Complete guide to points, bonuses, and how to calculate your score
At the end of each round, the winner earns points based on the difference in deadwood between both players, plus any applicable bonuses.
| Outcome | How to Score | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🃏 Knock | Winner gets the difference in deadwood between both players | Varies |
| ⭐ Gin | Deadwood difference + Gin bonus | +25 bonus |
| 🔄 Undercut | Opponent's deadwood difference + undercut bonus | +25 bonus |
| 🌟 Big Gin (variant) | All 11 cards melded, no discard needed | +31 bonus |
Each unmatched card (deadwood) in your hand has a point value. The goal is to minimize your deadwood total.
| Card | Deadwood Value | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | 1 point | A♠ = 1 |
| 2 – 9 | Face value | 5♥ = 5, 9♦ = 9 |
| 10, J, Q, K | 10 points each | K♣ = 10 |
You can only knock when your deadwood totals 10 points or fewer. If your deadwood is 0, you go Gin!
Beyond individual rounds, Gin Rummy awards several bonuses at the end of the game to determine the final score.
| Bonus | Points | When Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Gin Bonus | +25 | Going Gin (0 deadwood) |
| Undercut Bonus | +25 | Opponent has equal or less deadwood than you when you knock |
| Game Bonus (Box) | +100 | Winning the overall game |
| Line/Box Bonus | +25 per round won | Each round you won adds 25 points |
| Shutout (Schneider) | Double total | If the loser won zero rounds |
If your opponent wins zero rounds, your entire score is doubled!
You knock with 4 points of deadwood (A♠ + 3♥). Your opponent has 28 points of deadwood (K♦ + Q♣ + 8♠). The opponent lays off the 8♠ on one of your melds, reducing their deadwood to 20 points.
Score: 20 - 4 = 16 points for you
You go Gin with 0 deadwood. Your opponent has 32 points of deadwood and cannot lay off any cards on your melds (laying off is not allowed when a player goes Gin).
Score: 32 + 25 (Gin bonus) = 57 points for you
A standard game of Gin Rummy is played to 100 points. When a player reaches 100 or more points, the game ends and final bonuses are calculated.
The game bonus (+100), line bonuses (+25 per round won), and shutout bonus (if applicable) are all added to determine the final score difference between the two players.
| Component | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Single round (Gin) | ~121 pts |
| Game bonus | 100 pts |
| Line bonuses | 25 x rounds won |
| Shutout | 2x total |
Ready to put your scoring knowledge to the test?