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How to play Cribbage

These instructions outline how to play Cribbage for beginners. This guide will help you learn how to play Cribbage so you can start having fun with this classic game.

How to score Cribbage

There are various combinations in Cribbage that allow the player to score points which will help them achieve the objective of reaching 121 points and winning the match. These are the combinations as well as the points that they receive:

Fifteen: 2 points; Scored when a card that makes the total fifteen is played
Pair: 2 points: When the card played is the same rank
Pair Royal (Three of a Kind): 6 points; When a third card is played that matches the same rank as the previous two cards played.
Double Pair Royal (Four of a Kind): 12 points; Four cards in a row that are the same rank
Run (Sequence) of three or more cards: 1 point for each card in the sequence. Note: the cards have to be all together but do not have to be in the same order.
Last Card, total value less than 31: 1 point
Last card, total value exactly 31: 2 points

How to score the show in Cribbage

While similar to the main scoring in Cribbage, the show has a few differences:

One for his nob: 1 point; For having a Jack that matches the suit of the starter card.
Fifteen: 2 points; any card combination that totals fifteen
Pair: 2 points; when a pair of cards in made
Pair Royal (three of a kind): 6 points; when three cards of the same rank
Double Pair Royal (Four of a kind); 12 points; Four same rank cards in a row
Run (sequence) of three or more cards: 1 point for each card in the sequence.
Flush, 4 cards: When you have the same suit for four cards in your hand - score 4 points.
Flush, 5 cards: score 5 points; Five of the same suit in your hand.

The best possible Cribbage hand

The highest possible score a hand can achieve in Cribbage is 29 points. This hand is possible when a player has three fives as well as a Jack in their hand and the cut card is a 5 which matches the suit of the Jack held in the hand. Here is how this hand makes up the highest scoring hand of 29 points:

Three fives: Three pairs of fives which earns 8 points (3 * 2 + 2)
Four 5-J Combinations: Four combinations of 5 and Jack for 8 points (4 * 2)
Three fives and Jack: Three pairs of fives and Jack earn 12 points
Jack of the same suit: This is referred to as “Nobs” and earns 1 point

This is the rarest hand in Cribbage. Since you can achieve this hand four total ways (one for each suit) the odds in achieving this hand are 1 in 216,580 for a six-card hand which are extremely low. If you are playing a five-card hand the odds decrease to 1 in 649,740.

What is a cribbage flush?

A flush in Cribbage happens when all of the cards in the hand are the same suit. If you have four of the same suit cards in your hand you can score four points. If the four cards in your hand match the starter card then you have a five card flush which scores five points.

Cribbage terms

These are some popular terms that may come up when playing Cribbage:

Crib: These refer to the two cards that are discarded to be used by the dealer.
Go: A “go” in Cribbage refers to a player scoring 31 in which the play ends immediately.
Pone: A pone in Cribbage refers to the player who is not the dealer.

What are “Nobs” & “Nibs” in Cribbage?

These terms relate to various ways in which you can score points that involve a jack. Let’s go over both terms so you understand how they appear in a Cribbage game.

Nobs: This happens when a player has a Jack in their hand which matches the suit of the cut card. When counting points in the hand this scores one point.
Nibs: When the dealer flips a Jack it is called Nibs and results in the dealer receiving two points.

What are Skunks & Double Skunks?

A skunk in Cribbage refers to a game in which a player wins by thirty or more points. If they player wins by sixty or more points that is known as a double skunk.

Cribbage Scoreboad

To keep track of score in a Cribbage game a Cribbage board is used with two tracks each with 121 holes. Each player then has two pegs in their track to help keep track of scoring as they use the two pegs to mark out the points they currently have.

How to win at Cribbage

The first player to reach 121 points will win the Cribbage match. Both skill and luck come into play when determining the winner.