Gin Rummy

Game History

Multiplayer online Gin rummy game was launched at GameColony.com on September 1, 2000.

Gin Rummy has first appeared in early 1900s. Some credit for the game is given to Elwood Baker of Knickerbocker Whist Club in New York city. Elwood Baker was also a Bridge tutor and later achieved much posthumous fame as a victim of an unexplained murder case (could it have been an irate card partner?). Only in 1930s the game of gin firmly appeared in popular American culture as gin became a game of popular Broadway and Hollywood stars and was featured in multiple movies.

The popularity of gin is probably due to the fact that the game is very easy to learn and is a fairly fast-paced. The earliest form of the game (rummy) can be also traced back to the mid-19-th century Mexican game of Conquian. Conquian was a simpler win-or-lose game played for a fixed stake. The best thing that Elwood Baker invented to make gin what it is now, is to refine the scoring system, making it much more interesting to play for money.

Prior to Elwood Baker, in 1899 there was Gin Poker -- a game that is considered to be the 'father' of modern Gin Rummy. Gin Poker was played extensively in saloons in US at the time. Gin Poker rules are remarkably similar (except points and scoring) to gin rummy.

Gin Poker Rules (reprinted from 1899 club rules):
"A standard pack of 52 cards is used. The game is for 2 players. Game is 100 points. Each player is dealt 10 cards, one to each alternatively. the twenty-first card is turned face up.Each player can pick off the top card of the discard pile or take the card of the top of the stock, then discard a card.

The object of the game is to get sequences of three or more in a suit, or three or four of a kind. As soon as deadwood (unmatched cards) total ten or less, the player can call for a showdown, and has to announce the amount of his deadwood and show his hand, laying the combination aside. If an opponent has less deadwood than the caller 9the present game's knocker), he and not the caller gets paid. Not only that, he gets a 10 point penalty from the caller."