What is a set in rummy?

A set is the simplest meld to spot: matching ranks, different suits, at least three of them.

Quick answer: A set - also called a group or book - is a meld of three or four cards of the same rank, such as three 9s or four Kings. Since there are only four suits, a set can hold at most four cards. Sets are one of the two ways to meld; the other is a run.

What makes a valid set

Three or four cards sharing the same rank, each a different suit. Three Queens is a set; all four Queens is a bigger one. You can't have five, because a rank only has four suits. It's one of the two melds, alongside the run.

Set or run - not both

A single card can only live in one meld. If your 9 of hearts is holding together a set of 9s, it can't also be part of a 7-8-9 heart run at the same time. Deciding which meld a shared card serves is a common gin rummy puzzle, and the game auto-arranges your best option.

Sets and lay-offs

A three-card set can grow to four by adding the missing suit. That also matters after a knock: you may lay off a matching card onto your opponent's set to reduce your deadwood - unless they've gone gin, which blocks lay-offs entirely.

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Related questions

What is a run in rummy?

A run - also called a sequence - is a meld of three or more consecutive cards all in the same suit, such as 6-7-8-9 of hearts. Because Aces are low in gin rummy, A-2-3 is a valid run but Q-K-A is not. Runs are one of the two ways to meld; the other is a set.

What is a meld in gin rummy?

A meld is a valid group of cards you form in your hand. There are two kinds: a set (three or four cards of the same rank, like three Kings) and a run (three or more consecutive cards in the same suit, like 5-6-7 of hearts). Any card in a meld doesn't count against you as deadwood.

What is laying off in gin rummy?

Laying off is what the defender does after an opponent knocks: you add your unmatched cards onto the knocker's melds to reduce your own deadwood. If they have a run of 5-6-7, you can lay off a 4 or an 8 of that suit. You can't lay off at all when the knocker has gone gin.