower | The knocker | The difference between the two counts |
| Undercut: the other player's deadwood is the same or lower | The other player | The difference, plus 25 |
| Gin: no deadwood at all | The gin player | The other player's deadwood, plus 25 |
| Big gin, a variant: all 11 cards in melds | The big gin player | The other player's deadwood, plus 31 |
When someone knocks, the other player lays down their melds and can lay off cards on the knocker's sets and runs to bring their count down. Nobody can lay off on gin, and gin can never be undercut.
Early official rules used 20 for gin and 10 for an undercut, and some tables still do. Agree before you deal.
Bonuses at the end of the game
Keep a running total for each player. When someone reaches 100 at the end of a hand, the game is over and the bonuses go on top.
- Game bonus: 100 for the player who reached 100.
- Line bonus (or box bonus): 25 for every hand each player won, for both players. Early rules used 20.
- Shutout: if the loser didn't win a single hand, the game bonus is 200. Some tables double the winner's whole score instead.
Line bonuses don't count towards reaching 100. They're added only once the game is over, and the higher final total wins.
Things people often get wrong
- You can knock with exactly 10. The limit is 10 or less, not under 10.
- Lay offs come before the count. The other player's deadwood is counted after they've laid off on the knocker's melds.
- A tie goes to the defender. If the counts are equal, it's an undercut, so the knocker scores nothing.
- A hand can be a draw. If only two cards are left in the stock and nobody has knocked, nobody scores and the same dealer deals again.
Variants that change the score
- Oklahoma Gin: the first up card sets the most deadwood you can knock with, picture cards counting 10. If it's a spade, the hand scores double. Games usually go to 150.
- Longer games: some players go to 200 or more instead of 100.
- Undercut bonus: 10, 20 or 25 depending on the table, so agree on it first.
A scoring example
Ana and Ben, four hands. Only the winner of each hand scores.
| Hand | What happened | Ana | Ben |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ana knocks with 6. Ben has 21 | 15 | 0 |
| 2 | Ben goes gin. Ana has 18 | 0 | 43 |
| 3 | Ana knocks with 8. Ben lays off down to 5: undercut | 0 | 28 |
| 4 | Ana knocks with 2. Ben has 34 | 32 | 0 |
| Total | 47 | 71 |
Hand 1: 21 − 6 = 15. Hand 2: 18 + 25 = 43. Hand 3: 8 − 5 = 3, plus 25 for the undercut. Hand 4: 34 − 2 = 32.
Nobody has reached 100 yet. When someone does, they get 100 more, and Ana and Ben each add 25 for every hand they won.
Keep score for Gin Rummy in Tallynight
Gin Rummy is set up for you: rounds, highest score wins, to 100. After each hand, type the winner's points and a 0 for the other player. The table keeps the totals, who's in front and who deals next.
- Offers to end the game when someone reaches 100
- Add the game and line bonuses as one more round before you finish
- Tap any hand to fix a miscount
- A race chart that replays the game, hand by hand
A Gin Rummy score sheet to print
Playing on paper tonight? Print a free Gin Rummy score sheet, or save it as a PDF.
Questions
How many points do you get for gin in Gin Rummy?
Your opponent's deadwood plus a 25-point bonus. Early official rules gave 20. Gin can't be undercut, and your opponent can't lay off on it.
What is an undercut in Gin Rummy?
When someone knocks and the other player's deadwood is the same or lower after laying off. The other player scores the difference plus 25, and the knocker scores nothing.
Can you knock with 10 in Gin Rummy?
Yes. You can knock whenever your deadwood is 10 or less.
How many points do you play to in Gin Rummy?
100. The winner then gets a 100-point game bonus, and both players add 25 for every hand they won.
What are the cards worth in Gin Rummy?
Aces 1, number cards their face value, and jacks, queens and kings 10. Only deadwood counts, never the cards in your sets and runs.