Gin Rummy Scoring
Everything that counts in Gin Rummy — card values, the knock, the gin and undercut bonuses, and the line and box bonuses that finish the game. For how a hand is played see the Gin Rummy rules.
Play Gin Rummy NowCard values
Cards have a point value only when they are deadwood — that is, not part of a set or run. A card inside a meld is worth nothing against you.
| Card | Deadwood value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 each |
| Any card in a meld | 0 |
A hand of 5♠ 6♠ 7♠, Q♦ Q♣ Q♥, plus an unmatched 9, 4 and Ace has 9 + 4 + 1 = 14 deadwood. That is too much to knock with; throw the 9 and it drops to 5.
The scoring table
| Result | Who scores | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Knock — defender's deadwood is higher | Knocker | Defender's deadwood − knocker's deadwood |
| Undercut — defender's deadwood is equal or lower | Defender | Difference + 25 |
| Gin — knocker has 0 deadwood | Knocker | Defender's deadwood + 25 (no laying off) |
| Stock down to 2 cards | Nobody | 0 — the hand is a draw |
| Game — first to 100 | Winner | +100 line bonus |
| Box — each hand won | Both players | +25 per box |
Scoring a knock
After the knocker lays down melds, the defender lays off whatever deadwood fits onto them, and then both deadwood totals are compared. The knocker scores the difference.
- You knock with 6; your opponent has 23 deadwood and lays off an 8 onto your run, leaving 15. You score 15 − 6 = 9.
- You knock with 10; your opponent is left with 30. You score 20.
- You knock with 3; your opponent lays off two cards and is left with 4. You score 1 — a knock still wins, but only just.
Laying off can only reduce the defender's deadwood, so a knock with very low deadwood is much safer than a knock at exactly 10. CardCouch lays off automatically in the way that helps the defender most.
The undercut
If, after laying off, the defender's deadwood is equal to or lower than the knocker's, the knock backfires: the defender scores the difference plus 25, and the knocker scores nothing.
- You knock with 9; your opponent lays off and is left with 4. They score (9 − 4) + 25 = 30.
- You knock with 7; your opponent also has exactly 7. Equal counts go to the defender: they score 0 + 25 = 25.
The undercut is why good players hesitate to knock with 8, 9 or 10 deadwood when the opponent has been picking up cards from the discard pile — a sign that their hand is close to complete. The strategy guide covers when to knock and when to wait.
Scoring gin
If your ten cards after discarding are all in melds, you go gin. You score 25 points plus your opponent's entire deadwood — and because the opponent may not lay off after a gin, that deadwood cannot be reduced. Gin can never be undercut.
Example: you go gin while your opponent holds two melds and an unmatched K, 10 and 3. You score 25 + 23 = 48.
Drawn hands
If a discard leaves only two cards in the stock and no one has knocked, the hand is a draw: nobody scores, no box is awarded, and a new hand is dealt. Drawn hands are rare but they do happen when both players hold on for gin too long.
Ending the game: line and box bonuses
Hand scores accumulate until a player reaches 100 points; that player wins the game. Two bonuses are then added to produce the final totals:
- Line bonus (game bonus): 100 points to the winner.
- Box bonus: 25 points to each player for every hand (box) they won during the game.
The bonuses do not change who wins — the first to 100 has already won — but they decide the margin, which matters if you are keeping a running tally across several games.
A worked game
| Hand | Result | You | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You knock with 4, opponent left with 22 | 18 | 0 |
| 2 | Opponent goes gin, you hold 31 | 18 | 56 |
| 3 | You knock with 9, opponent undercuts with 6 | 18 | 84 |
| 4 | You go gin, opponent holds 40 | 83 | 84 |
| 5 | You knock with 2, opponent left with 19 | 100 | 84 |
| Bonuses | Line 100 to you; boxes 3 × 25 vs 2 × 25 | 275 | 134 |
You reach exactly 100 on hand 5 and win. With the 100-point line bonus and three boxes, your final score is 275 to 134.
Scoring variations you may meet
- Big gin: 31 points (instead of 25) for gin with all 11 cards.
- Undercut bonus of 20 or 10 instead of 25.
- Game to 150 or 250, with a 200 or 250 line bonus.
- Shutout (blitz): a winner whose opponent never scored doubles their total.
- Oklahoma gin: a spade upcard doubles every score in that hand.
CardCouch uses the standard scoring above: knock 10 or less, gin 25, undercut 25 on an equal or lower count, game to 100, line bonus 100, 25 per box.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is gin worth?
Going gin scores a 25-point bonus plus all of your opponent's deadwood. The opponent may not lay off any cards after a gin, so their deadwood count stays as it is.
How many points do you get for a knock?
The knocker scores the difference between the opponent's deadwood (after laying off) and their own. Knock with 5 against 21 and you score 16. There is no bonus for a plain knock.
What is an undercut worth in Gin Rummy?
If the defender's deadwood after laying off is equal to or lower than the knocker's, the defender scores the difference plus a 25-point undercut bonus. An equal count is an undercut, scoring 0 + 25 = 25 to the defender.
What are boxes in Gin Rummy?
A box is one hand won. At the end of the game each player adds 25 points for every box — every hand they won — to their total.
What is the line bonus (game bonus)?
The player who reaches 100 points first wins the game and adds a 100-point line bonus, also called the game bonus, to their score.
Are face cards worth 10 in Gin Rummy?
Yes. Jacks, Queens and Kings each count 10 points of deadwood, aces count 1, and number cards count their face value. Holding unmatched face cards is the fastest way to lose a hand by a wide margin.