Gin Rummy vs Rummy 500: What’s the Difference?
Quick answer
Both are rummy games built on sets and runs, but they score in opposite ways. In Gin Rummy (two players, 10 cards each) your melds stay in your hand and you score the difference in leftover “deadwood” when someone knocks; game is usually 100. In Rummy 500 (two to about eight players) you lay melds on the table as you go, score the value of every card you meld, may take several cards from the discard pile, and play to 500.
If you grew up with one of these games and married into a family that plays the other, the first evening can be confusing. Both deal cards, both make sets and runs, both draw and discard. Then the scoring starts and everything goes the other way.
The rummy basics both games share
Every rummy game is about melds:
- A set is three or four cards of the same rank: 8♣ 8♦ 8♠.
- A run is three or more cards in a row in the same suit: 5♥ 6♥ 7♥.
On your turn you draw one card, from the face-down stock or the face-up discard pile, and end by discarding one. Cards that don’t fit into any meld are called deadwood. That much is the same in Gin Rummy and Rummy 500. Here is where they part ways.
Gin Rummy vs Rummy 500, rule by rule
| Gin Rummy | Rummy 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 2 | 2 to about 8 |
| Cards dealt | 10 each | 13 each with 2 players; 7 each with 3+ |
| Decks | 1 | 1; 2 decks with 5 or more players |
| Melds | Kept in your hand until the hand ends | Laid on the table as you make them |
| Taking from the discard pile | Top card only | Any card, if you meld it at once and take every card above it |
| Ace | Low only (A-2-3); counts 1 | High or low; counts 15, but 1 in A-2-3 |
| Face cards and 10s | 10 | 10 |
| Ending a hand | Knock with 10 or less deadwood, or go gin with none | A player melds or discards their last card |
| What you score | The difference between your deadwood and your opponent’s | Your melded cards, minus the cards still in your hand |
| Bonuses | 25 for gin, 25 for an undercut | None in the basic game |
| Game ends | Usually at 100 points | At 500 points |
| Play-on-others | Defender lays off on the knocker’s melds after a knock | Anyone may add to any meld on the table during play |
Gin numbers above are the ones our online Gin Rummy uses, which follow the common American rules; Rummy 500 follows pagat.com’s “500 Rum.” Many families have their own house rules for both.
One hand, scored both ways
Same ten cards. Watch how differently the two games treat them:
Scored as Gin Rummy
- run: A♣ 2♣ 3♣
- run: 7♥ 8♥ 9♥
- set: K♣ K♦ K♠
- Deadwood: 5♦ = 5
5 is 10 or less, so you may knock now. You score the difference between your opponent’s deadwood and your 5. Nothing is scored for the melds themselves.
Scored as Rummy 500
- run: A♣ 2♣ 3♣ = 6
- run: 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ = 24
- set: K♣ K♦ K♠ = 30
- Still in hand: 5♦ = −5
Melds on the table are worth their card values: 60, minus 5 for the card left in hand, 55 for the hand. The ace scores just 1 here because it sits in A-2-3; anywhere else it would be worth 15.
That’s the heart of it. Gin rewards having few leftover cards and doesn’t care how valuable your melds are. Rummy 500 rewards melding valuable cards and punishes whatever you’re caught holding.
How the games feel at the table
Gin Rummy is a duel. Your hand stays private, so you watch every card your opponent picks up from the discard pile and guess what they’re building. A hand is over in a few minutes. Knocking early with 9 points can win; waiting for gin can win more, or get you undercut.
Rummy 500 is a busier, more open game. Melds pile up on the table, everyone can add to them, and the discard pile becomes a long fan you can dig into. Scores swing: a big hand can jump you 100 points, and getting caught with a fistful of aces costs 15 each.
Which should you play?
- Two of you, twenty minutes: Gin Rummy. Learn Gin Rummy, or try the short lessons.
- Three to eight around the table: Rummy 500.
- A rummy game for a big family evening, in teams: Canasta, where melds of seven are the goal.
- Everyone on their own, with a twist: Phase 10, a rummy game where each round asks for a different combination.
Want more games for a crowd? See card games for 3 people and large groups.
Games in this article
Gin Rummy
2 players · 20 min · Easy to learn
Build runs and sets, then knock when your leftovers are low.
Canasta
2–6 players · 60 min · Learn in a game or two
Meld sevens of a kind with your partner. Red threes are a bonus.
Phase 10 rules
2–6 players · 60 min · Easy to learn
Rules, the list of all 10 phases and free score sheets.
Questions people ask
Is Rummy 500 the same as Gin Rummy?
No. Both use sets and runs, but in Gin Rummy you keep your melds hidden until someone knocks and you score your opponent's leftover cards, while in Rummy 500 you lay melds on the table during play and score the cards you meld. Rummy 500 also lets you take several cards from the discard pile.
How many cards do you deal in Rummy 500?
Thirteen each with two players, seven each with three or more (pagat.com). With five or more players, shuffle two decks together.
What are cards worth in Rummy 500?
Number cards 2 to 9 score their face value, tens and face cards 10, and aces 15. An ace melded in a low run, A-2-3, counts only 1. Jokers, if you use them, are 15.
Can more than two people play Gin Rummy?
Gin is a two-player game. Three or four can play by rotating partners or playing two separate games and adding scores, but if you have three or more, Rummy 500 is the natural choice.
Which is easier for beginners, Gin or Rummy 500?
Rummy 500 is gentler: you see your melds pile up on the table and every meld scores points. Gin is quicker and tighter, and rewards remembering what your opponent picked up.