How to Play Cribbage: The Essential Guide 

When you look at many of the most popular table games out there, they often require more than two players if you want to maximize your gaming experience. But if you don’t want to play with lots of other people, cribbage will be a breath of fresh air for you. This intriguing card game is designed to be played between two people by and large. 

Understanding the rules of cribbage, however, can be quite difficult in the beginning. The game runs on a points-based system, which often takes a bit of time to get used to. For that reason, it’s essential that you educate yourself on the different things you can do before playing. 

If you’re looking to understand how to play cribbage more effectively, you’ve come to the right place. In this complete beginner’s guide, you will discover everything you need to know to get the best possible start. 

What Is Cribbage? 

Cribbage is a card game that’s said to date back to around the 17th century. It was allegedly created by Sir John Suckling, who was an English poet at the beginning of the century. The game is designed to typically be played between two players, and you will see it played in the US as well as the UK. 

Cribbage is also known as crib, and it’s closely related to Noddy – which it was originally based upon. Generally speaking, the game is quite short and normally doesn’t last longer than half an hour. But of course, this will differ if you are playing with more people. 

Cribbage has been featured in popular culture throughout its existence. For example, the famed British writer Charles Dickens mentions the game in The Old Curiosity Shop book. In addition to Noddy, the game is quite similar to Costly Colours – another game you may encounter when in England. 

Cribbage Rules

The basic rules of cribbage should not take you a huge amount of time to learn. You will need to aim for a specific points score, which makes it quite similar to blackjack in that respect (though no dice are involved in cribbage). The exact score you will have to aim for differs, but it will normally be either 61 or 121. More often than not, you’ll aim to reach 121 rather than the other option. 

Cribbage is played with a French deck of 52 cards. To begin with, you will split the deck into two different packets – also known as cutting. The number of packets you use will vary depending on how many players are involved, so it’ll naturally go up if more people choose to play. If your cut is the lowest, you will need to deal the cards. This isn’t a huge disadvantage, so you shouldn’t worry too much about it. 

If you’re the dealer, you will then need to deal 5-6 cards to the other people who are playing. You will deal multiple times throughout the game, and this covers three different sections: 

• Deal: You hand the cards to the player. 
• Play: You announce the total number of the cards that you’ve received. 
• Show: Each hand is counted. 

Once you reach 61 or 121 (depending on your game), you automatically win. It is worth noting that you can sometimes get versions of cribbage with even higher point totals to reach, but they’re less common than the two mentioned here. For those, the rules are still the same – only that the game will normally take longer. 

How Do You Get Points in Cribbage?

The most confusing thing about cribbage for beginners can be the points system. Generally speaking, the number of points that you get will depend largely on the hand that you have. When seeking to understand cribbage scoring rules, you should also keep in mind that scoring is normally known as “pegging”. 

When playing cribbage, you will play on a board and have access to two pegs. These will show you how many points you’ve scored during the game, and your job is to go twice around the board if you’re playing for 121. 

What Are the Different Scores in Cribbage?

One thing worth noting is that different card scores can get you a leg up in cribbage. Here are some that you should pay particular attention to. 

• Run of Three: You will move three spaces in front. This occurs when you’ve got 5, 6, and 7.
• Run of Four: Move four pegs ahead. You can get this when you get between seven and 10.
• Run of Five: Move five pegs in front. This occurs when you get cards 5-9. 
• Double Pair Royal: When you get two pairs in a row, you move 12 spaces ahead. 
• Triplets: When you get three of the same cards in a row, move six spaces forward.
• Fifteen: If your hand totals 15, you can move two spaces forward. 

Cribbage Rules for 2 Players 

Generally speaking, cribbage is played between two people. For this reason, the rules are identical to what we have already discussed. It’s the easiest way to deal between the two people, and there is not a huge number of things that you need to keep in mind when playing in this respect. 

Where to Play Free Cribbage Classic

If you live in an English-speaking country, you should have no problems playing cribbage offline. However, you will need the necessary equipment to play your game properly. But if you play online instead, you can still find a number of places to enjoy the free version of Cribbage Classic. 

See also: How to play poker

Many game websites let you play cribbage for free, and the games normally last for varying amounts of time. Your chances of winning are random, but you should also keep in mind that cribbage in these scenarios will mean that you are not playing for money. With that in mind, they’re ideal if you don’t want to get too competitive. But at the same time, they’re also helpful if you would prefer to play without needing to deposit money for practice purposes. 

Winning Cribbage: How Do You Win at Game? 

The only way to win at cribbage is by ensuring that your cards total 121 if that’s the total that you’re aiming for. Other than that, your rules will only differ if you pick a different total that you need to reach before turning out victorious. 

Is Easy to Learn?

Cribbage can seem quite intimidating if you’ve never played the game before, and the points system can trip a lot of people up in the early stages. But at the same time, it’s a pretty straightforward game with a logical system. For those reasons, it shouldn’t take you too long before you start getting to grips with how it works. 

If you’re playing for the first time, just make sure that you know exactly what the target point score is. On top of that, you will need to ensure that you understand the different point-scoring systems. But once you’ve got those two things sorted, you should have no problems whatsoever in learning how to effectively play cribbage. 

Where to Play Cribbage Online 

If you’re looking for casinos to play cribbage online, we have to admit that it isn’t as widespread as other table games like poker. You’re going to find it quite difficult to discover a version of it that is available for money, so you might want to think about alternative options. For example, if you’re looking for something that has a point-scoring system, blackjack could be one alternative. The game is also even easier to learn than cribbage. 

You could also try different kinds of poker if you want something else. There are lots of different card games available to play online, many of which do not require a live dealer. So, we recommend that you look through these and try to find whichever option suits you best. 

Can You Play it at Casinos? 

Cribbage isn’t traditionally a casino game; instead, it’s something that’s normally played between friends and other groups for entertainment purposes. Generally speaking, you are highly unlikely to find a casino in most places that offers cribbage as one of its core games. 

Instead, you’re better off thinking about the different possibilities for playing other card games at casinos. We would recommend trying blackjack and craps if you’re on the lookout for two games that are somewhat similar, though you will, of course, need to also learn the rules for each of these. 

See also: How to play baccarat

How to Play Cribbage for Three Players 

While cribbage is normally played between two people, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the game with more individuals. If you’re playing cribbage between three players, you will largely need to change the dealing process. 

The main change you’ll need if you play cribbage for three players instead of two is to simply deal fewer cards. When you’re playing with two people, you will typically deal six cards each. But if you’re playing with three people instead, you should deal five cards instead. Other than that, you can keep all of the same rules. 

How to Play Cribbage for Four Players 

Cribbage is typically not designed for lots of people to play, and you should have four people at most in your sessions. Generally speaking, the rules will be almost identical to if you wanted to play cribbage between three people. You should deal five cards each time you give these to a player, and the rest of the rules can stay the same. 

If you’re going to play with more players, you might want to think about choosing a higher score total. That way, you will keep the game fun while also ensuring that it lasts for a decent period of time. With this in mind, it’s worth looking at some of the game types that go beyond 121 – as this is pretty much the perfect scenario to use those. 

Essentials for Playing

Before you begin playing cribbage, you should think about the essentials. You will need a few bits and pieces to play the game fully, but they shouldn’t take too long to acquire. 

The first thing you will need to acquire is knowledge of how to play. You’ve already done that by visiting this page and reading through to the end, so congratulations! You can always keep this guide handy in case you ever need to resort to it again at some point in the future. 

When you begin playing cribbage, you will also need to ensure that you have the right equipment to play. Getting a cribbage set is a good idea, and you can find plenty of these online. Some of the more fancy options are quite expensive, but you can also buy many of them for little money. Once you’ve got that, you can just keep the cribbage set in your living room. 

It’s worth noting that some cribbage sets only come with the board. So, in those cases, you will also need to purchase the deck of cards. You can do that online, and it should not take you a huge amount of time. However, you can also buy French deck cards in many big stores if you don’t want to wait for delivery. 

Tips for Increasing Your Chances of Winning at Cribbage 

Cribbage is, by and large, a luck-based game. For this reason, there isn’t a huge number of things you can do to enhance your chances of winning. The most important thing is to ensure that you understand the rules. 

You can also try playing different scorecards for cribbage. In some instances, you might find that higher or lower scores are better suited to your needs and that you excel at them more. 

The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Cribbage

As you can see from this guide, cribbage is a lot easier to learn than you may have initially thought. You can easily play the game between two people, and it’s also possible to have fun if you’re playing with 3-4 as well. Any more than that, though, and the game can become quite difficult to keep on track with.

All you really need to understand with cribbage is the point-scoring system. And in most cases, that should not take you a huge amount of time to learn. Once you’ve gripped the basics, you will be able to focus on winning. 

While cribbage is largely based on luck, you can increase your chances of winning by enhancing your knowledge. Now that you’ve done that, why not try out the different types of cribbage for yourself?

See also: How to Play 3 Card Poker