What is the difference between gin rummy and rummy?

Gin rummy and plain Rummy are close cousins with the same DNA - draw, meld, discard - but they feel quite different at the table.

Quick answer: The big difference is where melds go and how you win. In gin rummy you keep your melds concealed in hand and end the hand by knocking with low deadwood or going gin. In basic Rummy you lay melds face up on the table as you form them, lay off onto others, and win by being first to empty your hand.

Two branches of one family

Both games share the core loop: draw a card, form melds (sets and runs), discard a card. Where they split is the endgame. Gin belongs to the branch that scores by deadwood; basic Rummy belongs to the branch that races to empty your hand.

Concealed vs. table melds

Gin RummyBasic Rummy
Melds goHidden in handFace up on the table
Win a hand byKnocking or going ginBeing first to go out
Lay off during playOnly after a knockAny turn, onto any meld
PlayersTwoTwo or more

Which to play

Gin rummy is tense and hidden - you never quite know how close your opponent is until someone knocks. Basic Rummy is more open and social, and scales past two players. If you like scoring your melds toward a big target, try 500 Rum, which adds a points race on top of Rummy.

Play Rummy

Related questions

What is 500 Rum?

500 Rum is a scoring rummy game where melds are laid on the table and their card values count toward a 500-point match. Its signature twist: instead of only the top discard, you may dig deeper, taking every card above your pick - as long as you immediately use the chosen card in a meld.

Why is it called gin rummy?

The 'rummy' part places the game in the wider Rummy family of draw-and-discard games. The 'gin' is generally understood as a playful nod to the drink, keeping the spirits theme that 'rum' already started. The name was coined by inventor Elwood T. Baker in New York in 1909.

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.