Cribbage Rules

How to Play Cribbage Card Game

At Playiro, we walk you through how to play the classic card game Cribbage, explain the game rules step by step, and offer a set of smart tips to sharpen your strategy and help you become the top scorer among your friends.

Preparations

To play Cribbage, you’ll need:

• A standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
• A cribbage board with pegs (or pen and paper to keep score)
• 2 players (best with two, but can be played with 3 or 4)

Getting started:

1. Shuffle the deck and let each player draw a card — the highest becomes the dealer.
2. The dealer deals 6 cards to each player.
3. Each player selects 2 cards to discard into “the crib,” a separate hand that only the dealer scores at the end of the round.

Game Play

Players take turns laying down one card at a time while announcing the running total (up to 31).
You earn points during this phase for:

• Fifteen (total of 15) = 2 points
• Pairs (2, 3, or 4 of a kind) = 2, 6, or 12 points
• Runs (3 or more cards in sequence) = points equal to the number of cards
• Reaching exactly 31 = 2 points

If a player can’t play a card without exceeding 31, they say “Go,” and the opponent continues until neither player can play. Continue playing until all cards are down.

Phase 2: The Show

Once all cards are played, each player scores based on the combinations in their hand, plus the starter card (the card flipped from the deck at the beginning of the round).

Scoring combinations include:

• Fifteens (any combination totaling 15) = 2 points each
• Pairs
• Runs
• Flushes (all cards of the same suit)
• “One for his nob” (Jack matching the suit of the starter card) = 1 point

The dealer then scores the crib (formed by the four discarded cards + the starter card) using the same scoring rules.

How Do You Win in Cribbage?

The ultimate goal is to be the first player to reach 121 points. Points are tracked using pegs on the cribbage board, or simply noted down on paper if you don’t have one.

Winning depends on:

• Smart discards (creating strong hands and an effective crib)
• Tactical play during the pegging phase
• Quickly recognizing high-scoring combinations

You can play a single round or extend it into a match format (e.g., best of 3 games).

Strategies and Tips for Cribbage

While luck plays a role in Cribbage, a solid strategy gives you a significant advantage. Here are some of Playiro’s top tips:

Discard Wisely

If you're the dealer, try to put high-potential cards into the crib since you'll score from it.
If you're not the dealer, discard cards that are less likely to help your opponent.

If you're the dealer, try to put high-potential cards into the crib since you'll score from it.
If you're not the dealer, discard cards that are less likely to help your opponent.

Master the Play Phase

• Set up runs and pairs for maximum points during play.
• Aim to hit 15 or 31 whenever possible.
• Deny your opponent easy points by thinking ahead before each play.

Count Quickly and Accurately

• Practice spotting scoring combinations, especially 15s and runs.
• Learn to peg efficiently and avoid missing points during quick play.

Overview of the Game Rules