How to Play Cribbage
Peg your way to 121 — every combination counts.
Learn two-player Cribbage: the crib, pegging, Go and hand scoring. Work through a 12-point hand and race to 121 points.
Count this hand: 12 points
Hold 7♣, 8♦, 8♥ and 9♠; K♣ is the starter. Each eight pairs with the seven for 15. The eights make a pair, and each creates a separate 7–8–9 run. The king adds nothing.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Fifteens | 4 |
| Pairs | 2 |
| Runs | 6 |
| Total | 12 |
This scores the hand, not pegging. Count non-dealer, dealer, then crib; reaching 121 or more ends the game immediately.
Practise this game in your browser🎯 Objective
Be the first to reach 121 points or more on the cribbage board.
🃏 Cribbage Setup & Rules
- Use a standard 52-card deck. Aces are always low. Deal 6 cards each.
- Each player discards 2 cards to the "crib" (dealer's bonus hand) — non-dealer first.
- The non-dealer cuts the deck; flip top card as the "starter." Dealer pegs 2 pts if it's a Jack ("His Heels" — Nibs in the app).
▶ How to Play Cribbage
- PEGGING: Alternate playing one card; announce running total (never exceed 31). Score for 15s, 31s, pairs, triples, quads, and runs during play.
- If you cannot play without exceeding 31, say Go. The other player continues while able. The last card scores 1, or 2 for exactly 31, then the count resets.
- COUNTING: Non-dealer counts hand first (with starter), then dealer counts hand, then dealer counts crib.
- Score combinations: 15s = 2 pts, pairs = 2 pts, runs = 1 pt/card, flush = 4–5 pts, Nobs (J matching starter suit) = 1 pt.
🎬 Watch: How to Play Cribbage
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📖 Detailed Guide
Setting up the game
- Cribbage is heads-up in the app: you versus one opponent, racing pegs to 121 points on the board.
- The dealer taps Deal and six cards go to each player. The board and both players' peg tracks are shown on the table throughout.
- Scores peg IMMEDIATELY as they happen — the first peg to touch 121 wins on the spot, even mid-hand.
The crib and the starter
- Both players choose 2 of their 6 cards to throw into the "crib" — non-dealer first — a third hand that scores for the DEALER at the end of the hand.
- When you're dealer, feed the crib with pairs and cards that make 15s (especially 5s). When you're not, throw it your most useless, disconnected cards.
- The non-dealer then taps Cut Deck and the top card is flipped as the "starter" — it counts as a fifth card in every hand at counting time. A Jack starter pegs the dealer 2 immediately ("His Heels" — the app calls it Nibs).
The play (pegging)
- Starting with the non-dealer, players alternate laying one card face-up, announcing the running total, which may never exceed 31.
- Peg as you play: making the total exactly 15 = 2 points; a pair with the previous card = 2 (triple = 6, quad = 12); completing a run of 3+ in any order = 1 per card.
- If you cannot play without exceeding 31, say Go. The other player continues while able. The last card scores 1, or 2 for exactly 31, then the count resets.
- Playing the last card of the whole pegging phase scores 1 ("last card"), or 2 if it lands exactly on 31.
Counting hands
- Hands are counted in strict order: non-dealer first, then dealer's hand, then the crib — order matters in tight endgames near 121.
- Count every combination with the starter included: each 15 = 2, each pair = 2, runs = 1 per card, a 4-card flush = 4 (5 with the starter; the crib needs all 5), and the Jack matching the starter's suit = 1 ("His Nobs").
- With 7♣, 8♦, 8♥, 9♠ and a K♣ starter, count two fifteens (4), a pair (2) and two runs of three (6): 12 points.
- The app's round summary breaks down every hand's count, so you can check what you missed.
📊 Cribbage Scoring
All points pegged immediately. First to reach 121 wins — even mid-pegging during play.
❓ Cribbage — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do you need for Cribbage?
Cribbage is played with 2 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.
What is the crib in Cribbage?
Each player discards two of their six cards face down to form a third hand that belongs to the dealer. It is scored after the dealer's own hand, so you feed it when you deal and starve it when you do not.
What is His Heels and His Nobs in Cribbage?
His Heels is turning a Jack as the starter: the dealer pegs 2 at once. His Nobs is holding the Jack of the starter's suit in your hand or crib: 1 point at the show.
What is a Go in Cribbage?
During the play, when you cannot add a card without passing 31 you say Go, and your opponent plays on if they can. The last player to lay a card scores 1 for the Go, or 2 for hitting 31 exactly.
How does the muggins rule work in the app?
It is off: the app pegs every point for you, including the ones you might have missed, so the show always scores exactly what the cards are worth.
📱 Cribbage in the app
A step-by-step look at a real game on the table.
