[1][2] The game remained local to New York until 1941, when it was publicized throughout the United States after becoming a Hollywood fad.

[3] In 1947, a survey by an association of U.S. playing card manufacturers concluded that the number of people who learned Gin Rummy during World War II was equal to the number that learned to play pinochle, cribbage, poker, and bridge combined.

The ranking from high to low is King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace.

The objective in Gin Rummy is to be the first to reach an agreed-upon score, usually 100 points.

The basic game strategy is to improve one's hand by melds and eliminating deadwood.

On the first turn of the round, the non-dealer has first option of taking the upcard on the discard pile or passing.

Players alternate taking turns until one player ends the round by declaring the hand over (knocking), or until only two cards remain in the stock pile, in which case the round ends in a draw and no points are awarded.

[7] In standard Gin, a player with 10 or fewer points of deadwood may knock, immediately ending the hand without giving the opponent a chance to play.

Intersecting melds are not allowed; if a player has a three-card set and a three-card run sharing a common card, only one of the melds counts, and the other two cards count as deadwood.

In this version of Gin Rummy, the value of the first upcard is used to determine the maximum count at which players can knock.

In this variation it is possible to knock any of cards from the discard pile so as long as you put down a suit or pair.

Another version in this variation (mostly in match play) and in Hollywood Gin (see below), a second deck of cards will be used to determine the knock value of a hand.

Above rules apply but both players are dealt ten cards with the last hand winner picking first from the deck.

In the 1942 laws of Gin Rummy published in New York by Ely Culbertson's Bridge World and prepared by a rules committee of bridge players, the scoring format for Hollywood Gin was published as a way to play "simultaneous games".

[10] Similar to Oklahoma Gin, except aces can be used high or low, and runs can be formed "around the corner" (such as K♠ A♠ 2♠).

Hollywood scoring of three games to 200 when playing head-to-head or with two-person teams.

Three-person teams play to 300, 25 points extra if all three teammates win.