Gin Rummy

Il Gin Rummy was created in 1909 by Elwood T. Baker, an American whist teacher who lived in Brooklyn. The name – suggested by his son – is a pun based on two famous alcoholic drinks: gin and rum.
One of the reasons why the history behind Gin Rummy is so obscure, is because it was not until the 30’s that the game gained popularity. In fact, in the 1926 edition of “Official Rules of Card Games” it still appears under the name of “Gin Poker”. According to several people, the economic depression of 1929 – when a crescent number of people hadn’t much economical means and preferred playing at-home games – was one of the factors behind Gin Rummy’s rebirth; compared to Bridge, Gin Rummy is much easier to learn, and is certainly more suitable than Poker for a domestic environment.
A further increase in popularity came in the 40’s, when Gin Rummy became a popular card game among Hollywood and Broadway actors and stars, especially in its variant form – born in those very years – called Hollywood Gin Rummy. There are very few movies of that period which don’t mention or at least show the game, and this endorsement greatly contributed to the success of Gin Rummy.
Gin Rummy, also online, is one of those nifty games that you can learn in few minutes, but which take a life to master; moreover, it features a clever scoring system that minimizes the effects of luck, thus making it appealing to professional players.