Nobs and Nibs in Cribbage: What's the Difference?
Clear explanation of nobs and nibs (his heels) in cribbage — what they mean, when they score, how much they're worth, and how to remember which is which.
Nobs and Nibs in Cribbage: What’s the Difference?
Short answer:
- Nobs = you hold a Jack matching the starter’s suit → 1 point, scored when counting your hand
- Nibs = the dealer cuts a Jack as the starter → 2 points for the dealer, scored immediately
These two rules trip up nearly every beginner. Here’s everything you need to know.
Nobs (His Nobs)
What Is Nobs?
Nobs — formally called His Nobs — scores 1 point when a player holds a Jack in their hand whose suit matches the starter card’s suit.
Example:
- Starter card: 7 of Hearts
- Your hand contains: Jack of Hearts
- → You score 1 point for Nobs when counting your hand
When Does Nobs Score?
Nobs is counted during the show (hand counting phase), along with fifteens, pairs, runs, and flushes. It is not announced during pegging.
Suit Must Match
This is the most common Nobs mistake: suit always matters. Holding the Jack of Clubs when the starter is the 2 of Diamonds scores nothing for Nobs. The Jack must match the exact suit of the starter.
Nobs in the Crib
Nobs applies to the crib too. If the crib contains a Jack that matches the starter’s suit, the dealer scores 1 point for Nobs when counting the crib. (The dealer always counts the crib, so Nobs in the crib is always a dealer point.)
Probability of Nobs
If you hold 1 Jack in your 4-card hand, the chance of Nobs depends on how many cards of that suit remain as possible starters. With a full 46-card starter pool and 1 Jack in hand:
- Cards of your Jack’s suit remaining as starter: ~10 (13 total minus yours minus a few dealt to opponent/crib)
- Approximate probability: ~20–23% per Jack held
If you hold 2 Jacks of different suits, either could score Nobs — covering 2 suits roughly doubles the chance.
Nibs (His Heels)
What Is Nibs?
Nibs — also called His Heels — scores 2 points for the dealer when the starter card cut from the deck is a Jack, regardless of suit.
Example:
- Dealer (or non-dealer) cuts the deck
- Starter card revealed: Jack of Diamonds
- → Dealer immediately pegs 2 points for Nibs
When Does Nibs Score?
Nibs is scored immediately when the starter is turned up — before any pegging, before any card play. The dealer pegs 2 points right away. The traditional call is “Two for his heels.”
Only the Dealer Scores Nibs
Nibs is exclusively a dealer benefit. Even though the non-dealer (pone) physically cuts the deck, any Jack starter scores 2 points for the dealer only.
Suit Doesn’t Matter for Nibs
Unlike Nobs, suit is irrelevant for Nibs. Any Jack — regardless of suit — as the starter card scores Nibs for the dealer.
Probability of Nibs
There are 4 Jacks in the deck. After dealing 12 cards (6 to each player in 2-player cribbage), 40 cards remain. But the starter is drawn from the full undealt deck (typically 46 cards in standard dealing):
| Cards remaining for starter | Jacks available | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 46 (after 6-card deal to 2 players) | 4 (possibly fewer if Jacks were dealt) | ~4/46 = 8.7% |
Roughly 1 in 11 deals will result in Nibs.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Nobs (His Nobs) | Nibs (His Heels) | |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 1 | 2 |
| Who scores | Whoever holds the matching Jack (dealer or pone) | Dealer only |
| Trigger | Jack in hand matches starter’s suit | Starter card is a Jack |
| Suit requirement | Yes — must match starter suit | No — any Jack qualifies |
| When scored | During the show (hand counting) | Immediately when starter is cut |
| Traditional phrase | “One for his nobs” | “Two for his heels” |
| Applies to crib | Yes | N/A (starter is the same card) |
Memory Tricks
Nobs vs Nibs — which is which?
- Nibs has an i and comes first chronologically (cut happens before counting) — and scores 2 (bigger).
- Nobs has an o and comes later (counted during show) — and scores 1 (smaller).
- Alternative: Nobs = Not immediate (counted later). Nibs = Now (scored right away).
Why These Rules Exist
Both Nobs and Nibs are part of cribbage’s original 17th-century design. The Jack held special status in early card games (it was called the “knave”), and the scoring rules for Jacks added a small element of luck and excitement around the cut — especially Nibs, which the non-dealer cuts despite the points going to the dealer.
For the complete scoring reference including fifteens, pairs, runs, and flushes, see the Cribbage Scoring Guide.