What is deadwood in gin rummy?

Deadwood is the number gin rummy is really about. Every decision - what to draw, what to discard, when to knock - comes down to driving that total down.

Quick answer: Deadwood is the cards in your hand that aren't part of any meld. Each one carries a point value: face cards count 10, Aces count 1, and number cards count their face value. You add those up for your deadwood total - and you need it at ten or fewer to knock.

How deadwood is valued

CardDeadwood value
Ace1 point
2 through 10Face value (2-10)
Jack, Queen, King10 points each

Any card locked into a meld counts as zero. Only your unmatched cards add up.

Why it drives every choice

Because high cards cost the most as deadwood, players tend to shed unmatched Kings, Queens and Jacks early and hold onto low cards that are cheap if the hand ends suddenly. Getting your deadwood to ten or fewer unlocks the knock; getting it to zero is gin.

Deadwood decides the score

When a hand ends, the knocker scores the difference between the two deadwood totals, so keeping yours low protects you even when you don't knock first. If your deadwood ties or beats the knocker's, you score an undercut instead. See how gin rummy is scored for the full picture.

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Related questions

What does it mean to knock in gin rummy?

Knocking ends the hand. You may knock the moment your unmatched cards - your deadwood - total ten points or fewer. You lay down your melds and your deadwood, your opponent lays off what they can, and the player with the lower deadwood scores the difference. Knock too greedily and you risk being undercut.

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.

How is gin rummy scored?

When a hand ends, the knocker scores the difference between the two players' deadwood totals. Going gin adds a 25-point bonus (and the opponent can't lay off). If the defender ties or beats the knocker, that's an undercut, worth the difference plus a 25-point bonus. Match bonuses reward winning the game and each hand.