Discarding 7s and 8s in Cribbage: Keep, Toss, or Split?

Q: "Should I keep 7 and 8 together in cribbage?"

"Almost always yes. A 7-8 combination immediately scores 2 points (one fifteen) and opens run potential with any 6 or 9 in the remaining deck. They also have strong pegging value — 7+8=15 during play and both cards extend runs played by your opponent. Only split them if keeping a 5 or a run of 3 elsewhere gives significantly more expected value."

Q: "Is a pair of 7s or pair of 8s good to keep in cribbage?"

"A pair of 7s scores 2 points and has run-building potential (7-7-8-x becomes a double run). A pair of 8s is similar. Both are solid holds that improve significantly when the starter matches a connecting card. However, neither is as powerful as a 5-containing hand. Keep the pair when the rest of your hand has no better structure."

Q: "What should I give the crib if I hold 7s and 8s?"

"As pone, giving 7-8 to the enemy crib is costly — it's a guaranteed 2 points plus run potential. Give something else. As dealer feeding your own crib, 7-8 is a good crib donation because it self-scores and can connect with the other two crib cards. Split off one of a 7-8 pair to your dealer crib when you keep a better hand structure."

When to keep 7s and 8s in cribbage, when to split them, and what to give the crib — with EV analysis, pegging value, and the case for connected mid-cards.

Updated: April 23, 2026 · 6 min read

By Garrett Pegg · Reviewed against ACC standards

Discarding 7s and 8s in Cribbage

After 5s, the 7-8 connection is the next most strategically important card pair in cribbage. Understanding when to keep them, split them, and what they’re worth in the crib changes how you approach the middle-card range of your hand.

Why 7s and 8s Matter

Immediate Scoring

7 + 8 = 15 — an immediate 2 points the moment you hold both. This makes a 7-8 pair in your hand more valuable than two isolated mid-cards that don’t interact.

Run Connectivity

7s and 8s sit in the sweet spot of the run structure:

6-7-8 is a run of 3 (3 pts) with a built-in fifteen (6+9? no — but 7+8=15)
7-8-9 is a run of 3 with an immediate fifteen (7+8=15)
6-7-8-9 is a run of 4 — premium holding

A 7 or 8 in your hand means any starter card of 6, 7, 8, or 9 potentially extends your scoring. That’s four ranks (16 cards) with high improvement probability.

Pegging Value

During pegging, 7s and 8s are powerful:

7+8=15 — scoring during play as a two-card sequence
8+7=15 — in reverse play order, still scores
Both cards extend runs mid-sequence
Both are safe-ish pegging leads (an 8 lead cannot be directly made into 15 with a single card: 8+7=15 requires your opponent to play a 7, which you might hold)

Card Values: 7s and 8s vs. Other Mid-Cards

Card	Fifteen Partnerships	Run Connectivity
5	With all 10-value cards (16 cards)	Moderate
6	9, or A+5+9, 3+3+9…	5-6-7, 6-7-8
7	8, or A+7 combos, 3+5	6-7-8, 7-8-9
8	7, or A+2+5+5 combos	7-8-9, 8-9-10
9	6, or A+5+9	8-9-10, 7-8-9

A 7-8 pair scores 2 pts immediately AND both cards have the same run partners (6 and 9). This synergy is why the combination is worth protecting.

Decision Framework

Scenario 1: You Hold 7-8 Plus Two Other Cards

Example hand: 7-8-3-K

7-8: fifteen (2 pts) + run potential
3-K: nothing in common, no fifteen, no run

Almost always keep 7-8-3-K intact if discarding K-X or 3-X. The 7-8 base is worth more than discarding either of them. Give the crib K+3 (as pone, relatively low crib gift — K+3 totals 13, no fifteen, no run).

Scenario 2: You Hold a 5 AND 7-8

Example hand: 5-7-8-J-Q

Two decisions:

Keep 5-7-8-J? Base: 5+J=15, 5+Q=15 (if Q kept), 7+8=15. But we can only keep 4.
Keep 5-7-8-Q? Same reasoning.
Keep 5-J-Q-7? Loses the 7+8 fifteen.

Best hold: 5-7-8-J or 5-7-8-Q — three fifteens in 4 cards, plus run potential. Discard the other face card. The 5 and the 7-8 combination together create more than any alternative.

What goes to the crib (as pone): J or Q alone — a single high card is your best pone discard here. As dealer: J or Q to own crib is reasonable.

Scenario 3: You Hold Two 7s or Two 8s

Example: 7♠-7♥-4-K

A pair of 7s = 2 pts. The 4 and K don’t help. Hold 7-7-4-K and discard… but you’re already holding 4 cards. The question is what you discarded from the original 6.

If dealt 7-7-4-9-K-Q, you might choose:

Keep 7-7-4-9 (pair of 7s + run potential with a 6 or 8 starter, plus 4+9? No. 4+9+… = 13, not 15.) Base score: 2 pts (pair). Discard K-Q (a reasonable pone discard: total 20, no fifteen).
Keep 7-7-9-K (pair + 7+8? No 8. 9+K=19.) Base: 2 pts. Less upside.

Pair of 7s without connecting cards is a C-tier hand — 2 pts base, modest upside. Better than nothing, but inferior to a connected 7-8.

Scenario 4: Forced Split — 7 or 8 Goes to Crib

Example: 6-7-8-5-J-Q — as Dealer

Best hold candidates:

5-6-7-8: run of 4 + fifteens. Strong. Discard J-Q to own crib (J-Q isn’t great crib fodder but protects the strong hand).
5-7-8-J: 5+J=15, 5+Q=15… wait, Q not in hand. 5+J=15, 7+8=15 = two fifteens + run potential.
6-7-8-J: 7+8=15, run of 3 (6-7-8). Discard 5-Q — giving a 5 to your own crib is good as dealer!

Best dealer choice: 6-7-8-J, discard 5-Q to own crib. The 5 in your crib makes fifteens with whatever the other crib cards bring.

The Crib Context

As Pone: Protect Your 7-8

Giving 7-8 to the enemy crib is expensive:

Immediate 2 pts (fifteen)
High chance of forming a run with the dealer’s other crib cards
Plus any starter card 6 or 9 extends it to 5 pts (run + fifteen)

If your only pone discard choice is 7-8 or something equally good for your hand, find a different pair to sacrifice.

As Dealer: 7-8 to Your Crib

7-8 to your own crib is excellent. It self-scores 2 pts and can extend to 8+ with a connecting card from the other player’s discard or the starter. This is a good intentional discard when your hand hold is strong without it.

Pegging with 7s and 8s

Leading 8

An 8 is a moderate lead. The danger: opponent plays a 7 for 15 and 2 pts. Counterpoint: you may hold the other 7, in which case your next play can triple or re-start a sequence.

Lead 8 when: You hold another 8 (pair trap) or you hold another connecting card (6 or 9) for a run response.

Don’t lead 8 when: The count is already high and you need to save your 8 for a future sequence.

Leading 7

An 7 lead: opponent plays 8 for 15. Again, if you hold the pair, the triple scores 6. A 7 lead is slightly safer than 8 because the number of cards that make 15 with 7 is slightly different (only 8s = 15, whereas 8s: only 7s make 15).

Actually, both 7 and 8 are equivalent danger: exactly one card value makes 15 with each (7+8=15 in both directions). They’re mirror-image risk leads.

Responding to Opponent’s Lead

If opponent leads 6 and you hold a 7, playing it gives 13 (no score) but sets up a potential 8 for 21… then you might play 8 for 21+? No, 6+7+8=21, and 21+10=31. Watch out.

Better: if opponent leads 6, play your 9 for 15. Saves the 7-8 for a later sequence where they score more efficiently.

Summary: 7-8 Decision Rules

Situation	Decision
Hold 7-8 + anything	Keep 7-8 unless a 5-run elsewhere clearly wins
5 AND 7-8 in 6 cards	Keep 5 + 7-8 + one more, discard two face cards
Pair of 7s or 8s	Keep the pair; it’s 2 pts base with run upside
Pone, must discard 7-8 or 5	Discard 7-8 if you must (5 is more valuable to keep)
Dealer, 7-8 in discard choice	Give 7-8 to your own crib — it self-scores
Leading during pegging	8 or 7 leads are moderate risk; safer if you hold the pair

Apply these rules right away: play a free game against our AI and practice your 7-8 discard decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I keep 7 and 8 together in cribbage?

Almost always yes. A 7-8 combination immediately scores 2 points (one fifteen) and opens run potential with any 6 or 9 in the remaining deck. They also have strong pegging value — 7+8=15 during play and both cards extend runs played by your opponent. Only split them if keeping a 5 or a run of 3 elsewhere gives significantly more expected value.

Is a pair of 7s or pair of 8s good to keep in cribbage?

A pair of 7s scores 2 points and has run-building potential (7-7-8-x becomes a double run). A pair of 8s is similar. Both are solid holds that improve significantly when the starter matches a connecting card. However, neither is as powerful as a 5-containing hand. Keep the pair when the rest of your hand has no better structure.

What should I give the crib if I hold 7s and 8s?

As pone, giving 7-8 to the enemy crib is costly — it’s a guaranteed 2 points plus run potential. Give something else. As dealer feeding your own crib, 7-8 is a good crib donation because it self-scores and can connect with the other two crib cards. Split off one of a 7-8 pair to your dealer crib when you keep a better hand structure.