Why Is Cribbage So Popular on Submarines?

Walk into the wardroom of any US Navy submarine, and you’ll likely find a cribbage board. Ask any submariner about card games, and cribbage will be their answer. But why did this 400-year-old English game become the defining card game of the Silent Service?

The Practical Reasons

1. Minimal Equipment

Submarines are cramped. Every cubic inch serves multiple purposes. Cribbage needs only:

• One deck of cards
• One small board (~6 inches)
• Two players

Compare this to poker (chips, larger table), board games (big boxes), or video games (electronics, screens). Cribbage’s compact footprint made it ideal for submarine life.

2. Quick Games

A cribbage game takes 15-20 minutes. This fits perfectly into:

• Short breaks between watch rotations
• Meals in the wardroom
• The brief idle time before drills
• Late-night downtime

There’s no commitment to hours-long games that could be interrupted by alarms.

3. Two-Player Format

On submarines, you’re rarely looking for group entertainment — you’re finding a moment with one other person. Cribbage’s natural two-player format matches the typical off-duty situation.

4. Mental Engagement

Life on a submarine involves long periods of routine punctuated by high-stress situations. Cribbage provides enough mental stimulation to stay sharp without being exhausting. It’s the Goldilocks of mental engagement.

5. No Electronics Required

Before modern entertainment systems, submarines had no TVs, no internet, no streaming. Even today, electronic entertainment can be restricted during certain operations. Cribbage works anywhere, anytime.

The Historical Roots

British Naval Heritage

Cribbage has English naval connections going back centuries. British sailors played cribbage aboard ships since the 1700s. The Royal Navy carried the tradition wherever it sailed.

When the US Navy was established, it inherited many British naval customs — including cribbage. The game was already familiar to naval life before submarines existed.

World War II: The Golden Age

WWII submarines spent weeks submerged with crews of 60-80 men in extremely close quarters. Entertainment options were limited to:

• Reading (limited book space)
• Card games (cribbage, poker)
• Conversation
• Sleep

Cribbage emerged as the dominant game because:

• Poker could cause gambling conflicts
• Cribbage was pure skill (compatible with military dignity)
• Quick games fit between duties
• Two players were always available

The most successful submarine commanders — men like Dudley “Mush” Morton of USS Wahoo — were known cribbage players. Their crews adopted the tradition.

The USS Wahoo Story

USS Wahoo (SS-238) was the most famous American submarine of WWII. Under Commander Morton, it sank 20 enemy ships (60,000+ tons) in five patrols — a remarkable record.

Wahoo was lost with all hands in October 1943, but its cribbage board survived. It had been left behind during their final patrol.

That cribbage board became a sacred artifact. Today, it’s displayed at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut — the spiritual home of the US submarine service.

The Wahoo’s board represents:

• The camaraderie of submarine life
• The sacrifice of submariners who didn’t return
• The tradition passed to each new generation

Modern Submarine Cribbage

Still Going Strong

Despite having modern entertainment (movies, video games, internet on some vessels), cribbage persists on submarines:

• Wardrooms (officer quarters) often have dedicated cribbage boards
• Crew lounges keep boards available
• Command cribbage boards are ceremonial objects passed between commanding officers
• Deployment championships — some boats hold tournaments

Command Boards

Many submarines have “command cribbage boards” — special boards that stay with the ship, not individual sailors. These are often:

• Custom-made with the boat’s name/hull number
• Passed from commanding officer to commanding officer
• Decades old with histories of their own

When a submarine is decommissioned, the command board often goes to the Submarine Force Museum or to the final commanding officer.

The Culture of Submarine Cribbage

Unwritten Rules

• Wardroom etiquette: Cribbage is played during appropriate downtime, never during critical operations
• Muggins is standard: Military precision means you count correctly or pay the price
• No gambling: Money games aren’t compatible with military service
• Teach the new guys: Senior sailors pass the game to junior ones

What It Represents

For submariners, cribbage is more than a game. It represents:

• Continuity with submarine history
• Camaraderie in confined quarters
• Mental discipline expected of submarine crews
• Tradition passed through generations

Other Military Cribbage Connections

While submarines are the strongest cribbage culture, the game appears throughout military life:

• Surface Navy: Common but not dominant
• Coast Guard: Popular on cutters
• British Royal Navy: Still strong, following original tradition
• Veterans organizations: Cribbage leagues at VFW halls
• Military academies: Occasional wardroom tradition

Learn the Submarine Game

If you want to experience the game that submariners have played for 80+ years:

“In the silence of the deep, the click of cribbage pegs was the sound of sanity.” — Attributed to various WWII submariners