Some times it helps to 'learn the lingo' when starting out playing a new card game. Here is a listing of some common terms and expressions to help you understand the conversation at the rummy table.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Aces High: When Aces can be counted as a higher point value - e.g. Q-K-A is valid but A-2-3 is not.
Aces Low: This is valid where aces are counted as low point value- e.g. A-2-3 In some rummy games, Aces can be both high and low
Add On: A card that is intentionally discarded so that an opponent can use it to form a meld.
Advertising: To discard a card in order to induce an opponent to discard a card of the same rank or in suit and sequence with it. Also known as "baiting"or "fishing".
Angling: Discarding a card in order to trick your opponent to discard a card that is one rank away. This strategic rummy move is also known as "side fishing" or "side baiting".
Baiting: To get rid of a card in order to lure an opponent to discard another card of the same rank or suit in sequence. See "Advertising", "baiting"or "fishing".
Blind Discard: A blind discard occurs when you discard a card without knowing whether or not your opponent can actually use it. This usually occurs on the first discard of a deal.
Blitz: To win a game without the opponent having scored. See "Shutout".
Block: To withhold a card that could potentially extend a meld for your opponent.
Bonus Box: The bonus point score for winning a hand, usually about 25 points.
Borrowing: When you take cards from another meld to form a new set(s).
Box: A box is another way to describe an entry on the score sheet
Box Score: The score for winning a deal.
Breaking Pairs: To discard a card while holding another card of the same rank (also known as "Splitting Pairs").
Buy In: Funds required to play in a tournament or allocated to a specific table.
Captain: One player playing against two players who alternate among themselves to play against him; also can be two players playing against three, alternating among themselves to play against the three, etc
Chouette: A method for more than two people playing a two-person game. One technique for playing Gin Rummy for Three.
Combination: Two cards that have the potential of becoming a matched set by the addition of a suitable third card.
Concealed Hand: When a player goes out in one swift move without having formed any previous melds.
Contract: The type and pre-determined number of sets or runs a player must meld on the first occasion in a certain deal.
Count:The total number of points of deadwood in a hand.
Cut: A cut is done in order to ensure fair play. A cut occurs immediately after the shuffle. The deck of shuffled cards is divided into two portions and the lower portion is placed on top, thus changing the order of the deck.
Cutthroat: A method for playing Gin Rummy for three players.
Dead Cards: Cards which are no longer available to a player because they have already been buried in the discard pile or have been previously melded into a hand.
Deadwood: Unmatched cards or cards that cannot be melded at score time.
Deadwood Count: The total value of the unmatched cards left with a player when a hand is finished. Also see "Deadwood".
Deal: To shuffle and distribute the required number of cards among the players at at the beginning of each hand.
Dealer: The individual who is designated to deal the cards.
Deck: The set of playing cards used to play card games - the average deck of cards contains 52 cards.
Deuce: A two of any suit or color
Discard: To remove an unwanted cardfrom one's hand and place it on the discard pile and thereby ending ones turn.
Discard Pile: The stack of the face-up cards discarded by players next to the stock pile.
Draw: To take a card from the stock or the discard pile -the drawn card can be used to form a meld.
Draw: A tied game.
End of Hand: In traditional rummy, End Hand means that the discard pile is re-shuffled and converted to the stock pile. In Gin Rummy there is no 'end hand' since the play continues until a player goes gin, goes out by knocking, or until the stock pile is down to two cards and,in this case, the hand is concluded and no points are scored.
Exposed Card: A card that is intentionally dropped or exposed to the partner illegally - this usually occurs in a partnership game.
Face Card: Kings, Queens, and Jacks are considered to be FACE CARDS.
Fill: A card that makes a combination into a matched set.
Foot: The lower section of the stock pile.
Forcing: A discard which the next player is forced to take up, as dictated by the rules of the game variation.
Game: Is played to 100 points or any agreed upon number.
Gin Hand: One with no unmatched cards - no deadwood.
Go Down: When a player concludes the game by placing the remaining cards, face up, on the table - this is also known as Knocking.
Go Gin: Knocking with no unmatched cards in your hand -lay down a gin hand or go rummy.
Go Out: To get rid of the very last card in a hand.
Go Rummy: Knocking with no unmatched cards in your hand -lay down a gin hand or go rummy.
Group: A meld comprised of three or more cards of the same rank.
Hand: The cards a player holds at any time during the game.
Head: The upper part of the stock pile that is normally divided in two parts.
House Rules: Game rules that differ from official game rules. House rules can be agreed upon prior to the start of a game and can include rules that are both common and uncommon to the game variation being played.
Hollywood: The method of scoring Gin Rummy where three games between two players are scored concurrently.
Illegal Hand: Relevant to Gin Rummy - A hand that has more or less than 10 cards,after discarding.
Kalooki: A rummy game that uses jokers.
Knave: Another term for the face card commonly referred to as Jack.
Knock: When a player taps on the table and ends the play by placing the remainder of cards face up on the table.
Knock Cache: The cards in a player's hand which together sum no more than the knock card. The player can knock with these cards unmatched.
Knocking Count: Also commonly referred to as 'Knocking Point' or 'Knocking Card' - The maximum count of deadwood with which a player may knock. In Gin Rummy this is usually 10 points.
Lay Off: To reduce points for the non-knocker by adding cards to the knocker's melds. The player cannot lay off when his/her opponent has gone gin.
Match: Any agreed upon number although usually played to 500 points.
Matched Card: A card which forms part of a set.
Matched Set: Three or more cards that can be melded together, if the rummy game rule variation permits it.
Meld: Three or more matching cards that are of the same rank or are of the same suit, in a sequence.
Natural Card: Any card that is not a wild card.
No-Brainer: A hand that requires little skill and can be knocked or ginned quickly.
Oklahoma: A variation of Gin Rummy variation in which the upcard determines the knocking count.
Ragpicker: A player who frequently picks up low-value cards, merely to reduce their point count.
Rank: The normal card hierarchy (ace, ten, king, queen, or jack), as determined by its suit (hearts, diamonds, spades or clubs) .
Redeal: When you are required to deal again after one player has nullified the game.
Reducer: A low card picked or held to reduce the deadwood count in a hand.
Round The Corner: A Gin Rummy variation in which aces can rank high or low, and sequences can wrap around from high to low ranks.
Rummy: To get out in one move, with no deadwood in hand. 'Going Rummy' earns the player bonus points (usually double the points scored).
Run: A set of 3 or more cards of the same suit in a consecutive number sequence (also referred to as a Sequence, Rope or Straight.
Safe Count: The total necessary point score that will hamper an opponents' chance of winning a game.
Safe Discard: A card which an opponent has discarded in previous plays and is not likely to be taken up.
Sequence: A set of 3 or more cards of the same suit in a consecutive number sequence.
Set: A group of three or more cards of the same rank and different suits.
Shutout: When a game is won with one opponent scoring no points.
Skunk: A slang term which is used to describe a defeat by shutout.
Speculate: To take up an opponent's discard, producing a combination instead of a meld.
Spread: A melded set of cards.
Stock Pile: The stack of cards that are left over after the initial deal. The stock pile is placed faced down. Players draw from the Stock pile.
Strangers: Unrelated cards in a hand.
Suit: The suit of a card can be a spade, heart, diamond or club.
Table limit: Table stake which is negotiated before play to establish the maximum amount of money that can be won or lost.
Target Score: The target score that is set prior to the deal. Whoever reaches the target score first wins the game. The target score is different per rummy game variation.
Three Hand Meld: A hand made up of three melds.
Trey:(pronounced 'tray') A three of any suit.
Triangle: A group of cards containing two cards of the same rank and a third card of one of two suits. A triangle provides the maximum chances to draw a card to make a meld.
Triangle: A hand with two cards of the same rank and a third card of one of two suits which maximizes the chance of drawing a card to make a meld.
Triplet: A group of three.
Undercut: To reduce one's deadwood to the same or lesser count than the knocker's.
Undercut Bonus : Points awarded to an undercutter in addition to the net difference in their deadwood points.
Underknock: Trying to have or having a lower count total than that of the opponent who has gone out or is attempting to go out by knocking.
Unload: To discard as many high cards as possible or meld them before the opponent knocks or goes gin; done so in order to reduce the maximum possible deadwood count.
Unmatched Cards: Any cards in a players hand that are not part of melds.
Up Card: After the dealer deals a 10 card hand to his opponent and himself, the next. card is the last card placed face up on the table and is the beginning of the discard pile.
Wild Card: Most relevant to Kalooki, Rummy, Rummy 500 where a card of any suit and rank designated to be wild, usually before the game begins. In some rummy game variations, Jokers are automatically wild. Wild cards can be used as any card to complete a meld but cannot be used in lay off. In some Kalooki game variations, the joker may be substituted for any card in lay off.
Wild Discard: A card that is unsafe to discard, since the opponent will likely take it up. Wild discards are unsafe, but sometimes necessary to win the game