how to play cribbage

There are many variations on how to play cribbage with slight adjustments if  played with 3 or 4 players. We will concentrate on the most common 2 player cribbage rules for friendly play.

Object - to be the first player to score 121 points

Tools – deck of 52 cards (jokers removed), board with pegs (or pen & paper)

All suits are considered equal value. The A-9 count as 1 to 9 and cards above 10 count as 10. Ace is low only. There are three main segments of play – dealing, playing (pegging), counting or showing (hand & crib). These are played in sequence until the first player reaches 121.

Points awarded:

• two of a kind (pairs), three of a kind, four of a kind
• sequences
• flush (count only, not scored in the play)
• total card value reaching fifteen
• jack of suit

steps of cribbage

the deal

1. players cut deck,  lowest card wins deal
2. dealer shuffles cards
3. opponent (or pone) cuts the deck
4. dealer gives 6 cards to each player
5. place deck face down
6. players discard 2 cards face down into crib (for dealer)
7. pone cuts deck, dealer places the card on top – this is called the cut (if a jack is turned up the dealer receives 2 points)

the play

Players are looking to score points by matching cards, totaling 15, creating sequences, reaching 31 or playing the last card before reaching 31

1. pone plays first card, face up and declares the value
2. dealer plays card and declares value of total
3. sequence continues until a player can’t go to total under 31
4. sequence starts again with the opposite player to the player that played last laying down a card first
5. when all cards have been played the count begins

the count

Points are scored by using the cut and the 4 cards in your hand. Players are looking for matching cards, fifteens, runs, flushes & jack of what’s turned up (in the cut). Flushes and jacks have some unique rules for awarding points.

1. pone always counts cards first
2. dealer counts hand
3. dealer counts crib

Deal rotates between player and the above sequence is played until the first player reaches 121 (or more) points.