How to play Cribbage
Cribbage is the card game with its own furniture: a 400-year-old classic where every hand is scored twice — once in the frantic pegging of the play, once in the ceremonious counting of the show — and every point marches a peg down the board toward 121.
- The throw — from six cards, keep four and throw two to the crib. The crib scores for the dealer, so throw generously into your own and stingily into Emma's.
- The play — alternate cards without pushing the count past 31, pegging 2 for fifteens and pairs, run length for runs, 1 for a go and 2 for hitting 31 exactly.
- The show — hands are counted with the starter: fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and his nobs. Non-dealer counts first — which decides games that end at the wire.
- His heels — cut a jack as the starter and the dealer pegs 2 on the spot.
Strategy tips that move the peg
- Never throw a five to their crib. Fives make fifteens with every ten-card in the deck — a third of it. Feed your own crib fives; starve theirs.
- Don't lead a five either. Any ten-card answer pegs an instant fifteen. Lead from a pair (if they pair you, you triple), or lead a four or lower so no reply makes fifteen.
- Keep your count-to-31 escape. Holding a low card for the endgame of each count turns gos into your points.
- Count your hand the standard way. Fifteens first, then pairs, then runs, then flush and nobs — the same order this game's show breakdown uses, so you can check the math.
- Play the board, not just the cards. Ahead? Keep safe pegging cards. Behind near the end? Keep the hand that could count big, and remember non-dealer counts first.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of Cribbage?
Each player gets six cards and throws two to the crib (an extra hand that scores for the dealer). A starter card is cut, then comes the play: alternate laying cards while keeping the running count at 31 or less, pegging points for fifteens, pairs, runs and gos. Then the show: each hand plus the starter is counted, non-dealer first, then the dealer, then the crib. First to 121 wins.
How does Cribbage scoring work in the show?
Every combination totaling fifteen scores 2, every pair scores 2, runs of three or more score their length (with multiplicity), a four-card flush scores 4 (5 with the starter; the crib needs all five), and the jack of the starter's suit — "his nobs" — scores 1.
What is the best possible Cribbage hand?
The perfect 29: three fives and the jack, with the fourth five cut as the starter matching the jack's suit. That is 16 for fifteens, 12 for pairs and 1 for nobs. The odds are about 1 in 216,580.
What does "go" mean in Cribbage?
If you cannot play without pushing the count past 31, your opponent keeps playing and pegs 1 for the last card (2 if they land exactly on 31). Then the count resets and the other player leads.
What should I throw to the crib?
Keep your best four cards first — but when the crib is yours, sweeten it with fives and pairs; when it is your opponent's, starve it: never toss a five, and avoid throwing touching cards like 7-8.
Can I play Cribbage online for free against the computer?
Yes — this version runs entirely in your browser against Emma, with a live pegboard, automatic counting and a full show breakdown every hand. Nothing to download, and your game saves automatically.
More free card games
Enjoy two-handed duels? Try Gin Rummy or Rummy — or the partnership battles of Euchre and Spades.