Overview
Cribbage is one of the oldest and most enduring two-player card games in the world. Invented in 17th-century England by Sir John Suckling, it combines tactical card play with intricate hand scoring and an iconic wooden pegboard track.
In Cardems, you play head-to-head against a smart computer opponent. Each round features three distinct scoring opportunities: the deal and crib discard, the pegging phase (playing cards alternately up to a running count of 31), and The Show (counting combinations in hands and the crib).
For worked scoring examples, use the focused guides to Cribbage pegging, 15, 31 and Go and runs and double runs in a hand.
Objective
Be the first player to score 121 points (pegging around the traditional board twice and into the game hole). The game ends the instant a player reaches 121, even in the middle of a hand or during pegging.
Setup
- A standard 52-card deck is used.
- Each player is dealt 6 cards.
- Both players inspect their cards and discard 2 cards face down into the dealer's crib (also called the box).
- Each player now holds 4 cards in hand, and the crib contains 4 cards belonging exclusively to the dealer.
- The non-dealer cuts the deck to reveal the top card of the remaining stock, known as the Starter (or Cut card).
How to Play
1. The Pegging Phase (The Play)
The non-dealer leads the first card face up to the center. Players alternate playing cards from hand, announcing the cumulative running total:
- Face values: Aces count as 1; number cards 2–10 count at face value; Jacks, Queens, and Kings count as 10.
- The 31 Limit: The running count may never exceed 31.
- Scoring during pegging:
- 15: Bringing the count to exactly 15 scores 2 points.
- 31: Bringing the count to exactly 31 scores 2 points.
- Pairs: Playing a card of the same rank as the previous card scores 2 points. A third of the same rank in immediate succession scores 6 points (pair royal), and a fourth scores 12 points (double pair royal).
- Runs: Playing a card that completes a sequence of 3 or more consecutive ranks (regardless of suit or play order) scores 1 point per card in the run.
- "Go" and Last Card: If a player cannot play a card without exceeding 31, they say "Go." The other player must play as many additional cards as possible without exceeding 31. The player who plays the final card under 31 scores 1 point for the Go (or 2 points if the total hits exactly 31).
- Once 31 is reached or both players cannot play, the count resets to 0 and the player who did not play the last card leads again.
See the play-by-play pegging guide for scoring combinations on the same card, out-of-order runs, and when a Go point applies.
2. The Show (Counting Hands)
After all 8 cards are pegged, players count the scoring combinations in their hands. The Starter card acts as a shared fifth card for both players' hands and the crib.
Counting order is strict:
- Non-dealer's hand is counted and pegged first.
- Dealer's hand is counted and pegged second.
- Dealer's crib is counted and pegged last.
| Combination | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteens | Any combination of cards summing to exactly 15 | 2 points each |
| Pairs | Two cards of the identical rank | 2 points per pair |
| Runs | Three or more consecutive ranks (e.g., 7-8-9) | 1 point per card |
| Flush | Four cards in hand of the same suit (+1 if Starter matches) | 4 or 5 points |
| His Nobs | Holding a Jack in hand or crib matching the Starter's suit | 1 point |
Duplicate ranks can make more than one run in a hand. The Cribbage runs and double runs guide shows how to separate run points from pairs and fifteens.
Important Rules & Scoring
Every distinct subset of cards that forms a valid combination scores points:
Winning & Skunking
- The match ends the moment either player's score reaches or passes 121 points.
- Skunk: If the winner reaches 121 while the loser has scored fewer than 91 points, the loser is "skunked."
- Double Skunk: If the loser fails to reach 61 points, it is a double skunk.
Variations for 3, 4 or More Players
Cardems plays the standard two-player, six-card game described above. The same scoring works for larger tables; only the deal changes so that every hand still holds four cards and the crib still holds four.
Three-player cribbage
Deal 5 cards to each player and 1 card from the deck face down to the crib. Each player discards 1 card to the crib, leaving four cards each. Play passes to the left, and when one player says "Go" the next player who can still play continues. Each player scores individually.
Four-player (partnership) cribbage
Partners sit opposite each other. Deal 5 cards to each player; everyone discards 1 card to the dealer's crib. Partners add their hand scores together and share one peg on the board. The deal and the crib pass to the left each hand.
Five or six players
There is no single standard for five or six players. Groups usually form teams and adjust the deal so the crib still ends with four cards. Agree on the deal size, discards and target score before the first hand.
Five-card cribbage (the older English game)
Before the six-card game became the norm, English players dealt 5 cards each and discarded 2 to the crib, so each hand holds only three cards. The game is played to 61, and the non-dealer pegs 3 points at the start to offset the dealer's crib. Today, six-card cribbage to 121 is the usual game in both Britain and North America. In North America, tournament rules are published by the American Cribbage Congress.
Playing without a cribbage board
The board is only a scorekeeper. On paper, write each player's running total after every score and stop at 121. Mark 91 and 61 so you can spot a skunk. In Cardems, every peg is moved for you automatically.
Strategy
- Keep flexible 15-making cards: Fives are the most versatile cards in Cribbage because every 10-value card (10, J, Q, K) pairs with a 5 to make 15.
- Control the pegging count: Avoid leading with a 5 (which allows the opponent an easy 15 for 2 points). Leading from a pair or playing a 4 or low card sets up traps.
- Watch non-dealer priority: Because the non-dealer counts first in The Show, a trailing non-dealer can "count out" and win the game before the dealer gets to score a massive hand or crib.
- Compare mechanics with other meld-building classics like Gin Rummy and Rummy 500.
FAQ
Who counts first in Cribbage?
The non-dealer (also called the pone) always counts first, followed by the dealer's hand and finally the dealer's crib. Near the end of a game this matters: if the non-dealer's hand reaches 121, they win before the dealer counts anything.
Who deals first in Cribbage?
Traditionally, both players cut the deck and the lower card deals first (Aces are low). After that, the deal alternates every hand. In Cardems, the first dealer is chosen at random.
What order do you count a Cribbage hand in?
Count in a fixed order so nothing is missed: fifteens first, then pairs, runs, flush and finally His Nobs. Always include the Starter as the fifth card.
How many points is four of a kind in Cribbage?
Four cards of the same rank make six different pairs, worth 12 points in a hand. During pegging, playing the fourth card of a rank in a row is a double pair royal, also 12 points. Fifteens are added separately: four 5s with a ten-value Starter score 28.
What is a double double run in Cribbage?
A double double run is a three-card run with two pairs in it, such as 7-7-8-8-9. It contains four separate runs of three (12 points) and two pairs (4 points), so 16 points before any fifteens are counted. See the runs and double runs guide for more examples.
What is a Go and the last card point?
When you cannot play without passing 31, you say "Go". Your opponent keeps playing while they can, and whoever plays the last card scores 1 point. Reaching exactly 31 scores 2 points instead of the Go, not both.
What is muggins in Cribbage?
Muggins is an optional rule: if a player undercounts their hand or crib, the opponent may call "Muggins" and take the missed points. Cardems counts every hand automatically, so no points can be missed and muggins does not apply.
Can you play Cribbage with 4 or 6 players?
Yes. Four players play as two partnerships with five cards each, and three players also get five cards each. Five or six players need house rules. See Variations for 3, 4 or More Players.
What is the maximum possible hand score in Cribbage?
The highest possible score is 29 points, achieved by holding three 5s and a Jack, with the Starter card being the fourth 5 matching the Jack's suit (giving eight 15s for 16 pts, four of a kind for 12 pts, and His Nobs for 1 pt).
Does the game end immediately when 121 is reached?
Yes. Cribbage uses instant pegging. As soon as a peg crosses 121 during pegging or counting, play stops and that player wins.
What is the difference between His Heels and His Nobs?
"His Heels" (Nibs) is scored by the dealer for 2 points when the cut Starter card itself is a Jack. "His Nobs" is scored for 1 point during hand counting when a player holds a Jack of the same suit as the Starter card.
Can a flush be scored in the pegging phase?
No. Flushes are only scored during The Show when counting completed 4-card or 5-card hands.
