How to Score in Gin Rummy

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Gary Zyer for Expert Village. Now, let's see how scoring works in Gin Rummy. There are three possibilities for scoring. One, getting a Gin hand. Two, knocking and ending up with a lower deadwood point value. And, three, undercutting the player who knocks. Let's see how each of these works. If someone gets a Gin hand, they receive a twenty point bonus, plus the point value of all of the opponent's unmatched cards, or his deadwood cards. The opponent is not allowed to lay off cards when someone calls Gin. The next possibility is when knocking. If the knocker's point count in unmatched cards is lower than his opponent's, the knocker scores the difference between the two totals. For example, in this hand the knocker has ten points in unmatched cards. His opponent has eighteen points. This would declare the knocker the winner because he has a lower point value in his unmatched, or deadwood, cards. If the knocker's count in unmatched cards is equal or higher than his opponent's, then the knocker has been, what we call undercut. In this case, the opponent scores the difference between the two totals, plus a ten point bonus for undercutting the knocker. For example, in this case, the knocker has a point value of ten in his unmatched cards. His opponent has nineteen points in unmatched cards. But, remember, he is allowed to lay off cards on the other player's melds. So, in this case, he can get rid of his ten, and now he is left with only nine points in unmatched cards. He has now undercut the knocker and he will be declared the winner, plus he would get a ten point bonus for undercutting."