Rummy Score Calculator

Gin Rummy Scoring Hinges on One Word: Deadwood

Deadwood is the point value of the cards left in your hand that don't belong to a completed set or run. Whoever ends a hand with less deadwood wins the points — but exactly how many points depends on whether the round ended in a clean gin, a knock, or the riskier situation where the knocker gets undercut by an opponent with even less deadwood left.

The Two Scoring Formulas

Gin (knocker has zero deadwood):
Score = Opponent Deadwood + Gin Bonus (25)

Knock (knocker has deadwood, but less than opponent):
Score = Opponent Deadwood − Your Deadwood

Undercut (opponent's deadwood is equal to or lower than the knocker's):
Score = (Your Deadwood − Opponent Deadwood) + Undercut Bonus (25)

The undercut rule is what keeps knocking risky — a player who knocks with, say, 8 deadwood instead of waiting for gin can be undercut by an opponent who happens to have 8 or fewer, flipping the entire point swing to the other side plus a 25-point penalty.

Where This Gets Used

Settling a hand quickly — totaling deadwood by hand under time pressure is a common source of arithmetic mistakes; this checks the math instantly.
Deciding whether to knock or hold — understanding exactly how much an undercut costs helps calibrate how low your deadwood needs to be before it's safe to knock.
Tracking a full match to 100 points — standard Gin Rummy is played to a target score across multiple hands, so per-hand totals need to be exact.

How to Use This Calculator

Choose the mode: Gin (Knocker Went Gin) or Knock.
For Gin, enter the Opponent's Deadwood Points.
For Knock, enter both Your Deadwood Points and the Opponent's Deadwood Points — the calculator determines automatically whether it's a standard knock or an undercut.
Select Calculate to see the points awarded and to whom.

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Scoring a different card game? Try the Uno Score Calculator or track a mixed game night with the Board Game Score Tracker Calculator.