What is Straight Gin?
Straight Gin strips out the knock, leaving only the purest goal: meld everything or nothing. It rewards patience and punishes anyone who settles for a half-finished hand.
The one big rule
In Straight Gin, the knock simply does not exist. You keep drawing and discarding until you can go Gin - every card in a meld, zero deadwood. Only then can you end the hand and score.
How it changes play
Without the option to knock out early, hands run longer and you must commit to completing every meld. There is no undercut to fear, but there is also no bailout when your hand goes cold - you either finish it or your opponent finishes first.
Who it suits
Straight Gin appeals to players who find standard Gin's knocking too cautious and want a cleaner test of hand-building. If you enjoy the extra challenge, compare it with Oklahoma Gin, which instead varies the knock limit. Both build on core Gin Rummy.
Related questions
How do you go Gin in Gin Rummy?
You go Gin when every card in your hand is part of a meld and your deadwood is zero. On your turn, you draw, arrange all 10 cards into sets and runs, and discard your final card face down. Going Gin earns a bonus of 25 points on top of your opponent's deadwood, and unlike a knock, your opponent cannot lay off or undercut you.
What is Oklahoma Gin?
Oklahoma Gin is a popular variant of Gin Rummy with one twist: the first upcard turned at the start of each hand sets the maximum deadwood you are allowed to knock with. If that card is an Ace, you can only knock by going Gin, and if it is a spade, the entire hand is worth double.
How do you play Gin Rummy?
Gin Rummy is a two-player game. Each player gets 10 cards and takes turns drawing one card from the stock or discard pile, then discarding one. You arrange your hand into melds - sets and runs - and end the hand by knocking once your leftover deadwood is 10 points or less, or by going Gin with no deadwood at all.