The Rummy Dictionary ?

Terms and Terminology used when playing Rummy.

Deadwood – Un-matched cards after the round or hand is complete.
Deadwood Count – The value of the cards remaining in the players hand after the hand is complete.
Deal – Dishing out the cards at the beginning of the hand.
Dealer – The person or player who deals the cards to the players.
Deck – Most rummy games use the standard 52 card deck of cards with the exception of Kaluki that also incorporates 2 jokers.
Discard – Placing a card deemed worthless in the hand and placing it in the discard pile.
Discard pile – A face up pile of cards, which are rejected by the players, and the top card can be drawn by others.
Draw – Removing a card from the stock or discard piles.

Gin - To Gin is to lay down all cards at once and placing the final card in the discard pile, leaving no deadwood cards.

Hand – A collection of hands or rounds comprise a game. When playing Rummy, hands continue until the target score is reached.

Knock - A player can knock when they have 10 points or less in deadwood count left in their hand when they lay down all cards, grouped into melds and deadwood.

Lay off – Laying off cards to and adding them to already laid down melded hands reduces the losing opponents deadwood count.

Meld – A sequence of cards, either a set or a run. Placing 3 or 4 cards together for a lay down is classed as a melded hand.

Penalty Points – Points that are deducted from the players score when a round is lost.

Run – Consecutive cards of the same suit are termed a Run. 3 or 4 cards can be used to lay down a run.

Set – A set is three or four cards of the same numerical value or rank.
Stock – When the dealer has dealt the required cards to each player, the rest of the deck is placed face down on the table, this is the Stock pile. One card is removed from this after the deal and placed face up to form the discard pile.
Score – A running total of the points gained, or lost, by a player.

Table – The playing area. The table holds the stock and discard piles and melded hands are laid down on the table.
Target Score – At the beginning of each Rummy game, a target score is established. Once a player meets the target, they have won and the game ends.

Undercut – An undercut means to have deadwood count, or less than the knocker.

We'll be adding more terms and terminology to The Rummy Dictionary as new words appear, as they undoubtedly will. Put this page in your favourites to be used as a quick reference guide when playing.