Gin Rummy, or Gin for short, is a two-player card game which was created by Elwood T. Baker and his son, C. Graham Baker, in 1909. The main goal of the game is for both players to collect sets and sequences of cards and to score higher than the opponent. Since Gin Rummy is a fast paced skill game, gaining knowledge and developing experience in this game, will pave the way to victory. I have gathered some of the hottest tips and strategies that most experts use today and hopefully with this guidance, your Gin Rummy card playing could result in a 'winning hand'.
Learn to crawl before you walk...
When you start to learn the game of Gin Rummy, consider playing for fun without bets first, this will take the pressure off and allow you to grasp the concepts. Start by playing with players who are within your level of knowledge and experience. There are many online skill game sites which offer free games enabling you to first learn the fundamental tricks and strategies of Gin Rummy before trying to play the game for money.
Choose your position wisely...
If you play the game at a casino, observe for awhile and try to establish the techniques of each player on the table before you take a seat. By being aware of each player's strategy, you are then able pick out the tactics that you can use which will put you at an advantage of the rest. Where possible try to sit in a seat where you can play before the best player. In this way, you can block him or her from getting the hand that they desire. It is important to remember however, not to throw all your focus on blocking another player's hand because this my shift your focus of trying to gain your own winning hand.
Mathematical fact, sets are better than runs...
There are 15,820,024,220 possible ten-card hands in Gin Rummy. When it comes to melding ones cards, most of the time, sets are better than runs. Sets are three or four cards of the same number grouped together but of different suit. For example, a valid set includes the 5 of hearts, 5 of spades, 5 of diamonds and/or 5 of clubs and there are 52 possibilities of three-card sets. Runs are three or more cards that are in correct order or sequence and have the same suit. For example, a valid run includes the 6 of spades, 7 of spades, 8 of spades and 9 of spades and there are 44 possibilities of three cards of the same suit in a sequence. The odds of you gaining a set are higher than you completing a run since the probability of both players waiting for the same card to complete a set are lower than the chances of both players aiming for a particular card to complete their runs. By forming sets as opposed to runs, you are also preventing your opponents from laying off their deadwood by attaching it to your meld.
Pick your fights wisely...
It is important to use good judgment in picking the right sets and runs in order to have a better chance at winning at Gin Rummy. From the get go based on your dealt hand, decide and select the number of melds you are aiming for, this may change during the course of the game but at least have an idea of what you are aiming for. Many players simply just play without any thought and let the cards they pick up drive them without any thought or strategy. With this all said remember that Gin Rummy is played with a single deck of cards which means that if a player picked up a card you needed and discards and you didn't pick it when you were supposed to, the door has closed so hoping that your card will come about again is just not going to happen. It is time to reconsider the melds in your hand in order to prevent you from waiting for a card that will not show again.
Cash is King, picture cards are not...
Also, it is important to watch the high cards such as, the Jacks, Kings, Queens and Aces. Since the remaining cards in ones hand will be tallied up at the end of each round, you should try your best to get rid of the high cards as soon as possible but not too quickly i.e any card that is higher than an eight or a nine. However, it is important to discard your high cards safely though. That is, if you start discarding your high cards right from the beginning of each game, your strategy may become predictable to your opponent and it will teach him or her to save pairs of high cards in the knowledge that the matching set of a run will soon be discarded. Varying your discarding strategy is therefore critical as it makes less predictable to your opponents.
Go Big early...
Generally a standard Gin Rummy game ends at about half way through the deck, so it is best to draw high-value cards only at the beginning of the game in the hope to obtain the matching ones during the game from your opponents attempt to discard his high cards. Once you reach half way through the deck, you are advised to throw away the high-value cards by either replacing them with low-value cards from the discard pile or taking your chances with the stock pile.
Magic number 7...
Middle cards such as fives, sixes and sevens, are far more strategically important than low cards or face cards as they can be used in far more sets and runs. In fact, the sevens can be used in more combinations than any other value in the deck. Runs ending with Ace or King are less valuable than others, because they can only be added to one end of a meld.
Practice your Joker face...
Jokers are also a high commodity and often when playing with amateurs, it is easy to figure out when a player has drawn a Joker from the pack. Once you have figured out who has the Joker, then pay attention to their play sequence and try to block them if you can and do not hold on to any sequence that will clash with theirs. Also, learn to have a good poker face. That is, if your opponent throws out a card that you need, then hide your excitement as your facial reaction can throw your victory away.
The only thing you should be paying is attention...
It is important to remember which cards have been discarded by the opponent. By noticing how the opponent is playing, a big amount of information can be deduced about the opponent's hand. That is, you will be able to tell which cards your opponent is interested in, which cards he or she discards as well as to which cards he or she chooses to take or not to take from the discard pile. In this way, you are also able to avoid cards that the opponent may be interested in. If you know or think that you know that a card will make or increase one of your opponent's melds, then rather keep it in your hand. Do not try not to jeopardize a good hand by speculating. A card should not be taken from the discard pile unless it completes or increases your melds. If it does not, then your odds are better by picking a card from the stock pile. Also, by drawing from the stock pile, it is difficult for your opponents to keep track of the cards in your hand and keeping your hand a secret as long as possible, puts you at an advantage.
Opportunity knocks...
At the start of a hand, it is better to plan to play for a knock rather than going for just going for Gin, because the bonus for winning a hand is significant. Every delay gives your opponent a chance to beat you to the knock. This is a common sense, especially if the game is coming down to the bottom of the pile. When half of the cards in the draw pile have been used, the decision to knock or go for Gin is determined on how many "not" played cards could give your opponent Gin on the next draw. In a multi-round Gin Rummy game, catching your opponents off guard by knocking early during a round will pay off more than waiting for Gin in the long run.
Knowledge is power...
Though the general rules of Gin Rummy are simple, the strategies of the game are clearly far more complex to learn. Skill is a powerful factor in Gin Rummy and constant vigilance and tactical use of the strategies will aid you in developing into an expert Gin Rummy player who can compete among the best.
Good Luck or better yet Good Skill in your Gin playing
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