Deadwood
Cards that aren’t in a meld are deadwood, counted in points: aces 1, number cards their value, face cards 10. Learn to count it. How Gin Rummy works · lesson 3 of 5.
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The lesson in words
Any card that isn’t part of a meld is deadwood. Deadwood is counted in points: aces 1, number cards their number, and jacks, queens and kings 10 each.
This hand has three melds and one king left over: 10 points of deadwood.
Less deadwood is better. Next: what to discard.
Questions
Which cards add the most deadwood?
The king and queen: 10 points each. High cards are expensive deadwood.