Cribbage is a card game for two, three, or four people. Each player keeps score on a cribbage board, using two pegs. The object of the game is to peg (score) 121 points. The invention of the game is credited to Sir John Suckling, an English poet who lived during the 1600’s.
When two people play cribbage, they cut (divide) the pack of cards, and the one who exposes the card with the lower value deals. Each player is dealt six cards and places two of them face down. These cards form the crib, which is used at the end of the hand. The nondealer cuts the rest of the cards and turns up the top card of the lower part of the pack. This is the turnup or starter. If the turnup is a jack, the dealer pegs 2 points for heels.
The nondealer begins by laying down a card and calling out its value. Face cards each have a value of 10, aces count 1, and all other cards have values equal to their spots. The dealer then lays down a card, adds its value to the first card, and calls out the new total. Keeping their cards separate, players continue to take turns playing a card until the value of the cards played totals 31. A player who reaches 31 exactly pegs 2 points. A player who cannot lay down a card without going beyond 31 must say “go.” The other player then pegs 1 point for go after playing as many cards as possible without passing 31. Whenever a go occurs, the opponent of the one who last played begins a new count. During the play, a player can also score points by making the value of the cards total 15 (worth 2 points). Players can also score if they make a pair (2 points), three of a kind (6 points), or four of a kind (12 points). A run of three or more cards in sequence scores 1 point for each card in the run, provided that the cards are played consecutively.
After the players have played their cards, they count up and peg the total points for their hands. The nondealer’s hand is counted first, followed by the dealer’s hand and the crib. The turnup is included in the count of each hand. Each combination of cards adding up to 15 counts 2 points. A pair scores 2, three of a kind scores 6, four of a kind scores 12, and a run of three or more cards in sequence scores 1 point for each card. Four cards of the same suit (or five, counting the turnup) score a flush, worth 1 point per card. At the end of the hand, a player holding a jack of the same suit as the turnup scores 1 point for nobs. The crib belongs to the dealer and is scored the same way as the other hands, except that only five-card flushes count.
