Two-Player Cribbage: Complete Rules and Setup Guide

Q: "How many cards do you deal in 2-player cribbage?"

"In standard two-player cribbage, each player is dealt 6 cards. Each player then discards 2 cards face-down to the crib, leaving 4 cards in hand. The crib — 4 cards total — belongs to the dealer and is counted as a bonus hand after the play phase."

Q: "Who deals first in cribbage?"

"To determine the first dealer, each player cuts the deck. The player who cuts the lower card deals first. Aces are low. If both cut the same rank, cut again. After each hand, the deal alternates — the player who did not deal becomes the next dealer."

Q: "How do you win 2-player cribbage?"

"The first player to reach or exceed 121 points wins. Points are scored during the pegging phase (play phase) and during the hand-counting phase (the show). If a player reaches 121 during pegging, the game ends immediately — the opponent's hand and the crib are not counted."

Q: "What is the crib in cribbage?"

"The crib is a third hand of 4 cards built from each player's discards (2 cards from each player). The dealer owns the crib and adds it to their score during the hand-counting phase. This is why being the dealer is a significant advantage — you get to count three hands' worth of cards (starter + crib + your hand) compared to the non-dealer's one."

Q: "Is it better to be the dealer or non-dealer in cribbage?"

"Being the dealer is generally advantageous because you receive the crib, which averages about 4–5 points of bonus scoring. However, the non-dealer (pone) counts their hand first and pegs first, which can be decisive in close games. Across a full game, the alternating deal means both players spend roughly equal time as dealer."

Complete rules for two-player cribbage — the standard version of the game. Setup, dealing, discarding, pegging, scoring, and how to win, clearly explained.

Updated: April 23, 2026 · 5 min read

By Garrett Pegg · Reviewed against ACC standards

Two-Player Cribbage: Complete Rules

Two-player cribbage is the standard form of the game — what most people mean when they say “cribbage.” This guide walks through the complete rules from first deal to final peg.

What You Need

A standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
A cribbage board (or paper to track scores to 121)
Two players

The Objective

Race to 121 points before your opponent. Points are scored during two phases: the play phase (pegging) and the show (hand counting). The first player to peg into hole 121 wins.

Setting Up

Determine First Dealer

Both players each cut the deck. The player with the lower card is the first dealer. Aces are low — a cut ace beats any other card. If both cut the same rank, cut again.

Deal the Cards

The dealer deals 6 cards to each player, face-down, alternating one at a time starting with the non-dealer.

Discard to the Crib

Each player looks at their 6 cards and chooses 2 to discard face-down to form the crib. The crib has 4 cards total (2 from each player).

The crib belongs to the dealer — after the play phase, the dealer counts the crib as a bonus hand. Discarding strategy matters: the non-dealer wants to put low-value or disconnected cards in the crib; the dealer wants to help their own crib score.

The Starter Card (Cut)

After both players have discarded:

The non-dealer cuts the remaining deck
The dealer flips over the top card of the bottom half — this is the starter card (also called the turn-up or cut card)
The starter is used by all players (and the crib) when counting hands

If the starter card is a Jack, the dealer immediately scores 2 points (called “nibs” or “his heels”). Peg immediately.

The Play Phase (Pegging)

The non-dealer (pone) plays first.

How Play Works

Pone plays a card face-up and announces its value
Dealer plays a card, announcing the new running total
Players alternate, adding to the running count
The count cannot exceed 31

Card Values During Play

Card	Value
Ace	1
2–10	Face value
Jack, Queen, King	10

Scoring During Play

Event	Points
Running count hits 15	2
Running count hits 31	2
Pair (same rank as last card)	2
Three of a kind	6
Four of a kind	12
Run of 3+ consecutive cards	1 pt per card
Go (opponent can’t play ≤ 31)	1
Last card played overall	1

Score each event immediately by pegging on the board.

The Go

If you cannot play a card without exceeding 31, say “go.” Your opponent scores 1 point and plays any remaining cards they can. If they also can’t play, the count resets to zero. The last player to play leads the next sequence.

Count Resets

When neither player can play without exceeding 31, the count resets to zero. The player who played the last card before the reset leads the next sequence. Players must still play their remaining cards.

Play continues until all 8 cards (4 per player) have been played.

The Show (Hand Counting)

After all play cards have been used:

Pone counts their hand (4 hand cards + the starter card)
Dealer counts their hand (4 hand cards + the starter card)
Dealer counts the crib (4 crib cards + the starter card)

Hand Scoring Combinations

Combination	Points
Fifteen (any cards totaling 15)	2 each
Pair	2
Three of a kind	6
Four of a kind	12
Run of 3	3
Run of 4	4
Run of 5	5
Flush (4 cards, same suit, hand only)	4
Flush (5 cards including starter)	5
Nobs (Jack in hand matching starter suit)	1

Important: A flush in the crib only counts if all 5 cards (4 crib + starter) are the same suit. A 4-card flush does not score in the crib.

Counting Order Matters

Pone counts first. This is the non-dealer’s key advantage — if pone reaches 121 during the hand count, the game ends before the dealer counts their hand or crib. The dealer’s crib is counted last.

Winning the Game

The first player to reach 121 points wins. This can happen:

During pegging — game ends immediately when 121 is reached
During the show — pone counts first; if pone reaches 121, game ends before dealer counts
During crib counting — dealer may win while counting the crib

Muggins (optional): If a player misses points during the show, their opponent may call “muggins” and claim those points. Standard in tournament play; agree before the game in casual play.

End of Hand

After all scores are counted, the deal passes to the other player. The new dealer shuffles and deals 6 cards each. Repeat until someone reaches 121.

Tracking Scores

Use a cribbage board: two pegs per player, alternated with each score. The back peg shows your previous score; the front peg shows your current score. Move the back peg in front of the front peg with each new score. First peg into hole 121 wins.

Quick Reference

Phase	What Happens
Setup	Cut for deal; lower card deals first
Deal	6 cards each
Crib	Each player discards 2 face-down
Starter	Non-dealer cuts; dealer flips top card
Nibs	If starter is Jack → dealer pegs 2
Play	Alternate cards, count to ≤ 31, score as you go
Show	Pone counts hand, dealer counts hand, dealer counts crib
Win	First to 121

For deeper strategy, start with Beginner Strategy or jump into Discard Strategy.

Ready to play? Start a free two-player game now — no signup or download required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cards do you deal in 2-player cribbage?

In standard two-player cribbage, each player is dealt 6 cards. Each player then discards 2 cards face-down to the crib, leaving 4 cards in hand. The crib — 4 cards total — belongs to the dealer and is counted as a bonus hand after the play phase.

Who deals first in cribbage?

To determine the first dealer, each player cuts the deck. The player who cuts the lower card deals first. Aces are low. If both cut the same rank, cut again. After each hand, the deal alternates — the player who did not deal becomes the next dealer.

How do you win 2-player cribbage?

The first player to reach or exceed 121 points wins. Points are scored during the pegging phase (play phase) and during the hand-counting phase (the show). If a player reaches 121 during pegging, the game ends immediately — the opponent’s hand and the crib are not counted.

What is the crib in cribbage?

The crib is a third hand of 4 cards built from each player’s discards (2 cards from each player). The dealer owns the crib and adds it to their score during the hand-counting phase. This is why being the dealer is a significant advantage — you get to count three hands’ worth of cards (starter + crib + your hand) compared to the non-dealer’s one.

Is it better to be the dealer or non-dealer in cribbage?

Being the dealer is generally advantageous because you receive the crib, which averages about 4–5 points of bonus scoring. However, the non-dealer (pone) counts their hand first and pegs first, which can be decisive in close games. Across a full game, the alternating deal means both players spend roughly equal time as dealer.