TallynightHow to keep score in Cribbage
Cribbage is a race to 121 points, pegged on a board as you go. You score during the play of the cards, then count your hand, and the dealer counts the crib: fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and nobs. The first player to reach 121 wins at once, even in the middle of a hand.
- Players
- 2, or 3, or 4 in two teams
- Who wins
- First to 121
- Each deal
- The play, then the hands and the crib
- Skunk
- The loser hasn't reached 91
Counting a hand
After the play, each player counts their four cards together with the starter, the card cut from the deck. The non-dealer counts first, then the dealer counts their hand, then the crib.
| What you have | Points |
|---|---|
| Each combination of cards adding up to 15 | 2 |
| A pair | 2 |
| Three of a kind (a pair royal) | 6 |
| Four of a kind | 12 |
| A run of 3, 4 or 5 cards in a row | 1 a card |
| Flush: all four cards in your hand one suit | 4, or 5 if the starter matches |
| Flush in the crib: all five cards one suit | 5 |
| His nobs: the jack of the starter's suit | 1 |
Picture cards count 10 and aces 1 when you make fifteens. Runs can be any suits, and the same card can count in a fifteen, a pair and a run at once.
Scoring during the play
Players take turns laying cards and calling the running count, up to 31. You peg these as they happen:
- Fifteen: bring the count to exactly 15 for 2
- Thirty-one: bring the count to exactly 31 for 2
- Go, or last card: if nobody can play without passing 31, the last player to lay a card pegs 1
- Pairs: match the last card played for 2. Three of a kind in a row is 6, four is 12
- Runs: the last three or more cards played form a run, in any order: 1 a card
- His heels: if the starter is a jack, the dealer pegs 2 straight away
Winning, the skunk and the double skunk
The first player to reach 121 wins straight away, even in the middle of the play or the count. That's why the non-dealer counts first: near the end, it can decide the game.
If the loser hasn't reached 91, they've been skunked, and the win usually counts as two games. Under 61 is a double skunk, often counted as three. For a short game, play to 61.
Things people often get wrong
- A run of four is 4 points, not two runs of three. A double run, like 4 5 5 6, is two runs of three plus a pair: 8.
- A four-card flush counts in your hand but not in the crib. The crib needs all five cards, starter included, in one suit.
- Count in the same order every time: fifteens, then pairs, then runs, then flush and nobs.
- Some scores can't happen. No hand makes 19, 25, 26 or 27, so a hand worth nothing is jokingly called a nineteen. The highest hand is 29.
- Muggins, a variant: if a player misses points in their count, the opponent can call muggins and take them.
Counting a hand: an example
Your hand is a 4, a 5 and two 6s, one heart and one spade. The starter is a 9. There's no flush and no jack, so no nobs.
| What scores | Cards | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen | 4 + 5 + 6 of hearts | 2 |
| Fifteen | 4 + 5 + 6 of spades | 2 |
| Fifteen | 6 of hearts + 9 | 2 |
| Fifteen | 6 of spades + 9 | 2 |
| Run of three | 4, 5, 6 of hearts | 3 |
| Run of three | 4, 5, 6 of spades | 3 |
| Pair | The two 6s | 2 |
| Hand | 16 |
Said aloud: fifteen 2, fifteen 4, fifteen 6, fifteen 8, two runs of three make 14, and the pair makes 16.
Keep score for Cribbage in Tallynight
Cribbage isn't one of Tallynight's built-in games yet, but Tallynight can be your board. Choose Something else, then Running score, with the highest score winning, and pick 1 · 2 · 5 points per tap. Leave the target off and tap End game when someone reaches 121.
Add it to your favourites and it's ready next time.
- Peg as you play: a big tile each, with the top row turned to face your opponent
- Tap a total to type a whole hand's count in one go
- Undo, and a scoring log to fix any score
- A race chart that replays the game at the end
A Cribbage score sheet to print
Playing on paper tonight? Print a free Cribbage score sheet, or save it as a PDF.
Questions
What is a skunk in Cribbage?
Winning before your opponent reaches 91. It usually counts as two games. Winning before they reach 61 is a double skunk.
What is the highest hand in Cribbage?
29: three 5s and a jack in your hand, with the fourth 5 as the starter, in the same suit as the jack.
How many points is a flush in Cribbage?
4 for four cards of one suit in your hand, or 5 if the starter matches. The crib only scores a flush when all five cards match, for 5.
What are his nobs and his heels in Cribbage?
His nobs is 1 point for holding the jack of the starter's suit. His heels is 2 points to the dealer when the starter itself is a jack.
How do you score Cribbage without a board?
Write down each deal's pegging, hand and crib points and keep a running total. The first to 121 still wins the moment they reach it.
Can you score 19 in Cribbage?
No. No hand adds up to 19, which is why players call a hand worth nothing a nineteen. 25, 26 and 27 are impossible too.