Box

An entry on a scoresheet, indicating a bonus in additional to the cumulative score for the hands played. A box is awarded for each hand won. A box bonus is awarded for each box when the game is scored. Additional boxes are awarded for gins and undercuts. Various doublers may also apply to boxes.

Deadwood

Unmatched cards in a player's hand when the hand is scored.

Deal

To distribute the cards at the start of a hand.

Dealer

The player who deals a hand.

Discard

To remove a card from one's hand and place it on the discard pile. The last card so discarded may be drawn by the opponent.

Discard pile

The pile of face-up cards from which players may draw cards to insert into their hands. See

Stock pile

Draw

To take a card, either from the stock pile or from the discard pile.

Draw

See Tie.

Gin

To knock with no deadwood, i.e., with all cards in melds.

Group

See Set.

Hand

A round of play, beginning with the deal and terminating with a knock or a draw. Also: The cards dealt to an individual player (the player's hand).

Knock

To end a hand by laying down one's cards, arranged in melds and deadwood.

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.

Knock card

A card (usually from another deck) that determines the suit that determines whether certain score doublers will be in effect for the current hand. If the card is a spade, and spades doubler has been selected, then the score for the hand will be doubled. If the card is a heart, and hearts doubler has been selected, then the score for the hand will be doubled.

In the Oklahoma variation, the knock card determines the maximum points in deadwood with which a player may knock. If the knock card is an Ace, a knock must be for gin.

Lay off

To reduce the point count for the non-knocker, by added cards to the melds of the knocker.

Meld

An arrangement of three or more matching cards. See

Sequence

and Set.

Oklahoma

In the Oklahoma variation, the knock card determines the maximum points in deadwood with which a player may knock. If the knock card is an Ace, a knock must be for gin. See Knock card.

Point count

The sum of the unmatched cards in a player's hand.

Run

See Sequence.

Sequence

Three or more cards of consecutive rank, in the same suit. Ace is low.

Set

Three or four cards of the same rank.

Stock pile

The pile of face down cards from which players may draw cards to insert into their hands. See

Discard pile

.

Table limit

The maximum amount of money that can be won or lost in the course of the current game. Table limits effectively cap your potential winnings or losses. Table limits are negotiated during the invitation process. Also called table stake.

Three-meld hand

A hand which contains three melds.

Tie

A hand which neither player wins.

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.

Two-meld hand

A hand which contains two melds.

Undercut

After laying off, to have fewer or the same number of unmatched points on one's hand than the knocker. Undercutting generally earns a bonus.

Unmatched cards

Card(s) in a player's hand which are not part of melds.

Unmelded

See

Unmatched

.

last modified: 2005-05-04