Cribbage Board Guide: Everything You Need to Know

The cribbage board is one of the most distinctive scoring tools in all of card games. Its pegging system is elegant, cheat-resistant, and has been an integral part of cribbage for nearly 400 years.

How a Cribbage Board Works

The Basics

A standard cribbage board has a track of 121 holes for each player (or team). Each player has two pegs that leapfrog each other along the track as points are scored.

Pegging (Keeping Score)

When you score points:

1. Count the number of holes forward from your front peg
2. Move your back peg to that position (it’s now the front peg)
3. Your old front peg remains in place, showing your previous score

This “leapfrog” system provides several advantages:

• Both your current score and last score are always visible
• Opponents can verify scoring accuracy
• It’s immediately clear how many points were just scored

The Game End

When a player’s front peg reaches or passes the 121st hole (the game hole), the game is over. You can reach this point at any time — during the play, while counting your hand, or while counting the crib.

Types of Cribbage Boards

By Track Layout

Traditional Straight Board

• Two parallel rows of 30 holes per player, traveled up and back (60 holes × 2 = 120 + game hole = 121)
• The classic design that’s been used for centuries
• Compact and familiar

Continuous Track Board (S-Track or Z-Track)

• A single winding track of 121 holes per player
• Easier to follow — no risk of going the wrong direction
• The most popular modern design

Once-Around Board

• A single straight row of 121 holes
• Simple but requires more table space

By Number of Players

Two-Player Board (Standard)

• Two tracks — the most common
• Can be used for any number of players by sharing tracks

Three-Player Board

• Three tracks, often in a triangular arrangement
• Less common but useful for three-player cribbage

Four-Player Board

• Four tracks for partnership play
• Partners often share a track

By Shape and Design

Classic Rectangle

• The traditional shape — simple and functional
• Ranges from basic to ornately carved

Oval/Round

• The continuous track wraps in an oval
• Compact and attractive

Novelty Shapes

• State outlines, animals, boats, military insignia
• Popular as gifts and collectibles
• Some are functional art pieces

Travel/Folding Boards

• Compact boards that fold or collapse
• Pegs stored inside the board
• Perfect for gaming on the go

Reading the Board: Positions and Landmarks

The Skunk Line

The 91-hole mark on the board. If the losing player hasn’t reached this point when the winner pegs out, they’ve been skunked (lost by 31+ points). Many boards mark this position clearly.

The Double Skunk Line

The 61-hole mark. Losing without reaching this point is a double skunk (lost by 61+ points).

Streets

Traditional boards group holes in sets of 5 (called “streets”), making it easy to count positions quickly. Each group of 5 holes is visually separated, allowing players to say things like “I’m in the third street of the back row.”

The Stinkhole

Hole 120 — one short of winning. In some traditions and house rules, this position has special significance.

How to Choose a Cribbage Board

For Beginners

• Continuous track boards are easiest to follow
• Standard two-player boards are most versatile
• Look for clearly marked holes and distinct tracks

For Regular Players

• Wood construction for durability and aesthetics
• Metal pegs for secure placement
• Peg storage built into the board

For Competition

• ACC-approved boards meet tournament standards
• Clear tracks with proper spacing
• Standard color-coded pegs

For Gift-Giving

• Handcrafted wooden boards make excellent gifts
• Novelty shapes add personality
• Engraved boards for personalization

The History of the Cribbage Board

The cribbage board dates back to the game’s invention in the 1630s. Its design solved a practical problem: how to keep accurate score without readily available paper.

The pegging system made it essentially impossible to cheat at scoring — both players could see both scores at all times. This transparency was crucial in an era when gambling on cribbage was common.

Over the centuries, board craftsmanship became an art form. Sailors carved boards during long voyages, soldiers made them from available materials in the field, and woodworkers created elaborate designs that doubled as household decorations.

Today, cribbage boards remain functional game tools, but many are also valued as collectible art pieces.

Using a Cribbage Board Online

When you play cribbage online at CribbageBox, scoring is handled automatically — you don’t need a physical board. The digital scoreboard tracks all points in real time, so you can focus on strategy and enjoy the game.

That said, there’s something special about the tactile experience of pegging on a real board. Many players enjoy both digital and physical cribbage as complementary experiences.

Ready to put the board to use? Play cribbage online or learn how to play.