Learn Cribbage: Tutorial

Each player selects 2 cards to discard face-down into the crib. The crib is an extra hand scored by the dealer at the end of the round.

If you are the dealer, you want to put good cards in the crib (it helps you!). If you are the non-dealer (called "pone"), you want to discard cards that are unlikely to score well.

Tips for discarding:

- Avoid giving the dealer's crib 5s or pairs

- Keep cards that form fifteens (combinations summing to 15)

- Keep connected cards for potential runs (e.g., 5-6-7)

- Keep pairs for easy points

Both players discard simultaneously.

After both players discard, a card is cut from the deck and placed face-up. This is the cut card (also called the "starter").

The cut card is shared by all hands during counting -- both players and the crib use it as a 5th card.

Heels: If the cut card is a Jack, the dealer immediately scores 2 points ("his heels").

In this example, the cut card is the 8 of Diamonds. Both players will use this card when counting their hands later.

After the cut, the pegging phase begins!

In the pegging phase, players take turns playing one card at a time face-up, keeping a running total. The non-dealer (pone) plays first.

Card values for pegging: A=1, 2-10=face value, J/Q/K=10.

The running total cannot exceed 31. If you cannot play without going over 31, you must say "Go".

Scoring during pegging:

- Reaching exactly 15: 2 points

- Reaching exactly 31: 2 points

- Pair (same rank as last card): 2 points

- Three of a kind: 6 points

- Run (consecutive ranks, any order): points = length of run

- Last card before a reset or "Go": 1 point

Let's see pegging in action! The pone (Player 2) played the 9 of Clubs (total: 9). Then the dealer (Player 1) played the 6 of Clubs (total: 15) and scored 2 points for hitting fifteen!

Now Player 2 plays again. The running total is 15. If Player 2 plays the 8 of Spades (total becomes 23), they don't score. But if they play the 4 of Hearts (total becomes 19), no points either.

When neither player can play without exceeding 31, the last player to play scores 1 point for "Go." The total resets to 0 and play continues with remaining cards.

After all cards are played, we move to counting!

After pegging, each player counts their 4-card hand plus the cut card (5 cards total). The pone counts first, then the dealer, then the crib.

Scoring combinations:

- Fifteens: Any combination summing to 15 = 2 points each

- Pairs: Two cards of same rank = 2 points (three of a kind = 6, four = 12)

- Runs: 3+ consecutive ranks = points equal to length (with multipliers for duplicates)

- Flush: 4 cards same suit in hand = 4 points (5 with cut = 5 points)

- Nobs: Jack in hand matching cut card's suit = 1 point

Example: Hand of 5-5-6-7 with cut 8 has: two fifteens (5+10, 5+10 via 6+7+... wait, let's calculate: 5+6+7=18... The scoring can get intricate!

After both players count their hands, the dealer counts the crib. The crib is scored the same way as a hand, with one important difference:

- A flush in the crib requires all 5 cards (4 crib cards + cut card) to be the same suit. A 4-card flush does not count in the crib.

The crib can be a significant source of points for the dealer, which is why being dealer alternates each hand. This ensures fairness.

After counting the crib, the dealer rotates to the other player, cards are re-dealt, and a new hand begins!

Some scoring combinations in Cribbage are especially valuable:

The perfect 29: The highest possible hand -- three 5s + J of the same suit as the cut 5. This scores: 8 fifteens (16) + 6 pairs (12) + nobs (1) = 29 points. Extremely rare!

Double-double run: Four cards like 7-7-8-8 with a 9 cut = 24 points (4 runs of 3 = 12, plus fifteens and pairs).

Common strong hands:

- Pairs of 5s with face cards: lots of fifteens

- Connected cards (4-5-6-7): runs + fifteens

- Flush hands: guaranteed 4-5 extra points

Aiming for these combinations during the discard phase is key to high scores!

The game ends as soon as any player reaches 121 points. This can happen during any scoring opportunity -- pegging, hand counting, or crib counting. The order matters!

The pone counts first, so if both players would reach 121 in the same hand, the pone wins. This is called counting out.

A skunk occurs when the loser fails to reach 91 points -- traditionally worth double!

Here Player 1 has reached 121 points and won the game.

Strategy tips:

- As pone, count first -- you might win before the dealer counts the crib

- Keep 5s and face cards together for fifteens

- Connected cards (5-6-7-8) form runs and fifteens

- Manage your crib discards carefully based on whether you are the dealer

Good luck!