Guide
How to Play Cribbage
Cribbage is a game of sharp discards and careful counting. Deal, send two cards to the crib, peg your way through the play, and count every hand against the starter card on the way to 121.
Play Cribbage OnlineThe objective
Race to 121 points first
Cribbage is played with one standard 52-card deck between two players — you and a computer opponent here. Points come from two places every hand: pegging during "the play" as cards are laid down, and counting during "the show" once the hand is done. First to 121 wins, and the game can end the instant that score is reached.
The twist that gives the game its name is the crib: every hand, both players discard two cards into a shared pile that is counted like a bonus hand for whoever is dealing. That single rule is what makes discarding the most important decision in cribbage.
The game is free, runs in the browser, and needs no account. Open the board when you want to play; use this guide for the rules, scoring, and the habits that win more games.
The deal
Six cards each, two go to the crib
Each hand, both players are dealt six cards from a shuffled deck. Both discard two face down into the crib, leaving four cards each to play and count. The dealer role — and with it, ownership of the crib — alternates every hand.
After discarding, the deck is cut and one card is turned face up as the starter. If it is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately — "his heels" — before a single card is played.
Controls
Tap to select, tap to play
Discarding and playing use the same simple interaction: select, then confirm.
Discarding
Tap to select, then confirm
Tap two cards in your hand to select them for the crib — tap again to deselect. Once exactly two are highlighted, tap "Send to crib" to confirm. Nothing is sent until you confirm.
The play
Tap to play
On your turn, playable cards are highlighted and the rest are dimmed. Tap a highlighted card to lay it down. If you have no legal play, the game announces "Go" for you automatically — there is nothing to click.
Desktop
Keyboard
Number keys 1–6 select or play the card in that position in your hand, Enter confirms a crib discard once two are selected, N starts a new game once one has ended, and M mutes the sound.
The loop
Four stages you repeat all game
Every hand runs through the same four stages, in the same order.
- 1
Deal and discard
Each hand, both players get six cards from a shuffled 52-card deck. Every player discards two cards face down into the crib — an extra hand that belongs to the dealer. That leaves four cards each for the rest of the hand.
- 2
Cut the starter
The deck is cut and one card is turned up as the starter. If it is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately — "his heels." The starter is used later when every hand and the crib are counted.
- 3
Play to 31 (the play)
Starting with the non-dealer, players alternate laying down one card at a time, calling the running total. Score points for reaching 15 or 31 exactly, for pairs, and for runs of three or more played in a row. If you cannot play without passing 31, you say "Go."
- 4
Count the show
Once every card is played, each hand is counted against the starter card — first the non-dealer, then the dealer, then the dealer's crib. Score fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes, and a Jack that matches the starter's suit ("his nobs"). First to 121 wins.
Rules & scoring
Every rule that decides a hand
The crib
Every hand, both players discard two cards into the crib. The crib is counted at the end of the hand like a fifth hand, but it belongs to the dealer — so a good discard depends on whether you are dealing.
His heels and his nobs
If the cut starter card is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points on the spot ("his heels"). If a player holds the Jack of the starter's own suit in their hand at the show, that scores 1 point ("his nobs") — it does not need to be played during the play.
Scoring during the play
While playing cards one at a time, score 2 for making the count exactly 15, 2 for exactly 31, 2 for a pair (6 for three of a kind, 12 for four), and the length of any run of three or more consecutive ranks played back to back, in any order.
Go and last card
If you cannot play a card without passing 31, you say "Go" and your opponent keeps playing if they can. Whoever plays the last card before both players are stuck scores 1 point — unless that card made exactly 31, which already scored 2.
Scoring the show
After the play, hands are counted against the starter card in order: non-dealer, dealer, then the crib. Score 2 points for every combination of cards summing to 15, 2 for every pair, the run length for every run of 3+, 4 or 5 for a flush, and 1 for his nobs.
Winning the game
The first player to reach 121 points wins immediately — the game can end mid-play or mid-count the instant the score is reached. Winning before your opponent reaches 91 is a "skunk," a bigger win worth bragging about.
Quick reference
Every way to score, at a glance
cribbageonline.app scores every hand automatically and exactly — this table is for understanding what you just saw happen on the board.
| Fifteen (any combination summing to 15) | 2 |
| Pair | 2 |
| Three of a kind (pair royale) | 6 |
| Four of a kind (double pair royale) | 12 |
| Run of 3, 4, or 5 | 3, 4, or 5 |
| Flush (4 cards in hand, same suit) | 4 |
| Flush (5 with the starter, or any crib flush) | 5 |
| His nobs (Jack matching the starter's suit) | 1 |
| His heels (starter cut is a Jack) | 2 to the dealer |
| Reaching exactly 31 during the play | 2 |
| Go / last card during the play | 1 |
Common mistakes
Why close games slip away
Loading your opponent's crib
When you are not the dealer, discarding a pair or two cards that sum to 15 hands your opponent free points in their crib. Break up obvious combinations when the crib is not yours.
Forgetting the crib is yours when you deal
On your own deal, keep cards that play well together — pairs, 5s with 10-value cards, and close-in-rank cards — since anything you send to your own crib still counts for you.
Leading a 5 during the play
Any 10-value card played on top of a 5 makes 15 for your opponent. A 5 is one of the worst opening leads in the play unless you have no better option.
Chasing points into a trap
Playing a card just to pair your opponent's can back you into a pair royale — your opponent plays the third matching card for 6 points instead of you scoring 2. Read the board before you chase a small score.
- When it is your crib, keep cards that combine well — pairs, cards that sum to 15, and cards close in rank. They score for you twice: once in hand, once in the crib.
- When it is your opponent's crib, discard cards that do not combine — break up pairs and 15-combinations rather than feeding them a strong crib.
- A 5 is the single most dangerous discard into an opponent's crib — it pairs with every 10-value card for an instant fifteen.
- During the play, avoid leaving the count at 5 or 21 when you can help it; either lets your opponent make 15 or 31 with a single ten-value card.
- Holding a low card such as a 4 back for the end of the play often lets you land the last card for a safe 1-point "Go."
- Count your hand out loud before submitting a discard — the fifteens and runs you would keep are easy to misjudge quickly.
- A won hand that also pushes your opponent's score to the far end of the board is not always best — sometimes the safer discard denies them a bigger crib.
Where you can play
Same game on phone and desktop
cribbageonline.app runs in any modern browser with no app to install. Progress stays on the device you played on.
Desktop browsers
Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari all run the game with no plugin. Select discards and plays with the mouse, or use the number-key shortcuts for a faster hand.
Phones and tablets
The layout is touch-first. Tap cards to select or play them — your hand, the crib, the pegging track, and the running count all fit on one screen in portrait, and a new hand deals instantly.
Progress on this device
Games played, games won, best winning score, skunks, and your win streak live in local browser storage. They stay until you reset them or clear site data, and they do not sync between devices.
Still stuck on a rule? Read the cribbage FAQ or jump in and play.
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