Best Cribbage Hands: From the Perfect 29 to Zero

Every cribbage player dreams of being dealt the perfect hand. Understanding which hands score highest — and why — deepens your appreciation for the game and helps you recognize valuable card combinations.

The Perfect 29 Hand

The absolute highest-scoring hand in cribbage is 29 points.

The Cards

• Hand: 5♥, 5♦, 5♣, J♠
• Starter: 5♠

The Breakdown

Fifteens (16 points):

• J + 5♥ = 15 (2 pts)
• J + 5♦ = 15 (2 pts)
• J + 5♣ = 15 (2 pts)
• J + 5♠ = 15 (2 pts)
• 5♥ + 5♦ + 5♣ = 15 (2 pts)
• 5♥ + 5♦ + 5♠ = 15 (2 pts)
• 5♥ + 5♣ + 5♠ = 15 (2 pts)
• 5♦ + 5♣ + 5♠ = 15 (2 pts)

Pairs (12 points): Six pair combinations from four 5s

Nobs (1 point): J♠ matches the 5♠ starter

Total: 29 points

How Rare Is It?

The odds of being dealt a 29 hand are approximately 1 in 216,580. If you played 10 hands a day, you’d expect to see it roughly once every 59 years. If you’re ever dealt one, it’s a moment to remember!

The Best Hands Ranked

Here are the top cribbage hands by point value:

29 Points (1 possible hand)

• 5-5-5-J with the fourth 5 as starter (matching Jack’s suit)

28 Points (4 possible hands)

• 5-5-5-J with the fourth 5 as starter (non-matching Jack suit)
• In this case, you lose the 1 point for nobs but keep everything else

24 Points (Multiple combinations)

These are much more common than 28-29 hands. Examples:

• 4-5-5-6 with a 6 starter: Double-double run + fifteens
• 7-7-8-8 with a 9 starter: Pairs + runs + fifteens
• 3-3-4-4 with a 5 starter: Double-double run of 3 + fifteens

20-23 Points

Excellent hands that occur more frequently:

• 5-5-5-J (non-5 starter): 14-20 pts depending on starter
• 6-7-8-9 with a 7 starter: Runs + fifteens + pair
• Various double-run combinations

16-19 Points

Very good hands:

• Strong double runs with fifteens
• Three-of-a-kind with supporting cards

Most Common Good Hands

While 29s and 28s make headlines, these hands appear far more often and still score well:

The Zero-Point Hand (“19 Hand”)

The worst possible cribbage hand scores 0 points.

Example

• Hand: 2♠, 4♥, 6♦, 8♣ | Starter: K♠
• No fifteens, no pairs, no runs (2-4-6-8 aren’t consecutive), no flush, no nobs
• Total: 0 points

Why Called a “19 Hand”?

Players call it a “19 hand” because 19 is an impossible score in cribbage. No combination of five cards can produce exactly 19 points. So when someone says they have “nineteen,” they really mean zero — a wry bit of cribbage humor.

Other Impossible Scores

• 25, 26, 27 — Also impossible to score with any five-card combination

Notable Hands and Their Scores

The “All Fives” (20-29 Points)

Hands loaded with 5s are consistently the highest scoring in cribbage because 5s combine with 10-value cards for fifteens while also pairing with each other.

The Maximum Crib

The highest possible crib score is also 29 points (same composition as the max hand), but it’s fantastically rare since the crib is formed from two players’ discards.

The Lucky 13

Some players consider 13-point hands to be unlucky. The number 13 itself is common enough in cribbage scoring but carries superstitious weight for some.

What Makes Hands Score High?

The highest-scoring hands share common traits:

1. Multiple 15 combinations — Cards that combine in many ways to make 15
2. Pairs and trips — Duplicate ranks multiply runs and fifteens
3. Consecutive cards — Runs add up quickly, especially with duplicates
4. 5s — The most valuable individual card because it combines with all 10-value cards

The Power of 5s

The number 5 is the single most important card in cribbage scoring:

• 5 + any face card (10, J, Q, K) = 15
• Three 5s = 15
• 5s pair well and are common in high-scoring hands
• Strategy tip: Think twice before putting 5s in your opponent’s crib!

Practice identifying high-scoring combinations with our Score Calculator or play a game against the computer!