How to play Cribbage

Cribbage is a card game for two, scored on a wooden board with pegs. You play against Frank, the computer. Every deal you score points twice: while the cards are played one at a time (the pegging), and when you count your hand at the end. Each point moves your peg one hole. The first player to reach 121 wins, often by just a hole or two.

The deal and the crib

The dealer gives each player 6 cards. The deal switches every hand.
Each player puts 2 cards face down into the crib, an extra hand that belongs to the dealer and is counted last.
Tap two cards, then tap To crib. Keep the four cards that score best together. When the crib is yours, good cards in it help you; when it is Frank's, give it cards that do not fit together.
The top card of the rest of the deck is turned over: the starter. It counts in both hands and in the crib. If it is a Jack, the dealer pegs 2 for "his heels".

Pegging

The player who did not deal plays first. You take turns playing one card each and keep a running total: the count. Aces are 1, face cards are 10.
The count may never go past 31. If you cannot play, you say Go and the other player keeps playing as long as they can.
You score for making the count exactly 15 (2) or 31 (2), for a pair with the card just played (2; three of a kind 6, four 12), and for a run of three or more cards in a row, in any order (1 per card).
When nobody can play, the last player to play scores 1 and the count starts again from zero. The last card of the hand also scores 1.

Counting the hands

After the pegging, the hands are counted with the starter card: first the player who did not deal, then the dealer, then the dealer's crib. Every combination of cards that adds up to 15 is 2 points, every pair is 2, every run of three or more is 1 per card, four cards of one suit in your hand are 4 (5 if the starter matches; the crib needs all 5), and the Jack of the starter's suit is 1 ("his nobs"). Players count out loud: "fifteen two, fifteen four, and a pair is six."

Tips

Fives are gold. With sixteen ten-cards in the deck, a 5 makes fifteen easily. Keep them, put them in your own crib, never in your opponent's.
Keep cards that touch. A 6, 7 and 8 make a run and two fifteens with almost any starter.
Lead low. A 4 or lower cannot be made into 15 with one card. Leading a 5 is a gift.
Watch the count. Leaving it at 5 or 21 invites a ten card for 15 or 31.
Mind the end. Near 121 the player who did not deal counts first, so a few pegging points can decide the game.

Today's deal

The Daily Deal is one hand with the same cards and the same computer player for everyone. Pick your crib cards, peg, count, and see how your points compare with everyone else's today. Your first try of the day is the one that counts.

Questions

Do I have to count my own hand? No. The table counts every hand for you, line by line, so you can see where each point comes from. Tap the question mark next to the count for the rules.

What is a skunk? Winning a game to 121 while the other player has not reached 91. It is just for bragging rights.

How strong is the computer? Easy plays like a beginner. Normal knows the basics. Sharp weighs every starter card, knows what a crib is usually worth, and thinks ahead in the pegging.

Can I play a shorter game? Yes, in Settings you can play to 61 instead of 121.

Do I need an account? No. Your game is saved in this browser, so you can close the page and come back.