How do you lay off cards in Rummy?

Laying off is how you get rid of stray cards by attaching them to combinations already on the table - a small move that can swing a hand or set up an undercut.

Quick answer: Laying off means adding a card to a meld that is already on the table, rather than starting a new one. In Gin Rummy, the defender lays off deadwood onto the knocker's melds to lower their own count. In games like Rummy 500 and basic Rummy, you can lay off onto any melds in play to unload cards and score.

Laying off in Gin Rummy

When a player knocks in Gin Rummy, the defender may add their unmatched cards to the knocker's melds - for example, placing a fourth Queen on the knocker's set of three, or extending their run. Every card laid off leaves your deadwood and can produce an undercut. Note you cannot lay off against a Gin hand.

Laying off in other Rummy games

In basic Rummy and Rummy 500, melds are laid face up as you make them, and on your turn you can lay off onto any player's melds. This helps you empty your hand faster, and in Rummy 500 the cards you lay off score points for you.

When to hold vs. lay off

Laying off is not always best. Sometimes holding a card keeps an opponent from completing their own meld, or preserves a card you need. Weighing the immediate deadwood reduction against what you give away is a judgment that improves with practice, as our improvement guide covers.

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Related questions

What does it mean to knock in Gin Rummy?

Knocking is how you end a hand of Gin Rummy without going Gin. Once your unmatched deadwood totals 10 points or less, you can knock: place your final discard face down, lay out your melds, and reveal your deadwood. Your opponent then lays off cards, and the player with the lower deadwood total scores the difference.

What is an undercut in Gin Rummy?

An undercut happens when the knocker's opponent finishes with equal or less deadwood than the player who knocked. Instead of the knocker scoring, the defender wins the hand and takes a 25-point undercut bonus plus the difference in deadwood. It is the penalty for knocking too greedily against a strong opposing hand.

What is Rummy 500?

Rummy 500, also called 500 Rum, is a variant for 2 to 8 players where you lay your melds face up and score the point value of the cards in them. The first player to reach 500 points wins. Its signature rule lets you draw more than one card from the discard pile, as long as you immediately use the deepest card you take.