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Cribbage rules (2026) — a classic card game for two (or three or four) players where you score with fifteens, pairs, runs, and flushes, then move pegs along a board to 121. It looks complicated the first time and becomes second nature by the third hand. This guide walks through the deal, the crib, pegging, the show, and every scoring combination.
Related: Gin 13 · Rummy 500 · Spades · Flip 7 · game night hub.
Cribbage boards and card-night picks
A board makes scoring quick; the other two are good for bigger groups.
- The board: WE Games 3-Player Wood Cribbage Set — 120-hole continuous track, metal pegs, card storage
- Bigger groups: Flip 7 — press-your-luck cards for 3+ players
- Dice night: Yahtzee — easy scoring when more people show up
What you need
- A standard 52-card deck (no jokers).
- A cribbage board and pegs. Each player uses two pegs so you can always see your last score. Paper works if you don’t have a board.
- Two players is the classic game. Three play individually. Four play as two partnerships.
Card values
Aces are low and count 1. Number cards count their face value. Jacks, Queens, and Kings count 10. For runs, the order is A-2-3 up to J-Q-K, and Aces never go high.
The deal and the crib
- Cut the deck. Lowest card deals first. The deal alternates every hand.
- Two players: deal six cards each. Each player puts two cards face-down into the crib, a bonus hand that belongs to the dealer.
- Three players: deal five cards each and one card to the crib. Each player then adds one card, for a four-card crib.
- Four players: deal five each, and each player adds one card to the crib.
- The non-dealer cuts the deck and the dealer turns up the top card of the lower half. This is the starter. If it’s a Jack, the dealer pegs 2 points (“his heels”).
Pegging (the play)
Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, players take turns laying one card face-up in front of themselves and calling out the running total. The total can’t go over 31.
- Bring the total to exactly 15: 2 points.
- Bring it to exactly 31: 2 points.
- Play a card of the same rank as the last card (a pair): 2 points. Three of a kind: 6. Four of a kind: 12.
- Complete a run of three or more consecutive ranks among the most recent cards, in any order: 1 point per card.
- If you can’t play without going over 31, say “Go.” The other player keeps playing if they can. Whoever played the last card under 31 scores 1 for the Go.
- The count then resets to zero and play continues until all cards are played. The last card of the hand scores 1 (unless it made 31).
The show (counting hands)
After pegging, everyone picks their cards back up and counts their four-card hand together with the starter. The non-dealer counts first, then the dealer counts their hand, then the dealer counts the crib. Counting order matters near the end of the game, because the first player to 121 wins.
- Fifteens: every combination of cards that adds up to 15 scores 2.
- Pairs: 2 points for each pair. Three of a kind counts as three pairs (6). Four of a kind is six pairs (12).
- Runs: 1 point per card in each run of three or more. Double runs (like 4-5-5-6) count each run separately.
- Flush: four cards of one suit in your hand score 4, or 5 if the starter matches too. In the crib, a flush only counts if all five cards match.
- Nobs: the Jack in your hand or crib of the same suit as the starter scores 1.
The best possible hand is 29: three 5s and the Jack of the fourth suit in hand, with the matching 5 as the starter.
Winning
The first player to reach 121 points wins, even in the middle of pegging. A short game goes to 61. If the loser hasn’t passed 90 when you win, that’s a skunk, which many players count as two games.
A quick scoring example
Your hand is 5-5-6-4 and the starter is a King. Fifteens: each 5 with the King (2 × 2 = 4), plus 5-6-4 twice (4) — 8 points. Pair of 5s: 2. Double run of 4-5-6: 6. Total: 16.
Tips for new players
- Say each combination out loud when counting: “Fifteen two, fifteen four, a pair is six…” It keeps the count honest.
- When it’s your crib, throw it cards that score together, like two 5s or a 7-8.
- When it’s your opponent’s crib, avoid giving them 5s or pairs.
- During pegging, avoid leaving the count at 5 or 21. A 10-value card gives your opponent 15 or 31.
FAQ
Do you need a cribbage board?
No, but it’s much faster. Scores change many times each hand, and pegs make mistakes easy to spot.
Who counts first?
The non-dealer, then the dealer’s hand, then the crib.
Can you score a run during pegging out of order?
Yes. A 4, then a 6, then a 5 is a run of three, worth 3 points, as long as no other card breaks the sequence.
How long does a game take?
Two experienced players finish a 121-point game in about 20–30 minutes.
