Cribbage is a classic card game enjoyed by millions worldwide, known for its unique blend of luck and skill. If you’re looking to dive into the world of Online Free Cribbage, understanding the rules is your first step to mastering this engaging game. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know about playing Cribbage, from the initial deal to counting your score, ensuring you’re well-prepared to play and win. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your knowledge, get ready to explore the intricacies of Cribbage and discover why it’s a favorite pastime for card game enthusiasts.
Cribbage Objective: Race to 121 Points
The core objective in Cribbage is straightforward: be the first player to accumulate 121 points. This is achieved through strategic card play and clever hand combinations across three distinct phases within each round: The Deal, The Play, and The Show. Cribbage is traditionally played between two players, and these rules are tailored for this classic format. While variations exist, this guide focuses on the most widely accepted ruleset for online play. For those interested in deeper dives into rule variations and advanced strategies, resources like www.pagat.com and Cribbage Corner offer extensive information and community insights.
The Deal: Setting the Stage for Cribbage
Each game begins with determining the dealer. To start, both players draw a single card from the deck. The player drawing the lower-ranked card becomes the dealer for the first round. In case of a tie, players redraw until a dealer is established. In subsequent rounds, the deal alternates between players, ensuring fairness.
Once the dealer is determined, they deal six cards to each player, face down. This is where strategy begins even before the game truly starts. Each player must then strategically discard two cards from their hand, placing them face down to form the “crib.” This crib is a separate hand that belongs to the dealer and will be scored by them at the end of the round, adding a crucial layer of tactical decision-making to the discard process.
After discarding to the crib, both players will have four cards remaining in their hands, and the crib will contain four cards. The remaining deck is then cut by the non-dealer (known as the “pone”). The top card of the cut deck is revealed and becomes the “starter card” or “the cut.” If this starter card is a Jack, the dealer immediately scores 2 points – a bonus called “Two for his heels.” With the starter card revealed, the game moves into the next exciting phase: The Play.
The Play: Card Combinations and Strategic Counting
The Play phase is where players strategically use their hands to score points by creating card combinations and reaching point totals. The pone (non-dealer) initiates the play by placing one card face-up on the table and announcing its numerical value. Face cards (King, Queen, Jack) count as 10, Aces count as 1, and numbered cards are worth their face value. The dealer then plays a card, adding its value to the running total and announcing the new cumulative value.
This process continues, with players alternating turns to play cards, always announcing the running total. The goal is to play cards that create scoring combinations without causing the cumulative total to exceed 31. If a player cannot play a card without pushing the total over 31, they announce “Go.” The other player then has the opportunity to continue playing cards, adding to the count, until they also cannot play without exceeding 31.
The player who plays the last card before or exactly reaching 31 scores points. If the total is under 31, they score 1 point (“one for last” or “one for the go”). If they reach exactly 31, they score 2 points (“31 for two”). After a “Go” situation and scoring, the count resets to zero, and play continues with the remaining cards, starting with the player who did not play the last card in the previous sequence. The starter card is not used during The Play phase.
During The Play, scoring opportunities arise from creating specific card combinations as you lay down cards. Points are awarded instantly as combinations are made.
Scoring During The Play: Rack Up Points
- Fifteen: When a card played makes the running total exactly 15, the player scores 2 points.
- Pair: Playing a card of the same rank as the immediately preceding card scores 2 points for a pair.
- Pair Royal (Three of a Kind): Playing a third card of the same rank in sequence scores 6 points.
- Double Pair Royal (Four of a Kind): Completing four cards of the same rank in sequence scores a significant 12 points.
- Run (Sequence): Playing a card that forms a numerical sequence of three or more cards scores 1 point per card in the sequence. Suits are irrelevant for runs, and the cards do not need to be played in numerical order but must form a consecutive sequence (e.g., 4, 5, 6). For example, if the cards played are 4, 6, 5, you create a run of three.
- Last Card (Go): Playing the last card when neither player can continue without exceeding 31 scores 1 point if the total is less than 31, or 2 points if the total is exactly 31.
It’s crucial to note that face cards, while valued at 10 for counting, only form pairs, pair royals, or double pair royals with cards of the exact same rank (e.g., Queen and Queen is a pair, but Queen and King is not). Aces are always low in sequences; you cannot create a sequence wrapping around from King to Ace.
Multiple scoring combinations can occur from a single card play. For example, playing a 7 when the current cards are Ace and 7 creates a pair (7-7) and a fifteen (1+7+7), totaling 4 points. Players announce their score immediately after making combinations, for example, “Fifteen and a pair for four.” The Play phase continues until all cards are played, and scores are updated instantly on the Cribbage board. Reaching 121 points at any point during The Play immediately concludes the game.
The Show: Hand and Crib Scoring
Once The Play concludes, players retrieve their cards, and it’s time for The Show – the final scoring phase. This is where players count the points in their hands and the dealer counts the crib. Scoring always follows this order: pone’s hand, dealer’s hand, and finally, the dealer’s crib. Just as in The Play, if a player reaches 121 points during their count, the game ends immediately, even before the dealer scores their crib. This rule emphasizes the importance of the pone’s initial scoring advantage.
The Show Scoring: Maximize Your Hand and Crib
Scoring in The Show utilizes the starter card in combination with each player’s hand and the dealer’s crib. Each hand consists of the four cards held by the player plus the starter card. The crib consists of the four discarded cards plus the starter card.
- One for his Nob (or Nib): If a player holds the Jack of the same suit as the starter card, they score 1 point.
- Fifteen: Any combination of cards within a hand (or crib) that sums to 15 scores 2 points. Cards can be reused within different combinations. For example, Queen, Jack, 5, 5 with a starter card of 5 would yield multiple 15s.
- Pair: Any pair of cards of the same rank scores 2 points.
- Pair Royal (Three of a Kind): Three cards of the same rank score 6 points.
- Double Pair Royal (Four of a Kind): Four cards of the same rank score 12 points.
- Run (Sequence): A sequence of three or more cards in rank scores 1 point per card in the sequence. Suits are irrelevant, and order doesn’t matter (e.g., 4, 5, 6 in any suit combination).
- Flush (4 cards): If all four cards in a player’s hand are of the same suit, they score 4 points. This flush only counts for the hand itself, not for the crib, and the starter card cannot be used to complete a 4-card flush in hand.
- Flush (5 cards): If all five cards (hand plus starter card) are of the same suit, 5 points are scored. A 5-card flush can also be scored for the crib if all crib cards and the starter card are of the same suit.
Skunks and Double Skunks: Dominating Your Opponent
In Cribbage, winning by a significant margin is recognized with “skunk” and “double skunk” statuses. A skunk occurs when the winner reaches 121 points while the loser scores less than 91 points. A double skunk is an even more decisive victory, happening when the winner reaches 121 points, and the loser has less than 61 points. Traditionally, skunks and double skunks can count as multiple game wins in a match, increasing the stakes and bragging rights. While online free cribbage platforms might not track games in this manner, achieving a skunk or double skunk is a mark of skillful play.
Cribbage Variations: Keeping it Fresh
Like many classic games, Cribbage has regional and house rule variations. While this guide covers standard rules for online free cribbage, some common variations include the “stinkhole” rule, where the second to last peg hole on the cribbage board has special scoring implications. However, most online platforms and standard play stick to the rules outlined here for consistency and ease of play. If you encounter variations online, platform-specific rules will usually be clearly stated.
Enjoy playing online free cribbage and mastering this timeless card game! Whether you’re playing for fun or competition, understanding these rules is your foundation for enjoying countless games of Cribbage.
