How to Play Cribbage

Cribbage Setup and Objective

Players: 2 (most common), can play 3 or 4
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
Scoring board: A cribbage board with 121 pegging holes (each player needs 121 points to win)

Card values (for play only):
• Aces = 1
• 2-10 = face value
• J, Q, K = 10 (but keep their rank for sequences)

Objective: Be the first player to peg (score) 121 points around the cribbage board. Points are scored during the Play phase (pegging) and the Show phase (counting hands).

The Deal and the Crib

Deal: Each player receives 6 cards. Each player selects 2 cards to discard face-down into the Crib — a bonus hand that belongs to the dealer.

The Crib: A third hand built from the 4 discarded cards (2 from each player). It is counted and scored by the dealer after the main hands.

Crib strategy:
• As dealer: Put your best scoring cards in the Crib — you'll score it. A pair or a 5 in the Crib is valuable.
• As non-dealer (Pone): Give the dealer's Crib cards with low scoring potential — avoid giving pairs or cards close in rank. Giving 7-8 or J-5 into an opponent's Crib is costly.

The Starter card: After discarding, non-dealer cuts the deck. Dealer flips the top card — this is the Starter (or Cut) card. If it is a Jack, dealer immediately pegs 2 points ('two for his heels').

Pegging: The Play Phase

Players alternate playing cards from their hands, running total announced after each card. The goal is to reach exactly 31 (or as close as possible without exceeding it).

How to peg during play:
• 15: When the running count reaches 15 — peg 2 points
• 31: When count reaches exactly 31 — peg 2 points; count resets to 0
• Go: If you cannot play without exceeding 31, say 'Go'. Opponent continues until they can't either — last player to play pegs 1 point for the Go (or 2 for 31)
• Pairs: Play a card matching the last played card rank — peg 2. Three in a row (Pair Royal) = 6. Four in a row = 12.
• Runs: Three or more consecutive-rank cards played in any order — peg the number of cards in the run (3 cards = 3 points, 4 cards = 4 points)

Pegging strategy: Lead with 4s (safe against 15) or high non-face cards. Avoid leading 5s (easy 15 for opponent). Pair opponent's card only if you have a third matching card ready.

The Show: Counting Your Hand

After pegging, both players count their 4-card hands plus the Starter card (a 5-card hand). Non-dealer counts first, then dealer, then dealer counts the Crib.

Scoring combinations:
• Fifteens: Every combination of cards totalling 15 = 2 points each
• Pairs: 2 points; Pair Royal (three same rank) = 6; Double Pair Royal (four same rank) = 12
• Runs: Three or more consecutive ranks = 1 point per card in run
• Flush: Four cards of same suit in hand = 4 points. If Starter also matches = 5 points (Starter match required for Crib flush)
• His Nobs: A Jack in hand that matches the Starter's suit = 1 point

Maximum hand: 29 points — 5-5-5-J with a 5 Starter matching the Jack's suit. Mathematically possible but extremely rare.

Cribbage Strategy Essentials

Keep 5s and cards that make 15: A hand with a 5 paired with a 10-value card (10, J, Q, K) guarantees at least one 15-combination. 5s are the most valuable cards in Cribbage.

Keep pairs and connected cards: Pairs score directly; connected cards (consecutive ranks) have run potential.

Discard safely to opponent's Crib:
• Avoid giving pairs to the opponent's Crib
• Avoid giving 5 + any 10-value card
• 'Safe discards' to opponent's Crib: widely spaced cards of different suits (e.g., A-K)

Pegging aggression changes with score: Leading at 111+ points, peg aggressively — you need 10 points to win and shouldn't be conservative. Behind on the board, peg defensively — don't give easy points.