Gin Rummy for 4 Players (and 3)

With 4 players, you play two games side by side

Gin rummy is a two-player game, so four people play it as two pairs. Each player plays a normal hand of gin against one opponent, with 10 cards each and their own deck. When both games are done, the team results are combined.

After each hand, switch opponents: if you played B1 this hand, play B2 the next. That way nobody gets stuck with the strongest player all evening.

Who plays whom

Teams add or subtract their two results

Score each two-player game the usual way. Then combine them:

• Both partners won: the team scores both results added together.
• One win on each team: the team with the larger result scores the difference.

Example: A1 knocks against B1 and scores 15. At the other table, A2 knocks against B2 and scores 5. Team A scores 15 + 5 = 20. In a different hand, A1 scores 15 but B2 goes gin for 44. Team B scores the difference, 29.

The first team to reach 125 wins.

With 3 players, the dealer sits out each hand

1. Cut for the first deal. The dealer deals 10 cards each to the other two players and doesn't play.
2. The two players play a normal hand of gin.
3. The loser of that hand deals the next one and sits out. The winner plays the person who just dealt.

Each player keeps their own score. A good player can stay at the table for many hands in a row, which is part of the fun.

Other ways people play with more than two

Some groups play a round robin, where everyone plays everyone and each keeps one total. These are house rules, so agree before you deal. If you want all four players in one game at one table, a rummy game made for groups, such as canasta, may suit you better.