Rules Of Rummy
Like any other game of casino, Gin Rummy has its own language. To help you understand this book, and the game itself, here are some of the words and phrases used by Gin players:
• Bunching (also called rudle or frishee) Expressions used when neither player is satisfied with the hand dealt, and the cards are mixed again for a new deal. According to the rules, this should not be done, even with the agreement of both parties.
• Blitz (also called Schneider) - A game in which the losing player does not score a point.
• Box - A hand won by a player or a team in partnership play. When you win the hand, you win the box in HollYWOOd-style play. In most games, there are bonus points for boxes.
• Breaking pairs - Discarding one card from a pair of the same value.
• Count - The number of points won or lost. Each card has the point value of its name, aces are one point, and face cards count 10 points.
• Discard - A card released from the hand after a draw from the deck or the pick up of art opponent's play.
• Dead hand or standoff - This occurs when the 50th card has been played and neither player can knock or gin his hand. No one wins or loses, no points are given and the hand is replayed.
• Gin - A hand completely melded, where each card is matched in a set or sequence.
• Hold play - In a partnership game, when one player plays slower than the normal flow, his opponent advises his partner not to play until the slow player makes his play.
• Hand key - The number of unmelded 14 points that can be held by a player in a partnership game (after his partner has scored) and allow the team to win the box.
• Game key - The number of unmelded points that can be held to avoid losing the game if the opponent gins.
• Hollywood - Scoring for three games simultaneously. The first time a player scores, his points are recorded in the first line, his second score points are recorded in the second line and added to the score in the first line, his third score points are recorded in the third line and added to both the first and second line totals.
• Hot, wild or live card - A card that would be almost certainly useful to the opponent in making a meld or gin.
• Kishka or gut card - A card that falls between two others in a sequence to complete a meld.
• Knock - Ending a hand by laying down melds and totaling unmatched cards. Total unmatched points must be the same or less than the number established at the beginning of the hand for a player to make this move.
• Layoff - Playing cards on the opponent's melds after he has declared a knock to reduce the point count in a player's hand.
• Meld or spread - A matched sequence or set of three or four cards. A set consists of cards of the same number in different suits. A sequence consists of cards of the same suit in sequential number order.
• No-Brainer - A hand that, on the deal, consists of two or three melds so that the player can knock or gin within three plays.
• Self-Player - A hand that develops without the benefit of skillful play.
• Speculation - Taking a discard that does not make a meld, but may match a card held and provide the opportunity for a later meld.
• Tells - Any habit, movement, comment or break in rhythm that indicates something about the make up of a hand.
• Triangle for gin - A combination of cards that allows anyone of four different cards to make gin for a player.
• Undercut - Occurs when one player knocks and the opposing player has less point count in unmatched cards than the player who knocked.
