The Knock Rule
You may knock in Gin Rummy when your total deadwood — the combined point value of all cards in your hand that are NOT part of a valid meld — is 10 points or fewer.
That’s the complete rule. There are no other requirements beyond deadwood ≤ 10.
Deadwood Card Values (Quick Reference)
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2–9 | Face value |
| 10, J, Q, K | 10 each |
Exactly When During Your Turn Can You Knock?
Knocking happens after you draw and before or instead of a regular discard. The sequence is:
- Draw a card (from stock or discard pile)
- Check your deadwood total — is it 10 or fewer?
- If yes, you may either:
- Knock: Place your final discard face-down and lay out your hand
- Continue: Place a card face-up as a regular discard and let the opponent draw
You cannot knock before drawing your card on a given turn.
Knocking vs. Going Gin
| Regular Knock | Gin | |
|---|---|---|
| Deadwood required | ≤ 10 points | Exactly 0 points |
| Opponent can lay off? | Yes | No |
| Bonus? | None | +25 points |
Going Gin is always worth more than a regular knock because of the 25-point bonus and the absence of lay-offs. But waiting for Gin costs time and risk — your opponent might knock first.
The Risk of Knocking: Undercut
Knocking doesn’t guarantee you win the hand. If your opponent has equal or fewer deadwood after laying off cards onto your melds, they undercut you and win a 25-point bonus on top of the point difference.
Example: You knock with 9 deadwood. Your opponent has 13 deadwood but lays off a card onto your meld (saving 5 points), bringing them to 8 deadwood. They undercut you and score (9 − 8) + 25 = 26 points.
The higher your deadwood when you knock, the greater the undercut risk. Knocking with 1–3 deadwood is very safe. Knocking with 8–10 is a calculated risk.
Can You Always Knock?
No — you can only knock when deadwood is 10 or fewer. Some game variations change this rule:
- Oklahoma Gin: The first upcard determines the knock value for that hand. If the upcard is a 5, you can only knock with 5 or fewer deadwood. If it’s a face card, the knock value is 10 (standard). If it’s an Ace, you must go Gin.
- Straight Gin: Knocking is not allowed at all — you must go Gin to end the hand.
Always confirm which rule set you’re playing before the game starts.
Related Guides
- How to Knock — Full Procedure — The complete step-by-step knock process
- When to Knock — Strategy Guide — Deciding when knocking is the right move
- Oklahoma Gin Rules — How the variable knock rule changes strategy