Cribbage
Classic two-player six-card cribbage against the computer. Choose your discards for the crib, peg to 15 and 31, and watch every fifteen, pair, run, flush and nobs counted for you as the pegs move around the board to 121.
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Game over
Cutting for deal…
Scoring log
Click two cards to choose your discards, then press Send to crib. During pegging click a highlighted card; "Go" is called for you when you can't play. Keys: H hint, Enter continue.
How to use the Cribbage
- Cut for deal. The player who cuts the lower card deals first and owns the first crib. The deal then alternates.
- Discard to the crib. You get six cards. Click two of them and press Send to crib. Use Show hint to see the discard with the best expected score.
- Cut the starter. A starter card is turned up. If it's a Jack, the dealer scores 2 for his heels.
- Peg. Take turns playing cards and keeping a running count that can't go past 31. Score 2 for making 15 or 31, 2 for a pair, 6 for three of a kind, points for runs, and 1 for a go or the last card.
- Count the hands. The non-dealer counts first, then the dealer, then the dealer's crib. Each scoring combination is listed, and the pegs move. First to 121 wins.
Cribbage scoring reference
| Combination | Pegging | Hand or crib |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen (cards totaling 15) | 2 when the count hits 15 | 2 for each combination |
| Thirty-one | 2 | – |
| Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Three of a kind (pair royal) | 6 | 6 |
| Four of a kind (double pair royal) | 12 | 12 |
| Run of 3, 4, 5… | 1 per card (last cards played, any order) | 1 per card, multiplied by duplicates |
| Flush | – | 4 in the hand (5 with starter); crib needs all 5 |
| His nobs (Jack of starter suit) | – | 1 |
| His heels (starter is a Jack) | 2 to the dealer | – |
| Go / last card | 1 | – |
Common multi-runs
| Pattern | Example | Run points | Plus pairs | Total (runs + pairs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double run of 3 | 4 5 6 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Double run of 4 | 3 4 5 6 6 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Triple run | 7 8 9 9 9 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Double-double run | 7 7 8 9 9 | 12 | 4 | 16 |
Fifteens come on top of these. For example 4 4 5 6 6 holds four fifteens (8), two pairs (4) and a double-double run (12) for 24.
Cribbage strategy tips
- Keep 5s and 10-cards together. Any 5 plus a 10, J, Q or K is a fifteen, and 16 of the 52 cards count as ten.
- Think about whose crib it is. In your own crib, toss 5s, pairs and close cards. In your opponent's crib, toss cards far apart in rank, like a King and a 2.
- Lead a 4 or lower. Your opponent can't reach 15 with one card, so they can't score on your lead.
- Avoid making the count 5 or 21. Any ten-card then gives your opponent 15 or 31.
- Watch for pair traps. Pairing your opponent's card scores 2 but invites a pair royal for 6.
- Know the board. Near the end, a careful pegging play can be worth more than holding a big hand, because the non-dealer counts first.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play cribbage?
Two-player cribbage uses a standard 52-card deck. Each player is dealt six cards and puts two into the crib, which belongs to the dealer. A starter card is cut. Players then take turns playing cards in a running count up to 31, scoring points along the way (pegging). Finally each hand is counted together with the starter for fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and nobs, and the dealer also counts the crib. The first player to 121 points wins.
How do you count a cribbage hand?
Count your four cards plus the starter. Every combination of cards adding up to 15 scores 2 (face cards count 10, aces 1). Each pair scores 2, so three of a kind is 6 and four of a kind is 12. A run of three or more consecutive ranks scores 1 per card, and each duplicate card in a run multiplies it. Four cards of one suit in the hand is a 4-point flush, 5 if the starter matches. A Jack of the starter's suit is his nobs, 1 point.
What is the highest possible cribbage hand?
The highest hand is 29: three 5s and the Jack of one suit in your hand, with the fourth 5 of that same suit as the starter. It scores 16 for eight fifteens, 12 for four of a kind and 1 for his nobs. Scores of 19, 25, 26 and 27 are impossible, which is why a zero hand is jokingly called nineteen.
How does pegging work in cribbage?
The non-dealer plays first, saying the running total. Players alternate, and the count can't exceed 31. You score 2 for making the count exactly 15 or 31, 2 for a pair with the previous card, 6 for three of a kind, 12 for four, and 1 per card for a run of three or more among the most recent cards. If you can't play without passing 31 you say go, and the last player to play scores 1. The count then restarts.
What are his heels and his nobs?
His heels: if the starter card cut by the dealer is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately. His nobs: if you hold the Jack of the same suit as the starter in your hand or crib, you score 1 point during the count.
What is a skunk in cribbage?
If the winner reaches 121 before the loser gets past 90, the loser is skunked, which traditionally counts as a double game. Losing with 60 or fewer is a double skunk. The skunk line is marked on the board, and your skunk wins are tracked in the statistics.
Why does the crib matter when I discard?
The crib scores for the dealer. When it's your crib, discard cards that work well together, such as 5s, pairs or cards adding up to 15. When it's the computer's crib, avoid giving it those cards. The hint button weighs your expected hand score against the value of the cards you put in the crib.
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