1) There is such a thing as extended hours or after hours trading, via electronic networks (you can access them via a normal broker). The volume is generally a lot lower, and the spreads usually wider, but you can still trade stocks 12 or more hours a day.
2) If there was some news (for example, many companies report earnings after the close or before the open) overnight, the price automatically adjusts. The market maker, the company committed to buying and selling at "reasonable" prices, will adjust the buying and selling price, using judgment, based on the likely impact of the news. Or, people will start buying and selling before the bell (the official opening if the market), so that by the time 9:30 rolls around, the price has already moved. Of course, to the casual eye, it seems that the price "jumped," particularly when you only look at "regular" charts that don't include before or after-market moves.
The "Average Joe" shouldn't be worried about gaps up or down, but rather should concentrate on longer-term patterns. And, as I pointed out, almost anyone with any broker has access to after-hours trading. It's not exactly unfair when everyone can participate – it just may seem that way. By the way, all regular traders know, or rather should know, about gaps.
The market is unfair in many ways, but perhaps not in this way.
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