Rummy Strategy
Althought the rules of the game are very easy, Gin Rummy is complex enough so that advanced players can always outperform a beginner. There are 15,820,024,220 possible ten-card hands in Gin Rummy. On top of this many players play their hands differently and they mix it up as well. Over the long run, luck has no value and advanced players will win more than beginners. This is why you should have a good rummy strategy before you decide to play for real money.
As opposed to playing in a live card game, when playing cards online there's no need to worry about card tricks or anything likewise that your opponent may be up to. All cards are arranged the same so there are no tricks in online rummy.
Basic Strategy
The most important objective is to decrease your deadwood points as quickly as possible. You can do this by creating sets or straights and it is also recommended to lay down high cards without possibilities for sets or straights as soon as possible. Knocking as soon as possible will also work best for beginners.
Advanced Strategy
Middle high cards are strategically more important than low and face cards.
These middle high cards can be used in far more sets and straights.
For example the 7 can be used in more combinations than any other card in the deck.
Always keep in mind that there is a possibility your opponent can knock with a lower count.
This happen a lot when the game is at the point of the bottom of the stockpile.
In the essence of the game, when about half of the cards are in use,
the decision to knock or to go for Gin depends on how many cards can give you Gin.
This can vary from 0, if your opponent has al these cards, on up to 5.
Although it is not recommended there are many players who hold their high cards.
In your advantage, most of the players will lay down their high cards from the start,
whereby you can easily make sets and because of this there will be a high reduction in deadwood count.
Keep in mind not to hold these cards too long in your hand, however.
A good player will vary his cards which he will lay down so that he will be less predictable and others will not be able to guess what he holding.
Thereby it is recommended to hold the cards in a way that nobody can see what you have.
A crucial skill for a winning rummy player is good memory. You must be able to memorize all the possible melds in a hand.
When you are able to do this you should always think about your own strategy first, before thinking what your opponent's might have.
For example if you pick up a card from the stockpile, do not put this card on a logical order between the other cards.
Close your hands, open them again and then put a card on the discard pile.
Playing this way your cards will not be revealed to your opponents and nobody can see how many cards you were saving for the discard pile.