Playing the game
In
cribbage the deal rotates with each hand played. This is very important
because of the advantage having the crib goes to the dealer (especially in
five-card play). If in a hand a player "pegs out" (reaches the
winning score), then the game is over and that player wins. A unique feature
of cribbage is that when a player pegs out, the game is over; this can take
place during the play of cards or while the hands are being scored. Some of
the cribbage boards are marked with an "S" in place of "90" because a
player is said to be "skunked" if, upon completion of the game,
the player has fewer than 91 points. Any player that finishes with less than
61 points is said to be "double skunked" or "lurched
".
The deal and the formation of the crib
The dealer shuffles the playing cards and deals
the required number of cards. The non-dealer can cut the deck before the deal,
though they can also pass on this option. The players discard cards face-down
to form the crib, which will be used by the dealer.
The Starter
The player to the right of the dealer or left
(consistently use one or the other) cuts the deck and the dealer then turns up
the top card, called the "starter". If the card is a Jack , the dealer scores
two points for "his heels".
Card values
Aces are considered a low card and have a value of
1. Face cards always have a value of 10 but retain their customary rank for
runs, thus 9,10,J,Q,K is a valid run of 5. Since the ace is always a low card
it only counts as a run in combination with the 2 and 3 etc and not with the K
and Q.
The play
Each player takes turn and plays a card in
separate stacks, with the non-dealer playing first, stating the total value of
all the cards played. The total can not pass 31.
If a player is not able play a card without
bringing the total over 31, the player says "Go" and the other player(s) can
then play any cards that keep the total at 31 or less; the last player to play
a card before the count is reset to zero pegs 1 point for "the go", if some
cards remain unplayed, or "last card", if no cards remain unplayed. If said
player tallies exactly 31 points, another point for "31" is earned, making two
points in total. The count then resets to 0, and the first player having
unplayed cards to the left of the player who played last leads the next card.
During play, the players
peg points are:
-
2 points for a total of 15.
-
2 points if the card is of the same value as the
previous card (i.e. completing a pair).
-
6 (12) points for playing a third (fourth)
consecutive card of the same value without the count resetting to zero in
between any two consecutive cards. Three in a row is 'pair royale', four is
'double pair royale'.
-
Three points for completing a run of three cards,
four for completing a run of four cards, and so on. This is regardless of the
order of play, as long as no non-run making card or a 'go' stands in the way,
so if the cards played are 6,6,4,2,3, then the player who plays the 3 will
score three for a run. However, if the order is 4,K,7,9 'go' 10,J,5,3 then no
points are awarded for the 9,10,J.
-
1 point for playing a card such that none of the
other players can go because either everyone else is out of cards, or no one
else can play without exceeding 31in either case this is a "point for go".
-
2 points for bringing the total to 31.
-
1 point for playing the last card, except in the
preceding situation when the last card counts to 31, in which case 2 points
are scored.
Example from a two player game:
Player 1 plays a 10, saying "Ten",
Player 2 plays a 5, saying "Fifteen for two" and
pegging two points (for the 15).
Player 1 plays a 5, saying "Twenty for two" and
pegging two points (for the pair of 5s).
Player 2 plays a 5, saying "Twenty-five for six"
and pegging six points (for the triple 5).
Player 1 plays a 6, saying "Thirty-one for two"
and pegging two points for getting 31.
The count resets and play continues until all
eight cards are played.
Another example:
Player 1 plays a 9, saying "Nine",
Player 2 plays a 7, saying, "Sixteen",
Player 1 plays an 8, saying, "Twenty-four for
three" and pegging three points (run of 7,8,9),
Player 2 plays a 5, saying, "Twenty-nine",
Player 1 having no cards which would keep the
total at 31 or less, says "Go",
Player 2 plays an Ace, saying "Thirty" and pegging
one point (for the "go"),
Player 1 plays a 9, saying "Nine" (the count has
been reset after the "go"),
Player 2 plays a 3, saying "Twelve",
Player 1 plays a 4, saying "Sixteen and one for
last" and pegs one point (for the last card of the hand)
The show
Each player in turn, in the order of play and
ending with the dealer and then the crib, tallies the points in their hand,
including the starter card, and "pegs" (counts) the amount. The order in which
this is completed is important as a player who scores first may peg out and
wins the game even though another player's tally would exceed that score. In a
standard, two-handed game, the hands are scored in the following order:
1. Non-dealer's hand
2. Dealer's hand
3. Dealer's crib
Hands are generally scored starting with the
player to the dealer's left, then continuing clockwise towards the dealer, who
counts his or her hand first and then his or her crib hand.
Points are scored as such:
-
1 point - for Jack in hand with the same
suit as the starter card - called having "his knobs" or "his knob" in the UK
and "right Jack" in the US.
-
2 points
-
for each combination of cards that total 15 -
again, face cards count 10, aces 1.
-
for each pair - "three of a kind" forms three
pairs (6 points), "four of a kind" forms six pairs (12
points); "three of a kind" is sometimes called a "pair royal" or "prail",
"four of a kind" being a "double royal" or "double prail".
-
1 point per card
-
for each card in a run - a run is three or more
consecutive cards, so a run of three scores 3 points, a run of four 4 points,
etc.
-
for each card in a flush - a flush must be at
least all cards in hand (3 in five card, 4 in six card, 5 in seven card) but
may also include the starter card. The crib hand may only score a flush if the
starter card is included.
Please note, that cards may be used in several
different combinations in the same deal, thus a jack may score for his nob, in
a flush, a run, as a 15 (in combination with a 5) and as a pair.
Traditionally the score is stated aloud as shown,
though players may simply declare the score, particularly with low-scoring
hands. The highest possible score in six-card cribbage is 29, for a holding of
5, 5, 5, J with a starter of a 5 of the same suit as the Jack. This scores:
"fifteen sixteen" - for J-5 four times and 5-5-5
four times,
"and twelve" - for four 5s,
"and one for his nobs makes twenty-nine."
In the seven-card game the highest possible score
is 46, which is scored by holding 4,4,5,5,6,6 (including starter), which is
fifteen 16, 24 in runs and 6 in pairs. In the six-card game, all scores
between 0 and 29 are possible with the exception of 19, 25, 26 and 27. Players
will sometimes refer to a hand scoring no points as having a score of 19,
which can confuse new players.
The crib
After all the players have counted their hands the
dealer will tally all the points in the crib. This is counted as with the
other hands, except that a flush is scored only if the starter card is also of
the same suit.
Cribbage Board
Visually, cribbage is known for its scoring board
- a series of holes (streets or tracks) on which the score is tallied with
pegs. Scores can be kept on a piece of paper, but a cribbage board is
preferred, since scoring occurs throughout the game, not just at the
conclusion of hands as in most other card games.
There are two main designs of
cribbage board:
-
The older has four rows of thirty holes and a
pegging-out hole in the middle at each end (allowing the board to be used
both ways round). It is not suitable for three player games. In variations it
can however be used for team crib with four players and five cards each.
Partners are normally opposite each other.
-
The newer has three or four rows of 120 holes with
a pegging-out hole at the end and is often brightly coloured. It is
best suited to games played to 121, though it can also be used for 61-point
games.
In both cases there are two pegs for each player
(except team crib where it is two pegs per team\partnership), so that if a
player loses track in the count one peg still marks the previous score. The
holes are divided into groups of 5.
Tactics
Forming the crib
There are certain cards and card combinations that
are likely to be beneficial so a non-dealer will try to keep them in hand. The
dealer will try to keep any good combinations together, either in hand or in
the crib.
Cards and combinations dealer would throw into the
crib, but non-dealer would avoid, are:
-
directly scoring combinations
-
pairs
-
15's - 10-5, 9-6 and 8-7
-
best individual card is a 5 since 4/13 cards are
worth 10 which combines to make 15.
-
consecutive cards - A-2 ... 7-8 ... J-Q give an
opportunity of forming a run. Note 7-8 is best as it also scores 15.
-
3s, 6s, 9s - Likely to combine to 15 (6,9,;
3,6,6,; 3,3,9; etc.).
In the "old game" (2 players, 5 cards of which 2
from each hand go into the crib) the crib is potentially the highest scoring
hand and non-dealers may be prepared to sabotage their own hand to avoid
giving dealer a high-scoring crib.
The play
Some of these tactics will only work in a
two-player game (with more players it is harder to devise a strategy). The
player who leads the play should consider the following:
-
Do not lead a five; chances are the opponent has a
ten or face card and can easily make 15 for two points.
-
Playing a four or less guarantees that an opponent
cannot make 15 on the next card played. The best that player can do is to
complete a pair (which there is no defense against unless one holds at least
two of a given card).
-
Other than the above, if two cards total fifteen,
play one; that way if an opponent takes the score to fifteen for two, the
first player can complete the pair to get two points.
-
If a hand has a 7 and a 9, or an 8 and a 9, play
the 7 or 8. Chances are that the opponent will play for the 15, giving the
first player a run of 3 with the 9.
In general:
-
Play a card from a pair; if an opponent completes
the pair for two, the first player can complete a triple for six (unless the
triple would result in the running total to exceed 31, in which case this play
is not possible).
-
If a hand holds two cards which are two apart in
sequence and the middle card in the sequence would total 15 (i.e. a 6 and an
8), playing one of those two cards may result in scoring a run if the opponent
plays the card to make the 15 and the first player follows up to complete the
run.
-
Try to keep small cards, increasing the
possibility of being able to play the last card for a point or 31 for two
points; however, leading a card lower than five prevents the next player from
immediately scoring a fifteen.
-
Leading with a 6 or a 9 is generally considered a
bad play, although there are situations when it can be advantageous.
-
Avoid making the count 21 if at all possible.
There are 16 cards in the deck (30.8% of deck) with a value of 10, so making
the count 21 gives an opponent a good chance to bring the running tally to 31
and score two points.
Variations
-
Six-card cribbage is a common game, and is the
version played in organized tournaments. In this version, each player is dealt
six cards, leaving them with four cards once two are placed in the crib. Play
is to 121 two streets of 60 (up and down) and the pegging-out hole.
-
For three players, five cards are dealt each and
one to the crib. Each player places one card in the crib. Then play is as six
card.
-
Five-card cribbage (for two players) is an old
version, and is sometimes known as "old game". Each player is dealt five
cards, so the crib consists of four cards but each hand only three. Whoever is
non-dealer first is given a three-point start and play is to 61. The pegging
is also different from six card.
-
For four players, five cards are dealt each and
each player places one in the crib. Play is as six card. In partner crib,
players opposite each other form a partnership (as bridge) and the scores are
combined.
-
Seven-card cribbage is rare. Seven cards are dealt
each and one to the crib, so the hands have five cards. The points can be very
complicated to calculate. Play is to 151 (two and a half times round a
traditional board).
-
Low-ball is a variant of six-card, in which the
first person to score 121 points loses.
-
Muggins is a variation in which a player who fails
to count all the points in the play or the show may lose those unclaimed
points to an opponent who declares "muggins". Whether or not to play muggins
is determined before the start of the game.
-
CrossCribb, a board game in which players try to
form intersecting cribbage hands on a five-by-five grid.
Statistics
-
There are 12,994,800 scoring hands in cribbage
((52 choose 5) x 5 -- 5 cards then any of those 5 as the starter card).
-
Approximately 7.8% of randomly drawn four-card
hands score zero points before the starter card is factored in, and exclusive
of in-play pegging points.
-
The highest score is 29 (555J in hand with the
starter 5 of the same suit as the Jack).
-
The second highest score is 28 (any 10/J/Q/K+5555
in hand and starter excepting the above 29 hand) and the third highest is 24
(A7777, 33339, 36666, 44447, 44556, 44566, 45566, 67788, 77889).
-
The odds of getting a 28 hand in a 2 player game
are 1 in 15,028.
-
The odds of getting a perfect 29 hand in a 2
player game are 1 in 216,580.
-
The odds of getting a perfect 29 hand in a 3 or 4
player game are 1 in 649,740.
-
The most points that can be pegged by playing one
card is 15. This is accomplished by completing a double pair royale, while
making the count 15 on the last card (12 for double pairs royale, 2 for the
15, plus 1 for last card). Although this is rare, players declare it as "15
for 15".
-
The highest score (excluding pegging) as a dealer
is 53. The starter must be a 5, and one hand must have J555 while the other
has 4466. The first being a 29 (With the right Jack) and the second being 24.
-
The dealer in 2-player, 6-card cribbage will
always peg at least one point during the play (the pegging round), unless the
opponent wins the game before the pegging is finished.
-
While 19 is generally recognized as "the
impossible hand", meaning that there is no combination of 5 cards that will
produce a score of 19 points, 25, 26, 27 and any number of points greater than
29 are also impossible in-hand point totals. Sometimes if a player scores 0
points in their hand they will claim they have a "19 hand".