How to Play Cribbage Online: Rules and Scoring Guide

Cribbage is a two-player card game played with a standard 52-card deck and a peg board that tracks scores up to 121 points. The first player to reach 121 wins. Unlike most card games where you count up from zero at the end, Cribbage scoring happens continuously throughout every phase of every hand. That constant accumulation is what makes the game unique — every card you play, every combination in your hand, and even the cards you discard all contribute to your race down the board.

The game alternates between two main phases: pegging (playing cards back and forth) and counting(tallying points in your hand and crib). Each hand also has a dealer, and being the dealer is a significant advantage because you get to count the crib — an extra four-card hand built from both players' discards. The deal alternates every hand, so both players get roughly equal turns with the crib.

Each hand begins with the dealer shuffling and dealing six cards to each player. Both players look at their six cards and choose two to discard face-down into the crib. The crib belongs to the dealer and will be counted as a bonus hand at the end of the round. This discard decision is one of the most strategically important moments in Cribbage — you're simultaneously building your own four-card hand and contributing to (or sabotaging) the crib.

After both players have discarded, the non-dealer cuts the remaining deck and the dealer reveals the top card. This is the starter card(also called the "cut" or "turn-up"). If the starter is a Jack, the dealer immediately pegs 2 points — this is called "His Heels." The starter card will be used by both players during the counting phase as a fifth card in their hands, and it also counts as a fifth card in the crib.

Pegging is the interactive phase where players alternate playing cards from their hand. The non-dealer plays first. Each card played adds its face value to a running count (face cards count as 10, aces count as 1). The count cannot exceed 31. If you can't play a card without going over 31, you say "Go" and your opponent continues playing until they also can't. The last player to play before 31 pegs 1 point (or 2 if they hit exactly 31). Then the count resets to zero and play continues with any remaining cards.

During pegging, you score points for specific combinations:

• 15: If your card brings the running count to exactly 15, peg 2 points.
• Pair:If your card matches the rank of the last card played, peg 2 points. Three of a kind ("pair royal") scores 6, and four of a kind ("double pair royal") scores 12.
• Run:If the last three or more cards played form a consecutive sequence (regardless of suit and regardless of the order played), peg 1 point per card in the run. For example, if the sequence of plays is 4-6-5, that's a 3-card run for 3 points.
• Last card:The last player to play in each count-to-31 sequence pegs 1 point (called "Go"), or 2 points if the count reaches exactly 31.

After all eight cards have been played in the pegging phase, it's time to count hands. The non-dealer counts first (this matters — if both players are close to 121, counting order determines who wins). Each player counts their four-card hand plus the starter card as a shared fifth card.

The scoring combinations for hand counting are:

• 15s (2 points each): Any combination of cards that totals exactly 15. Cards are worth their face value (aces = 1, face cards = 10). You can use two, three, four, or all five cards. Each distinct combination counts separately — a hand can contain multiple 15s.
• Pairs (2 points each): Any two cards of the same rank. Three of a kind contains three pairs (6 points). Four of a kind contains six pairs (12 points).
• Runs (1 point per card):Three or more cards in consecutive rank order. If you have a double run (e.g., 3-4-5-5), that's two runs of three for 6 points plus the pair for 2 — totaling 8.
• Flush (4 or 5 points): If all four cards in your hand are the same suit, score 4. If the starter card also matches, score 5. Note: in the crib, a flush only counts if all five cards (including the starter) are the same suit.
• Nobs (1 point):If you hold the Jack of the same suit as the starter card, peg 1 point. "One for his nobs."

After the non-dealer counts, the dealer counts their hand, and then the dealer counts the crib using the same rules (with the flush restriction noted above). The crib often holds surprises — two unrelated discards can combine with the starter to produce unexpected points.