How to play Cribbage
- The deal: each player gets 6 cards. The dealer changes every hand.
- The crib: each player puts 2 cards face down in the crib, an extra hand that belongs to the dealer and is counted at the end of the hand. Choose with care: if it's your rival's crib, don't give them good cards.
- The starter: the top card of the deck is turned face up. It counts as part of every hand. If it's a jack, the dealer scores 2 straight away, called his heels.
- The play: starting with the player who didn't deal, take turns laying one card face up and adding up the count. Aces count 1, number cards their number, and jacks, queens and kings 10. The count can't go past 31.
- Points in the play: make the count exactly 15 (2 points) or 31 (2), play a card of the same rank as the one before it (a pair, 2; three in a row, 6; four, 12), or finish a run of 3 or more cards in a row, in any order (a point for each card).
- Go: when you can't play without going past 31, you say go, and your rival keeps playing while they can. The last player to lay a card scores 1 (or 2 for exactly 31), and the count starts again from 0. The very last card of the play scores 1 too.
- The show: the non-dealer counts their hand first, then the dealer counts their hand, then the crib. Each hand of 4 cards is counted together with the starter.
- Winning: the first player to reach 121 points (or 61 for a short game) wins, even in the middle of a hand. That's why the non-dealer's hand is counted first.
Counting a hand
| What you have | Points |
|---|---|
| Each group of cards that adds up to 15 | 2 |
| Each pair of cards of the same rank | 2 (three of a kind 6, four of a kind 12) |
| A run of 3 or more cards in a row | 1 for each card (each different run counts) |
| A flush: all 4 cards in your hand of one suit | 4, or 5 if the starter matches too |
| His nobs: the jack of the same suit as the starter | 1 |
A crib only scores a flush when all 4 crib cards and the starter are the same suit. The best possible hand is 29: three 5s and the jack of the fourth suit, with the last 5 as the starter.
Controls
- The crib: tap 2 cards to pick them, then press the button to put them in the crib. Tap a card again to change your mind.
- The play: tap a card to play it. The cards you can play stand up with a yellow edge, and saying go happens for you.
- The show: every hand is counted for you, part by part, with the cards that make each fifteen, pair or run. Press the button to move on to the next count.
- Keyboard: ← and → or Tab move between your cards, and Enter picks or plays one.
The pegging board at the top shows both scores: the front peg is your score now, and the faded back peg where you were before your last points. With 2 Players, a cover screen hides the cards whenever the device passes to the other player.
Computer levels
The computer never sees your hand, the crib or the deck. It knows its own cards, the two it put in the crib, the starter, the cards played so far and the scores.
| Level | How it plays |
|---|---|
| Easy | Often puts cards in the crib and plays them without thinking. |
| Medium | Keeps the four cards worth the most on their own, and in the play takes the most points it can right now. |
| Hard | Keeps the four cards worth the most on average, over every starter that could turn up, and in the play also weighs what you could score back. |
| Expert | Also weighs what its two crib cards will be worth, in its own crib or yours, and in the play tries each card against 80 imagined hands for you, played out to the end of the count. |
Tips to win
- Keep fives and tens together. A 5 makes 15 with any of the 16 tens and picture cards in the pack.
- Watch whose crib it is. In your own crib, a pair or two cards that make 15 are gifts to yourself. In your rival's crib, avoid giving away 5s, pairs and cards that sit next to each other.
- Lead a low card. A 4 or lower can't make 15 for your rival straight away. Leading a 5 is risky.
- Avoid leaving a count of 5 or 21. A ten-card then makes 15 or 31 for your rival.
- Save low cards for later in a count. Near 31, a small card can win you a go point or the 31.
- Count your rival's hand too. Knowing what they scored tells you how close the race to 121 really is.
About Cribbage
Cribbage was invented in England in the early 17th century and is said to come from the poet Sir John Suckling. It's still one of the most played two-player card games in the English-speaking world, and the pegging board is part of the fun. A player who wins before the loser reaches 91 has given them a skunk, and one who wins before the loser reaches 61 a double skunk; here, the result shows when that happens.
Questions
How do you count a cribbage hand?
Count the fifteens first (2 points each), then pairs (2 each), runs (a point for each card), a flush and his nobs. The show here lists each part for you.
What is the crib?
The crib is the four cards the two players put aside at the start of a hand. It belongs to the dealer and is counted, with the starter, after both hands.
What does "go" mean in cribbage?
It means you can't play a card without going past 31. Your rival keeps playing while they can, and whoever plays the last card of that count scores 1.
What is his nobs?
His nobs is the jack of the same suit as the starter card, held in your hand or crib. It's worth 1 point. If the starter itself is a jack, the dealer scores 2 for his heels.
What happens at 31?
Making the count exactly 31 scores 2 points. The count then starts again from 0, and the other player leads.
Can two people play cribbage on one phone?
Yes. Choose 2 Players. A cover screen hides your cards while you pass the device, and the play and the show are open to both of you.
Is this cribbage game free?
Yes. It's free in your browser, with no download, no sign-up and no ads during a game.
Updated 8 November 2026