Cribbage Counting Practice — Count Random Hands, Check Your Answer
Practice counting cribbage hands. Get a random hand and starter, count the score yourself, then check your answer with a full breakdown of what you missed.
Cribbage Counting Practice
Practice counting cribbage hands to improve your speed and accuracy. The tool generates random hands for you to score — enter your answer and see if you’re right! To count a hand you already have, or keep score of a real game, use the score calculator and score keeper.
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Your Stats
Why Practice Counting?
The Cost of Miscounting
In a typical cribbage game, you count 8-10 hands. Missing just 2 points per hand means losing 16-20 points per game — more than enough to swing the result.
Muggins Games
In competitive and many casual settings, the muggins rule applies: if you miss points when counting, your opponent can claim them. Accurate counting doesn’t just help you — it prevents your opponent from gaining free points.
Counting Speed
In tournament play and online games, you’re expected to count at a reasonable pace. Practice builds both accuracy and speed so you can count confidently under time pressure.
Counting Method
Use this systematic approach for every hand:
Step 1: Fifteens
Check all combinations that total 15:
- All 2-card combinations (there are 10 possible pairs from 5 cards)
- All 3-card combinations (there are 10 possible triples)
- All 4-card combinations (there are 5 possible groups of 4)
- The 5-card combination (all cards together)
Step 2: Pairs
- Pair = 2 points (2 cards of same rank)
- Three of a kind = 6 points (3 pairs within 3 matching cards)
- Four of a kind = 12 points (6 pairs within 4 matching cards)
Step 3: Runs
- Find the longest sequence of consecutive ranks
- If multiple cards share a rank within the run, multiply:
- Double run (pair in a 3-card run) = 8 points (two 3-card runs + pair)
- Double run of 4 = 10 points (two 4-card runs + pair)
- Triple run (three of a kind in a 3-card run) = 15 points (three 3-card runs + three of a kind)
Step 4: Flush
- 4 hand cards same suit = 4 points (5 if starter matches too)
- In the crib, flush only counts with all 5 matching
Step 5: Nobs
- Jack in hand matching starter’s suit = 1 point
Common Tricky Hands
These hand types often cause miscounts:
| Hand Type | Example | Common Mistake | Correct Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triple run | 3-3-3-4-5 | Missing some fifteens | 15 |
| Hidden fifteens | A-2-3-4-5 | Only counting obvious fifteens | 7 (1 fifteen + 1 run of 5) |
| No score | K-Q-9-7-2 | Thinking there’s a score | 0 (“nineteen hand”) |
| Double double run | 3-3-4-4-5 | Miscounting runs | 16 |
| Near-flush | 3♠ 5♠ 7♠ 8♥ + K♠ | Counting flush when starter doesn’t help | Check carefully |
Practice Challenges
- Beginner: Count 10 hands in a row. Aim for 80%+ accuracy.
- Intermediate: Count 20 hands and aim for 90%+ accuracy with speed.
- Advanced: Count 50 hands with 95%+ accuracy — tournament ready!
- Expert: Count 100 hands with 98%+ accuracy and identify every combination.
More tools and practice:
- Cribbage Hand Calculator — Calculate any specific hand
- Play against the computer to practice counting in real games
- Scoring guide for a complete reference