Quick Reference
How to Play Cribbage — Rules & Cheat Sheet
Cribbage is a 2-player counting card game where you race to 121 points on the board. Score during pegging and by counting combinations of fifteens, pairs, runs, and flushes in your hand and the dealer's crib.
The Basics
The Deck
Full 52-card deck, no jokers.
- • All ranks Ace through King
- • All four suits
- • Suits only matter for flushes & nobs
Players
- • Players alternate as dealer
- • Dealer scores the crib
- • Non-dealer goes first in pegging
Objective
- • Track points on the cribbage board
- • Score during pegging AND hand counting
- • "Skunk" at 91; "Double skunk" at 61
Card Values
Counting value (for fifteens & pegging)
All face cards count as 10 for fifteens and pegging. Ace is always 1 (never 11).
Rank order (for runs & sequences)
A – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – J – Q – K
Why 5s are special
A 5 pairs with any 10-value card (10, J, Q, K) to make 15. There are 16 ten-value cards in the deck — meaning a single 5 can make many fifteens.
The Deal & Crib
How the Deal Works
- Dealer deals 6 cards to each player
- Each player discards 2 cards face-down to the crib
- Non-dealer cuts the deck; dealer flips the top card as the starter
- If the starter is a Jack: dealer scores 2 pts (His Heels) immediately
- Players retain 4-card hands for pegging and counting
The Crib
- • The crib is the dealer's bonus hand — scored after both players count their hands
- • 4 discarded cards + the starter = 5-card hand to count
- • When you're dealer: discard cards that work together
- • When opponent deals: salt the crib with bad cards (K, A, wide gaps)
- • Never give a 5 to your opponent's crib
Hand Scoring
| Combination | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen | 2 each | Any combo totaling 15 |
| Pair | 2 | Two of same rank |
| Pair Royal (3-of-kind) | 6 | 3 pairs within three of a kind |
| Double Pair Royal (4-of-kind) | 12 | 6 pairs within four of a kind |
| Run of 3 | 3 | 3 consecutive ranks |
| Run of 4 | 4 | 4 consecutive ranks |
| Run of 5 | 5 | 5 consecutive ranks |
| Flush (4 in hand) | 4 | All 4 hand cards same suit |
| Flush (5 with starter) | 5 | Hand + starter same suit |
| His Nobs | 1 | Jack in hand matching starter suit |
| His Heels | 2 | Starter is a Jack (dealer scores immediately) |
Always use the starter card as the 5th card when counting your hand and the crib.
Example Hand Count
Hand: 5♠ 5♥ J♦ · Starter: 5♦
- • 5♠+5♥+5♦ = three 5s → Pair Royal = 6 pts
- • 5♠+J♦ = 15 → 2 pts
- • 5♥+J♦ = 15 → 2 pts
- • 5♦+J♦ = 15 → 2 pts
- • J♦ matches starter suit (5♦ = diamond) → Nobs = 1 pt
- Total: 13 pts
Scoring Order (counting out)
- Non-dealer counts their hand
- Dealer counts their hand
- Dealer counts the crib
If non-dealer reaches 121 while counting, they win immediately — dealer never gets to count.
Pegging (Play Phase)
How Pegging Works
- Non-dealer plays first, then alternate
- Announce the running total as you play
- Running total may never exceed 31
- Say "Go" if you can't play without exceeding 31
- After "Go," opponent plays all they can; score 1 pt for last card or 2 for 31
- Running total resets; continue until all cards are played
Pegging Scores
| Reach exactly 15 | 2 pts |
| Reach exactly 31 | 2 pts |
| Last card played (not 31) | 1 pt (Go) |
| Pair (same rank as last card) | 2 pts |
| Pair Royal (3 in a row) | 6 pts |
| Double Pair Royal (4 in a row) | 12 pts |
| Run of 3+ (any order) | 1 pt per card |
Pegging Strategy
Lead low cards (A–4) to make it hard for opponent to hit 15. Never lead a 5 — any 10-value card gives them an easy 15. Try to land on 15 or 31, and watch for run and pair opportunities to score extra points.
Strategy Tips
Keep Scoring Combos in Hand
When discarding, keep cards that work together: pairs, fifteens (5+10, 7+8, 6+9, 4+5+6), or runs. Maximize expected hand value before the starter is flipped.
Salt the Opponent's Crib
When you're not dealing, give the crib worthless disconnected cards: Kings (furthest from anything), Aces, and cards that share no common combinations. Avoid giving 5s or connected pairs.
Peg Safely
Pair your opponent's card only if you have a third to triple it — otherwise they may triple your pair. In defensive play, lead a card that makes it hard to hit 15 (lead 2, 3, or 4).
Track the Score
Always know how many points each player needs to win. If you're close to 121, count your hand first — you may win during counting before the dealer ever gets to score.
Key Terms
- Crib
- Dealer's bonus hand formed from 2 discards from each player.
- Starter / Cut Card
- Card flipped after the discard; used in all hand counts.
- Pegging
- The interactive play phase where cards are played to score in real time.
- Go
- Said when you can't play without exceeding 31; opponent plays on.
- Fifteen
- Any card combination totaling exactly 15 = 2 pts.
- His Nobs
- Jack in hand matching starter suit = 1 pt.
- His Heels
- Starter card is a Jack = 2 pts for the dealer.
- Skunk
- Winning when opponent hasn't passed 91 pts — counts as 2 wins.
- Muggins
- Optional rule: if you miss points, opponent may claim them.
- 29 Hand
- Perfect hand: three 5s + Jack, with the fourth 5 as starter of same suit as Jack.
Continue Learning
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you win at Cribbage?
The first player to reach 121 points wins. Points are scored during pegging (playing cards back and forth) and by counting your hand at the end of each round.
What is the crib in Cribbage?
The crib is an extra hand that belongs to the dealer. Both players discard 2 cards face-down to the crib. The dealer then scores the crib as a bonus hand at the end of the round.
How do you count 15s in Cribbage?
Any combination of cards that adds up to exactly 15 scores 2 points. Cards are worth their pip value (Ace=1) and all 10-value cards (10, J, Q, K) count as 10. Each unique combination that totals 15 scores separately.
What is pegging in Cribbage?
Pegging is the interactive play phase before hand counting. Players alternate playing cards and announce a running total. Score 2 pts for hitting exactly 15 or 31, plus points for pairs and runs during play. Say 'Go' when you can't play without exceeding 31.
What is 'His Nobs' and 'His Heels'?
'His Nobs' (1 point): your hand contains a Jack matching the suit of the starter card. 'His Heels' (2 points): the starter card turned up is a Jack — the dealer scores immediately before play begins.
What cards should I discard to the crib?
When you're the dealer, discard cards that work together (5+10, connected cards). When your opponent deals, 'salt' their crib with bad cards: Kings, Aces, and cards far apart in value. Never give a 5 to your opponent's crib!
What is the maximum hand score in Cribbage?
The famous '29 hand' — three 5s plus a Jack in hand, with the fourth 5 as the starter matching the Jack's suit. It scores 8 fifteens (16 pts), four 5s (12 pts), and nobs (1 pt) = 29 points. Extremely rare!