Cribbage

How to play Cribbage

Be first to 121 points. You play The Explorer. The first dealer is chosen randomly; the deal alternates after each round. The game stops as soon as either player reaches 121.

1. Discard two cards. Each player receives six cards and puts two into the dealer’s crib. Your remaining four cards form your hand. The deck supplies one face-up starter. A jack starter gives the dealer two points (his heels).
2. Pegging: take turns towards 31. Non-dealer leads. Aces count 1, numbered cards their number, and picture cards 10. Play a card without taking the running count above 31. Fifteen scores 2; exactly 31 scores 2. Consecutive pairs score 2, triples 6 and four of a kind 12. A run in the most recent cards scores its length; those cards can be in any order, with no repeated ranks.
3. Say Go when you cannot play. If you have no legal card, use the Go button. Your opponent continues while able. When neither side can play, the player who laid the last card scores 1 and the count resets. The opponent leads the new count, unless they have no cards. The final card scores 1 unless it makes 31, which scores 2 instead.
4. Count the hands. Non-dealer first, then dealer, then the dealer’s crib. Each four-card hand uses the same starter. Every combination totalling 15 scores 2; every pair scores 2. Count the longest runs of three or more, including separate runs created by duplicate ranks.
5. Flush and nobs. Four matching suits in your hand score 4, or 5 with the matching starter. In the crib, a flush must include all five cards. A jack in the hand or crib matching the starter’s suit scores 1 for his nobs.

Scoring is automatic. The count panel shows each hand’s breakdown before it is added to the board. There is no muggins, clock or multiplayer. Some legal plays score in more than one way.

Field tip: the crib belongs to the dealer. Be generous to your own crib and careful with your opponent’s.