Knocking

Knocking is perhaps the rule which is the least understood by novice Gin Players, but it is really one of the keys to a competitive game of Gin Rummy.

When most of your cards fit into melds, and you fear your opponent is close to Gin, you can opt to knock if your left-over cards are equal to, or less than, the knock limit for the game variation. In Regular Gin Rummy, the knock limit is fixed at 10 points, while in Oklahoma Gin the knock limit varies with the hand (see the section on Oklahoma Gin for more information).

A hand ready to knock

In this example, you have one point left over after you discard the eight of diamonds.  You would probably opt to knock, if the rules permitted it.

Knocking is similar to going out with Gin in that you flip and discard your 11th card then lay out your melds. Where it differs is that the game isn't totally over yet -- a showdown has begun to see who has the better hand.

After you lay down your melds, your opponent can then lay down her melds, and also place her left-over cards in your melds. Once she has melded, you both tally the number of points left in your deadwood. If you have fewer points than her, you receive the difference in points (note that you don't get a 25 point bonus, as you do when you go out with Gin).

If, on the other hand, you have more points left over than your opponent does, your opponent gets a 20-point undercut bonus, plus the difference in points.

For more information about scoring when you knock, refer to Game and Scoring Variations in Classic Gin Rummy.

 

Why knock?

It might seem that it's unwise to knock, rather than wait for Gin, because Gin gives you a guaranteed 25 point bonus, plus the points in your opponent's deadwood. However, knocking should be considered a defensive move, rather than an offensive move -- if your opponent is close to Gin, you want to block her from getting the automatic 25-point bonus that Gin would give her.

If you're new to knocking, it may take a few games to learn when to knock, but you'll quickly see it's value!

 

Knocking in Classic Gin Rummy

Knocking in Classic Gin Rummy is very similar to going out with Gin -- the easiest way is to simply drag a card into the center of the main window (meld area).

Done Melding menu option

 

How the computer opponent knocks in Classic Gin Rummy

Where the computer melds

When the computer knocks in Classic Gin Rummy, it places all of its melds on the right, and its deadwood on its far left. (If you're new to the game, it might look like it's cheating because it's going out with cards left over.)  It also makes a "knocking" noise before it knocks to let you know it is knocking.

Computer's deadwood highlighted, after it has knocked

 

Melding into the computer's melds

You can place any of your cards which fit into the computer's melds -- simply drag and drop them into the computer's melds (Auto-Meld does this for your automatically).


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