When should you knock in Gin Rummy?

Deciding when to knock is the defining judgment call of Gin Rummy. Knock too soon and you risk an undercut; wait too long and your opponent knocks first.

Quick answer: Knock when your deadwood is low - ideally well under 10 - and the risk of an undercut is small, especially early in a hand before your opponent has built their melds. Hold out for Gin when you're one card away and confident, or when your opponent looks close to going out and a slim knock could be undercut.

Knock early with low deadwood

The earlier you can knock with a low deadwood count, the better, because your opponent has had less time to build melds and lay off against you. A knock with 2 or 3 points early in the hand is usually safe and denies them the chance to catch up.

When to hold for Gin

If you are just one card from a zero-deadwood hand, holding out for Gin is often worth it, since Gin adds 25 points and cannot be undercut. But weigh the risk: every extra turn gives your opponent another draw toward their own hand.

Reading undercut risk

If your opponent has taken few cards from the discard pile and the hand has run long, they may be sitting on low deadwood themselves - a warning that a marginal knock could be undercut. When in doubt with 8, 9 or 10 points, it is often safer to keep drawing.

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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.

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.