What is the upcard in gin rummy?
The upcard is the small ceremony that kicks off every gin rummy hand, and in one variant it does far more than just start the discard pile.
Where the upcard comes from
After each player is dealt ten cards, the next card - the 21st - is turned face up next to the face-down stock. That's the upcard, and it becomes the top of the discard pile. Everything left forms the stock you draw from.
The first-turn choice
The upcard gives the non-dealer first refusal. They may take it into their hand (then discard) or pass. If they pass, the dealer gets the same choice. If both decline, the non-dealer draws from the stock and normal turns begin. This little bidding ritual can hand an early card to whoever needs it most.
The upcard in Oklahoma Gin
In Oklahoma Gin, the upcard does double duty: its value sets that hand's knock limit. A low upcard means you must get very low to knock, and an Ace upcard forces you to go gin. A spade upcard even doubles the hand's score. In standard gin, though, the upcard is simply the first discard.
Related questions
How do you deal gin rummy?
Shuffle a standard 52-card deck and deal ten cards to each player, one at a time, starting with your opponent. Turn the next card - the 21st - face up beside the deck as the upcard, and set the remaining cards face down as the stock. The non-dealer then gets first choice of the upcard.
What is Oklahoma Gin?
Oklahoma Gin is a gin rummy variant where the first upcard sets that hand's knock limit instead of the usual fixed ten. If the upcard is an Ace you must go gin; if it's a spade, the whole hand's score is doubled. Everything else plays like standard gin rummy.
How do you play gin rummy?
Two players each get ten cards. On your turn you draw one card - from the stock or the discard pile - then discard one, trying to group your hand into melds (sets and runs). When your unmatched cards total ten points or fewer, you can knock to end the hand and score the difference in deadwood, or go gin for a bonus.