Gin Rummy is the classic two-player rummy game. You hold ten cards and try to arrange them into melds: sets of three or four of a rank, or runs of three or more in one suit. Cards outside your melds are deadwood. Once your deadwood is 10 or less you can knock and end the hand; with no deadwood at all, you go gin.
In Hamdor you can play Gin Rummy online against real players, set up a private room for a friend, or practise offline against a bot. The table finds your best arrangement of melds for you, so you can focus on the decisions.
How to play Gin Rummy
- Two players, one 52-card deck. Ten cards each; one card turned up starts the discard pile and the rest is the stock.
- Melds: three or four cards of a rank, or three or more in sequence in one suit. Aces are low only: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not. A card belongs to one meld.
- Deadwood: cards outside melds. Ace 1, two to ten face value, jack, queen and king 10. The table finds your best arrangement for you.
- First turn: the non-dealer may take the upcard or pass, then the dealer; if both pass, the non-dealer draws from the stock. Each turn, take the top of the stock or of the discard pile, then discard. A card taken from the pile can't be thrown back the same turn.
- Knock: discard and lay down with 10 or less deadwood. The defender lays out melds and lays deadwood off on yours. The knocker scores the difference; if the defender has as little or less, it is an undercut: the defender scores the difference + 25.
- Gin: a knock with no deadwood at all; 25 bonus plus the defender's deadwood, and no layoffs allowed.
- If someone discards without knocking when only two cards are left in the stock, the hand is void and the same dealer deals again. Otherwise the deal alternates.
- First to 100 (or 50) wins. Final totals add 100 for the game to the winner and 25 for each hand anyone won; if the loser scored nothing (a shutout), the winner's total is doubled.
These are the exact rules Hamdor plays by; the app shows them too, under each game's How to play tab.
Gin Rummy in Hamdor
- Aces are low only: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not. Aces count 1, face cards 10.
- Knock with 10 or less: the knocker scores the difference in deadwood; the defender may lay off cards on the knocker's melds.
- Undercut: if the defender's deadwood is equal or lower, the defender scores the difference plus 25.
- Gin: a 25 point bonus, and no layoffs allowed.
- Void hand: if someone discards without knocking with two cards left in the stock, the hand is dealt again.
- Two lengths: to 100 points or a quick game to 50. The winner adds 100 for the game, everyone adds 25 per hand won, and a shutout doubles the winner's total.
Gin Rummy modes in Hamdor
- To 100 points
- Quick, to 50
Tips to win at Gin Rummy
- Shed high cards early. Kings, queens and jacks are 10 points of deadwood each. If they are not close to a meld, let them go first.
- Value middle cards. A 6 or 7 can extend a run in both directions. Because aces are low only, kings and aces are the hardest cards to fit into runs.
- Watch what your opponent picks up. A card taken from the discard pile tells you what they are building. Don't feed them that rank or its neighbours.
- Knock early. If you reach 10 or less early in the hand, knocking usually beats waiting for gin; your opponent has had little time to improve.
- Be careful knocking late. The longer the hand runs, the higher the risk of an undercut.
- Watch the stock. With two cards left the hand is void, so if you are ahead, don't miss your chance to knock.
Gin Rummy in Hamdor
- Online, ranked: play real opponents and earn a rating. If nobody turns up within a few seconds, a bot takes the seat and is labelled as a bot.
- Private rooms: create a room, send the code to your friends and chat with stickers and reactions while you play.
- Bots: play offline against bots, to practise or when nobody is online.
- Stats and streaks: your win rate, best winning streak and this game's leaderboard.
- Your own look: change how the table and pieces look in the Hamdor shop. It is cosmetic only and never affects who wins.
Gin Rummy FAQ
How many players does Gin Rummy need?
Two. In Hamdor you can play a real opponent, a friend in a private room or a bot. Hands are hidden, so it can't be played by two people on one phone.
What is the difference between knocking and gin?
Knocking ends the hand with 10 or less deadwood. Gin ends it with no deadwood at all, earns a 25 point bonus and blocks layoffs.
What is an undercut?
When you knock and your opponent's deadwood is equal to or lower than yours. They win the hand and score the difference plus 25.
Can I play Gin Rummy offline?
Yes. Hamdor lets you play against a bot without a connection. Online play needs the internet.