Cribbage Card Game

What is Cribbage?

Cribbage is a card game originating from the United Kingdom, and it is designed to be played by 2-6 players. The game is, at its core, a strategy-based card game, but it also has a distinct cribbage board that epitomizes the game type. The game has a strict set of rules and a unique scoring system, making it an acquired taste. Chicago Cribbage is a 2007 title by Outset Media for two to four players. It requires a cribbage board (not provided) and familiarity with the traditional game of cribbage. It comes with its own deck of conventional playing cards plus 28 'Chicago Cards' that modify the game of cribbage.

Cribbage is a Trump style Card game for free. This free Cribbage app lets you play the classic card game Cribage Online anywhere without needing your wooden Cribbage pegging board. The playing cards are large so Grandpa will have no trouble playing his favorite board game.

Cribbage is a card game originating from the United Kingdom, and it is designed to be played by 2-6 players. The game is, at its core, a strategy-based card game, but it also has a distinct cribbage board that epitomizes the game type. The game has a strict set of rules and a unique scoring system, making it an acquired taste.

The classic Cribbage game has quite a following, especially in its country of origin. It is commonly played in pubs, clubs and other places of gathering, and serves as a popular pastime among the UK-based public.

The Board

Cribbage’s most distinctive aspect is theboard, and the same board style has been used since the game’s introduction inthe early 17^th century. The board serves as a makeshift scoringsheet, and is definitely one of the defining aspects of the game.

A typical Cribbage board template is a sequence of holes,known as “streets”, laid out in a cyclic fashion. Scores are kept across thewhole game, so two pegs are used per player. These pegs are used in analternating fashion, such that the previous peg always remains to show theprevious score.

While that forms the essentialscore-counting part of the board, there are also certain other boards thatincorporate a separate game-counter, which shows the number of games won byeach side.

How manyholes are in a Cribbage board?

The boards count score for each player, upto a maximum of 121, hence each line of peg-holes having a maximum of 120 holesin total.

How to Play Cribbage?

Cribbage is designed to be played by 2-6players, and you really just need a deck of the standard 52-card deck to play Cribbage. The board is anadded bonus, but can be substituted with a simple score sheet or counter if oneis unavailable.

The goal of the game is to be the firstplayer to reach the score threshold of 121 points, though certain variationsmight prefer the 61-point limit instead. Scores are awarded for satisfyingspecific conditions, which will be described in detail in the Scoring sectionof the guide.

We provide easy Cribbage instructions for the 2-player variant below.

Deal Phase

Regardless of the number of players, theturn order is determined through deck splitting. The player who reveals thelowest card goes first. Turn order then proceeds in clockwise order.

The dealer shuffles the deck and proceeds todeal 6 cards to each player. These 6 cards form the hands of each player. Eachplayer is then required to discard 2 cards, to form the crib. These discardedcards are placed face down, and will only be used in the Show phase of thegame.

At this stage, all players will have handsconsisting of 4 cards, and the crib also contains 4 cards.

The player to the left of the dealer willthen cut the deck, and the dealer reveals the top card. This card will be the“starter”.

Dealers rotate at the end of each round.

Play Phase

The non-dealer goes first, and places acard from their hand face up in front of her, stating the count. The count iscumulative, so each successive card played by any player will add to thisvalue.

For instance, if the first card laid down isa 5, the non-dealer will say “5” as the count. The dealer then plays a 10 inresponse. The dealer will say “15” as the count, summing up all previouslyplayed cards.

The count cannot exceed 31, and if a playeris unable to play cards without exceeding the count, they will say “Go”. If allplayers call “Go”, the last player who managed to play a card will earn apoint. The count is then reset to 0.

During the Play phase, players can beawarded points for achieving certain conditions. These include:

• Making a count of exactly 15
• Playing a card that is a pair,three of a kind, or four of a kind with the previously played card
• Making a run of three or morecards (note that suit is unimportant in these runs)

As scores are awarded, the pegs are movedin a leapfrog fashion. For example, if the dealer gets 2 points, he places apeg 2 holes ahead.

Show Phase

Once the play phase concludes, each playerthen places their hands face-up. Scores are the awarded based on the contentsof each hand. The starter card that was revealed during the Deal phase is alsoconsidered in the combinations.

Points are awarded for the following:

• Combinations of cards totallinga value of 15
• Runs
• Pairs
• Nobs, where a player has a Jackof the same suit as the starter card
• Flushes

When revealing each combination, the playeris required to show each combination, and count the points out loud.

The dealer, after counting his/her hand,also counts the crib, and adds valid combinations from the crib to his score.

Winning

A player wins the game once he/she reachesthe defined point threshold.

Cribbage Rules

There are specific rules one must follow in Cribbage, and there is the optional “Muggins” rule that can add a layer of strategy.

Card Values

The cards are valued with Kings being thehighest card, and Aces being the lowest.

Calling Counts

Counts are called with the conditionpreceeding it. For example, a player will call their scores as such “Pair 2,Pair 4, Three of a kind 7, 15 9…” and so on. This applies to all phases of thegame.

Flipping Jacks

If a Jack is revealed during the deckcutting, the player making the cut will be awarded 2 points.

CribbageRun Rules

Runs do not have to be played in order. Forexample, Player 1 plays an 8, followed by a 10 from Player 2. Player 1 can thenplay a 9 to claim a run.

Muggins

Since the game involves calling out thevalid combinations for scores, it is possible for players to miss some scorablesets. If other players observe these missed point opportunities, they can call“Muggins” to claim the points.

Note that this is an optional rule, andsome people play without this rule.

Summary of Rules

In summary, the Cribbage pegging rules are:

• Dealer is determined by deck cutting.
• Each player is dealt 6 cards.
• Each player discards 2 cards to the crib.
• The non-dealer cuts the deck to reveal the “starter” card.
• The non-dealer begins by playing a card, followed by the dealer.
• The play continues until all players have clear their cards from their hand.
• The Show phase commences, and each player counts their hand.
• The dealer counts the crib.
• The dealer rotates at the end of the round.
• When a player reaches the defined point threshold, they win.

Scoring Chart & Points

Cribbage scoring is based on the available combinations of cards, and each combination has a different assigned score. Once a player achieves the required points, they win the game. The highest score in Cribbage is 121, at which point the player wins.

Scoring Chart

The standard cribbage scoring chart is shown below.

There also several Cribbage scoring calculators available like this one.

Hand Example

This is an example hand of Cribbage played from thedeal to the end of the round.

The players are then required to discard 2cards to form the crib.

Crib: 6 ♥, K ♥, 10 ♦, 8 ♦

A starter card of is A ♣ is revealed.

The Play phase begins:

1. The non-dealer begins by playing a A ♣.
2. The dealer plays a A ♦, making a pair, getting awarded 2 points.
3. The non-dealer plays his/her A ♥, making a three of a kind, earning 6 points.
4. The dealer plays a 3 ♠, increasing the count to 6.
5. The non-dealer plays a 6 ♣, increasing the count to 12.
6. The dealer plays as 3 ♦, increasing the count to 15, earning 2 points.
7. The remaining cards are played out without any points being earned by either player.

At the end of the Play phase, the scores are:

• Dealer: 4 points
• Non-dealer: 6 points

The Show phase then begins:

The dealer’s hand has 2 pairs (3s and Aces with the starter card). The dealer gets 4 points.

The non-dealer’s hand has a three of a kind (Aces with the starter card). The dealer gets 6 points.

The players now have these points:

• Dealer: 4 + 4 = 8 points
• Non-dealer: 6 + 6 points = 12 points

The dealer then counts the crib, but thereare no available combinations.

Hence, the round ends with these scores:

• Dealer: 8 points
• Non-dealer: 12 points

The dealer the rotates for the next round.

What is thebest hand in Cribbage?

The best hand is ultimately subjectiveduring the Play phase, but the highest score a hand can get during the Showphase is 29.

The best possible hand is 5♠5♣ 5♥ 5♦ and any Jack.

One of the four cards will be the startercard. This combination gives 8 different 15s for 16 points, a four of a kindworth 12 points, and a nobs worth 1 point, giving a total of 29 points.

Cribbage Strategy & Tips

Strategy and tips to help you master Cribbage land:

• Discards are important, as the crib serves as a possibility for the dealer to earn extra points.
• Cribbage strategy revolves around choosing the right cards to play during the play phase.
• Remember, runs do not have to be played in order.
• The best cribbage players always have the count in mind, getting easy 15s and 31s.
• Take your time during the show phase, as you don’t want to miss potential points.
• Keeping runs during the Deal phase can help during the Show phase, but not necessarily during the Play phase.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the game invented?

Cribbage was invented in the early 1600s in Great Britain. You can read more on the history here.

How many points is a Four of a Kind in Cribbage?

A four of a kind is worth 12 points.

What is a Skunk in Cribbage?

A skunk is when a player wins with a 31 point difference with his opponent.

What is a Flush in Cribbage?

A flush is a combination of 4 or more cards in the same suit.

Useful Links

• American Cribbage Congress: The largest Cribbage organization in the world. They standardized the rules for tournaments.
• The Cribbage Guy: Great place to find all kinds of unique Crib Boards.
• Cribbage Boards – Limited Edition: House of Cribbage is an online store for limited edition exquisite inlaid wooden boards.

OBJECTIVE OF CRIBBAGE: Be the first player to score 121 points (or 61 points).

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-3 players

NUMBER OF CARDS: standard 52-card

RANK OF CARDS: K (high), Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A

MATERIALS: Cribbage board

TYPE OF GAME: Other

AUDIENCE: 10+

INTRODUCTION TO CRIBBAGE

Cribbage is a 400-year-old game that descended from an English card game known as “Noddy.” The creator of the game was Sir John Suckling, who was an English poet. The most interesting facet of cribbage is its use of a cribbage board to keep score, rather than a pen and paper. This also makes scoring more efficient which in turns makes the game more fast-paced and engaging.

This game is tailored for 2 or 3 players, however, players can form teams of two in a four player game.

The goal of the game is to accumulate points to the target 121 points (or 61 points). Points are earned by making card combinations.

THE CRIBBAGE BOARD

A Cribbage Boards has 4 rows with 30 holes in each row. The rows are split into two sets of rows by a middle panel. Each player receives a total of 121 continuous holes on some boards. The board is kept between the players. Each player grabs two pegs that are the same color. Every time a player scores, they move a peg along their side of the board. 1 hole = 1 point. Pegs jump each other to demonstrate the increment of the points gained between turns. A game of 61 points is referred to as a “once around” and a game of 121 points as a “twice around.”

THE DEAL

Using a shuffled deck, each player cuts a single card, leaving a minimum if four cards at the end of the deck. If two players draw cards of equal rank they must draw again. The player who has the lowest cut card deals first. The deal alternates after the first hand. However, when starting a new game the loser of the previous one is the first dealer. The dealer shuffles the cards last and lets a non-dealer cut the deck before dealing.

After, the dealer passes each player 6 cards face-down, starting with their opponent or the player to their left.

THE CRIB

Players examine their 6 card hand and must “lay away” two cards for a total of four cards in hand. Those four cards laid away are “the crib.” The crib is the dealer’s, however, these cards are not revealed until after the hands are played.

PRE-PLAY

Once the rib is “laid away,” a non-dealer player cuts the deck. The top card of the lower part of the deck is placed on top. This is the starter card. If this card is a jack, it is referred to as “His Heels,” dealer pegs 2 (scores 2) points. This card is not used in Cribbage play but is used rather later when players make card combinations.

THE PLAY

After the starter was flipped, the nondealer plays a single card on the table, face-up. Then the dealer follows, revealing a card. This continues back and forth, their hands being exposed one card at a time. Players keep the cards in their hands separate.

Each player must announce the running total of the value of cards by adding the one they are playing to the one previously played. For example, play beings with a 2, the nondealer says, “two.” Next, the dealer plays an 8, they say “ten.” Kings, Queens, and Jacks are all worth 10 points. Number cards are worth face value or pip value.

THE GO

The cards running total cannot exceed 31. Once a player cannot play a card without going over 31, they must say “go.” Their opponent then pegs 1. After the Go, the opponent can play any cards in hand that can be played without making the total exceed 31. They can also score points for pairs and runs, which are described below. If a player hits 31 exactly, they peg 2. Whoever called Go leads in the next phase of play, the count begins at zero again. You cannot lead the next phase with cards previously used to score combinations. Whoever plays the last card gets to peg 1 for Go and an extra peg if they land directly on 31.

PEGGING

The goal of the game is to collect points through pegging. Players can score points for a Go and the following combinations:

Fifteen: Playing a card that makes the total = 15, Peg 2

Pair: Playing a card of equal rank as the one previously played, Peg 2

Four (Double Pair, Double Pair Royal): Adding the 4th card of same value, Peg 12

Run (Sequence): Adding cards, that with cards previously played, form:

• Sequence of 3, Peg 3
• Sequence of 4, Peg 4
• Sequence of 5, Peg 5
• Each next card in a sequence, Peg 1 each

Be careful to keep cards in the order which they were played.

THE HANDS

Once play finishes, the three hands are counted in this order: non-dealer, dealer, crib. Non-dealers can “count out” near the end of the game and win before the dealer has the opportunity to count their hand. The starter applies to each hand so they both total 5 cards. They are counted as follows:

Fifteen: Each set of cards that total 15, 2 points each

Pair: Two cards of equal rank, 2 points each

Run: Sequence of 3+ cards, 1 point per card

Flush: 4 cards of the same suit (not including the crib or the starter), 4 points

4 cards in hand or in the crib that are the same suit as the starter, 5 points

His Nobs: Jack of the same suit as the starter either in hand or in the crib, 1 point each

END GAME

Cribbage Card Game Board

Cribbage can be set at either 121 points or 61 points and the game ends once a player reaches the target points. If the non-dealer goes out first the dealer does not get to score their hand and the game ends. If one player goes out before the other reaches half the target score, the loser is said to be “lurched,” and the winner scores for 2 games rather than just 1. Some variations play “skunk” or double game, which means if the loser fails to meet 3/4 the target point the winner wins a double game. And, if the player doesn’t reach the half of the target score, it’s a “double skunk” or quadruple game.

REFERENCES:

Free Cribbage Card Game

http://www.cribbage.org/rules/rule1.asp

Cribbage Card Game Rules

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_cribbage