Cribbage Terms & Glossary

Whether you’re reading a strategy guide, playing in a tournament, or chatting with experienced players, knowing the language of cribbage makes everything clearer. This glossary covers every term you’re likely to encounter.

A

ACC (American Cribbage Congress): The governing body for competitive cribbage in the United States. Sets official tournament rules and maintains player ratings.

B

Balking: Deliberately discarding cards to the crib that won’t help the dealer (when you’re the pone). The opposite of “feeding” the crib.

Board: Short for cribbage board — the wooden or plastic scoring device with holes and pegs used to track points.

C

Count (The): The running total during the play phase. Cannot exceed 31.

Crib: A separate hand of four cards created from each player’s discards. The dealer scores the crib at the end of each round, making it a key strategic element.

Cut (The): The act of the non-dealer splitting the deck to determine the starter card. Also called “the cut card.”

Cut Card: See “Starter Card.”

D

Dealer: The player who deals the cards and scores the crib. The deal alternates between players each round.

Discard: The two cards each player places in the crib from their initial six-card hand.

Double Pair Royal: Four cards of the same rank, scoring 12 points (six pairs).

Double Run: A run combined with a pair, creating two overlapping runs. For example, 4-5-5-6 contains two runs (4-5-6 twice) plus a pair, for 8 points.

Double-Double Run: A run with two pairs, creating four overlapping runs. For example, 4-5-5-6-6 scores 16 points (four runs of 3 plus two pairs).

Double Skunk: When a player wins while their opponent scores fewer than 61 points. In tournaments, often counts as three game wins.

F

Feeding the Crib: Deliberately putting good cards in the crib when you’re the dealer.

Fifteen (or Fifteen-Two): Any combination of cards that totals exactly 15, scoring 2 points. Called “fifteen-two” when counting: “Fifteen-two, fifteen-four…” etc.

Flush: Four or five cards of the same suit. In the hand, a four-card flush scores 4 points (5 if the starter matches). In the crib, all five cards must match.

Free Peg: Scoring points during the play without risk of the opponent being able to score in response.

G

Go: Declared when a player cannot play a card without the running total exceeding 31. The opponent scores 1 point for the go and continues playing if possible. After both players pass, the count resets to 0.

H

Hand: The four cards a player holds after discarding to the crib. Can also refer to a complete round of play.

His Heels: See “Nibs.”

His Nob: See “Nobs.”

Hole: An individual scoring position on the cribbage board. The standard board has 121 holes per player (two rows of 60 plus a finishing hole).

J

Jumping (the Peg): Moving your peg forward too many holes (accidentally or intentionally). In tournament play, this is penalized.

L

Last Card: The final card played during a play sequence. Scores 1 point (2 if it reaches exactly 31).

Lead: The first card played in a new play sequence. The non-dealer leads first; after each “31” or “Go” reset, the player who did not play last leads.

Lurching (or Lurch): Another term for “skunk” — winning while the opponent hasn’t reached 91 points.

M

Misdeal: An error during dealing (wrong number of cards, etc.). The hand is redealt by the same dealer with no penalty.

Muggins: An optional rule allowing a player to claim points that their opponent failed to count. Standard in tournament play. See our detailed muggins guide.

N

Nibs (His Heels): When the starter card is a Jack, the dealer immediately scores 2 points. Also called “two for his heels.”

Nineteen Hand: Slang for a hand worth zero points. Since 19 is an impossible score in cribbage, saying you have “nineteen” means you scored nothing.

Nobs (His Nob): Having a Jack in your hand that matches the suit of the starter card, worth 1 point. Also written as “nobs” or “one for his nob.”

O

Overpegging: Moving your peg forward more holes than you’ve earned. Typically results in a penalty in tournament play.

P

Pair: Two cards of the same rank, scoring 2 points.

Pair Royal: Three cards of the same rank, scoring 6 points (three pairs).

Pegging: The play phase of the game where cards are played alternately. Also used more broadly to mean moving pegs on the board.

Pone: The non-dealer. The pone cuts the deck, plays first during the play phase, and counts their hand first.

R

Run: Three or more cards in consecutive rank order (regardless of suit). Scores 1 point per card in the run.

S

Show (The): The hand-counting phase that occurs after the play. Hands are counted in order: pone, dealer, crib.

Skunk: When a player wins while their opponent has fewer than 91 points (hasn’t passed the “skunk line” on the board). In tournaments, a skunk typically counts as two game wins.

Skunk Line: A marker on the cribbage board at the 91-point mark. If the losing player hasn’t passed this line, they’ve been skunked.

Starter Card: The card cut from the deck after both players discard to the crib. It’s used by all players (and the crib) when counting hands. Also called the “cut card,” “turn-up,” or simply “the cut.”

Stinkhole: The 120th point on the board — one hole from winning. Some house rules or traditions treat this position specially.

Street: On a traditional cribbage board, each group of 5 holes. Players count by “streets” to keep track of position.

T

Thirty-one (31): Reaching exactly 31 during the play phase, scoring 2 points. The count then resets to 0.

Triple Run: Three of a kind combined with a run, creating three overlapping runs. For example, 4-4-4-5-6 scores 15 points (three runs plus three of a kind).

Turn-up: See “Starter Card.”

U

Underpegging: Moving your peg forward fewer holes than you’ve earned. In tournament play, muggins may apply.

Knowing these terms will help you understand strategy guides, tournament rules, and conversations with fellow players. Ready to play? Start a free game or learn the complete rules.