What Is a Go in Cribbage? Complete Explanation

What 'go' means in cribbage, when to say it, how many points it scores, and all the rules around the play phase reset. Clear examples for beginners.

· 4 min read
By Garrett Pegg · Reviewed against ACC standards

What Is a Go in Cribbage?

Short answer: A “go” is what you say in cribbage when you can’t play a card without the running count going over 31. Your opponent scores 1 point.

It’s one of the most common beginner questions — and once you understand it, the pegging phase clicks into place.

The Rule Explained

During the play phase (also called “pegging”), players take turns laying down one card at a time. Each card’s face value is added to a running count:

  • Ace = 1
  • 2–10 = face value
  • Jack, Queen, King = 10

The count cannot exceed 31. If playing your lowest remaining card would push the count over 31, you must say “go.”

What Happens When You Say Go

  1. You announce: “Go”
  2. Your opponent scores 1 point
  3. Your opponent plays any cards they can (as long as the count stays ≤ 31)
  4. When your opponent also can’t play, the count resets to zero
  5. The player who played last leads the next sequence
  6. You must still play your remaining cards in the new sequence

Important: You Still Play Your Cards

Saying go does not skip your remaining cards. Once the count resets, you’re back in the game. A go just means you can’t play right now at the current count.

Examples

Example 1: Basic Go

PlayerCard PlayedRunning CountNotes
Pone77
Dealer815“Fifteen-two!” (+2 pts)
Pone924
Dealer—24Dealer’s remaining cards: 5, K. 24+5=29 ✓… wait, check pone first
Pone—24Pone’s remaining cards: Q. 24+10=34 ✗ → “Go”
Dealer529Plays 5 (29 ≤ 31 ✓)
Dealer—29Remaining: K. 29+10=39 ✗ → Can’t play
—Go resolvedCount resetsDealer scores 1 point for go

The dealer couldn’t play either, so the dealer scores 1 for go and leads the next sequence.

Example 2: Go Then Continue

PlayerCard PlayedRunning Count
PoneK10
DealerK20
Pone828
Dealer—28+3=31, 28+4=32, 28+7=35 — all over 31 → “Go”
Pone331 → Pone scores 2 points (exact 31!)

Exact 31 always scores 2 points, not 1. The count resets, and the dealer now leads the next sequence (they played last before the reset… actually pone played last here, so pone leads next).

Example 3: Both Players Say Go

PlayerCard PlayedRunning Count
Pone99
Dealer918
Pone927
Dealer—Can’t play without exceeding 31 → “Go”
Pone—27+4=31? No cards left that work either → Can’t play

Since both players can’t play and the count didn’t reach 31, the last card player (pone, who played the third 9) scores 1 point for go. The count resets.

The Exact 31 Exception

If a player’s card brings the running total to exactly 31, they score 2 points — not 1. This overrides the go:

  • Reaching 31 = 2 points (the player who hit 31 scores, immediately)
  • Forcing a go at any count below 31 = 1 point to the other player

The 31 bonus is why holding cards that can finish sequences cleanly (A + K = nope, but 3 + K = nope, 4 + 7 = nope… a 3 at count 28 = 31!) has strategic value.

The Last Card Bonus

At the very end of all play — when both players have no cards left — whoever played the final card of the entire sequence scores 1 point (or 2 if that final card reached exactly 31).

This is separate from the go rule. It rewards the player who “ran out last,” acting as a tiebreaker bonus for the end of the pegging phase.

Strategy: Getting and Avoiding Gos

Getting a go (opponent says go): You want this when you’re behind on the board or when you need pegging points. To force a go, play cards that build the count toward the upper 20s, where opponent’s cards can’t follow.

Avoiding giving a go: Keep a low card (A, 2, or 3) in hand so you can almost always play in a high-count situation.

The go is also relevant for positional play: in the endgame, a single go can be the 1 point that wins the game from the stinkhole (position 120). See Positional Play for how this changes late-game decisions.

For a full breakdown of the pegging phase, see How Pegging Works and Pegging Strategy.

Go situations come up every hand — play a free game to see the go rule in action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'go' mean in cribbage?
In cribbage, ‘go’ is what you say when you cannot play any of your remaining cards without the running count exceeding 31. For example, if the count is at 28 and your lowest remaining card is a 4, playing it would bring the count to 32 — over the limit — so you must say ‘go.’ Your opponent scores 1 point and continues playing if they can.
How many points is a go worth in cribbage?
A go is worth 1 point, scored by the opponent of the player who called go. However, if the player who called go brings the count to exactly 31 before declaring, they score 2 points instead — exact 31 always scores 2, overriding the normal go.
What happens after a go in cribbage?
After a go is declared and your opponent cannot play further either, the running count resets to zero. The player who played the last card before the reset leads the next sequence. Play continues until all cards have been played.
Does the player who says go lose a point?
No. Declaring ‘go’ costs you nothing — it simply signals you cannot play. Your opponent gains 1 point. You do not lose any points. Saying go is a normal, neutral game event.
What if both players can't play and neither has reached 31?
If neither player can add a card without exceeding 31, the player who played last (i.e., who forced the go) scores 1 point, and the count resets to zero. The other player leads the next sequence.
Is 'go' the same as 'last card' in cribbage?
They’re related but different. A ‘go’ is declared during play when you can’t play without exceeding 31. The ’last card’ bonus is the 1 point scored by whoever plays the final card of all play sequences (when both players have no cards left). The last card is always worth at least 1 point (2 if it reaches exactly 31).

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Cribbage Rules

Pegging Strategy

Cribbage Terms Glossary

How Pegging Works