How to Play Cribbage

Cribbage is a fairly well-known card game that dates all the way back to the 1600s. While it is popular in places like England, there are many places around the world where this game is not well-known. If you find yourself amongst the majority of people who don’t know a whole lot about Cribbage, let alone know how to play Cribbage, then this guide will be great for you!

In this blog, we will review the steps to playing Cribbage, as well as the strategies and the unexpected rules that many Cribbage novices are unaware of. With that being said, let’s hop into how to play Cribbage.

How to Play Cribbage

One of the biggest barriers to Cribbage is that it can take some time to learn how to play. There are three separate steps that you will need to understand in order to properly play – The Deal, The Peg, and The Totaling of Scores. 

All you need is a standard 52-card deck to play with, so everything should seem relatively familiar. With that being said, try not to get intimidated. Compared to a game like Chess, this will be a breeze to learn.

Objective of Cribbage

The main objective of cribbage is to be the first player to score 121 points, which is tracked on a cribbage board. Points are scored by forming specific card combinations that include pairs, runs, and sequences adding up to 15. Players earn points during several phases of the game, including during play, in their hand, and from the “crib,” which is a special extra hand for the dealer. Pegs on the cribbage board are moved forward as points are earned, and the first player to move their piece to the finish line wins.

The Deal

Cribbage starts by having both players cut the deck to decide who is the first dealer. Whoever draws the lowest card is the dealer. The dealer will then shuffle the deck and deal six cards to both the other player and themselves.

After both players have received their cards, they must select two cards to take from their hand to place into the crib. The player who dealt out the cards is also given the crib. This means that if it is your deal, you should try and throw in something with the potential to rack up some points. On the other hand, if it wasn’t your deal, try to throw in cards that have minimal potential of creating a good hand.

The Peg

The pegging phase of Cribbage is what separates the good from the great when learning how to play Cribbage. After both players have decided which cards to keep, they enter the pegging phase of the game. The two players take turns laying down one card at a time, announcing the total value of the cards as they go. Jacks, Queens, and Kings are all worth 10, while Aces are worth 1 point.

The goal of the peg is to create combinations that score points. For example, getting to exactly 15 or 31 points will earn a player 2 points. Forming pairs, triples, and four-of-a-kinds also will give players points, as well as runs of three or more consecutive cards.

Players will continue to place down their cards until no more can be played. Once the total of the cards reaches 31 (or as close as players can get without going over), the count resets at 0. Each time a point is scored, the player will move their peg forward on the cribbage board. 

Total up your scores

After all of the cards have been played, it is time to calculate your score! Totaling up your points is the most fun part of learning how to play Cribbage. This is where the bulk of the points are recorded, so you must do a good job so you don’t miss out on any points. Of course, if you are playing online, then your score will be calculated automatically.

Totaling up your score is done by using five cards — the 4 that you keep in your hand, as well as the card that was cut. Your hand is awarded points through several different combinations. Pairs, runs of 3 or higher, flushes, and any combination that adds up to 15 are all ways to get points. 

Pairs and 15s are worth 2 points, which will be your most common avenue of getting points. The length of your runs corresponds to how many points they are worth. For example, a run of 3 is worth 3 points, while a run of 4 is worth 4 points. 

The first person to record their score is the non-dealer. After that, the dealer records their score, then they reveal their crib and record that as well. The dealer totals up their crib with the same scoring criteria as their hand. 

The game will continue in this format, with players switching between dealer and non-dealer as they continue to play. Make sure that you switch every single hand — there is a huge advantage in being the dealer.

Now that you have learned how to play Cribbage, go and test it out for yourself! You can either play it here at Coolmath Games, or just get yourself a board in real life and play with a friend. No matter what you do, it will be a fun time.