These cribbage rules are for two players with a standard 52-card deck. To start, both players cut and the lower card deals first; aces are low, and equal cards are cut again. Each receives six cards and gives two to the dealer’s crib, keeping four. Turn up a starter card, play the pegging phase, then count both hands and the crib; after that the deal alternates every round. The game has a poet in its family tree: according to the writer John Aubrey, it was invented by the English poet Sir John Suckling. Press Play now at the top of the page to play a bot right here, no account needed.
Mobile gameplay: Cribbage
See the game board, controls and moves on a mobile screen.
How to play
- Choose two discards. The dealer will score the four-card crib after both hands, so ownership matters.
- During pegging, do not take the running total over 31. Say Go only when none of your remaining cards fits.
- A total of 15 scores 2; 31 scores 2. Pairs and qualifying runs also score, and the last card below 31 scores 1.
- After pegging, count the non-dealer’s hand, dealer’s hand and crib using the starter. The first player to reach 121 wins immediately.
Example
If the running count is 25 and your smallest card is a seven, you must say Go. An opponent holding a six can still play it to reach 31 and score two.
Playing tip
Keep pairs and cards that work well together, but always check whose crib it is. A five is a generous gift, since it makes 15 with any picture card: throw one into your opponent's crib and you are handing them points.
Guides and tools
Frequently asked questions
How do you score a cribbage hand?
Count each different combination totalling 15 for 2 points, each pair for 2 and each run of three or more for its length. The starter joins the four kept cards when counting the hand. For example, 5, 5, 6, 7 with an 8 starter contains one 15, a pair and two four-card runs: 2 + 2 + 8 = 12 points before any flush or nobs point.
Who counts first in two-player cribbage?
After pegging, the non-dealer counts their hand first, then the dealer counts their hand and finally the crib. The first player to reach 121 wins immediately, so the remaining hands need not be counted. During pegging, only the cards played in the current sequence contribute to the running count, not the starter.
Who deals first in cribbage?
Both players cut the deck, and whoever cuts the lower card deals first and owns the first crib. Aces are low. Equal cards are cut again, and because a 10, Jack, Queen and King all count as ten, any two of them are equal too. After the first hand the deal alternates.
What are picture cards worth in the count?
Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10; Aces count as 1. Their ranks still matter for pairs and runs.
What happens if the starter is a Jack?
The dealer scores two points at once, known as two for his heels. Those points count straight away, so they can even win the game at 121.