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Cribbage Scoring
Cribbage is known for its unique scoring system. Players count their hands and peg points on the cribbage board by saying "fifteen-two," "fifteen-four," "pair for six," and a run of three is nine, so on. The goal is to reach 121 points before your opponent.
Both players are dealt 6 cards and discard two cards face down into the "crib". The crib is an extra hand for the dealer, and the deal alternates after each round.
Cribbage scoring is the result of all point combinations using all five cards in your hand (4 cards in your hand and the community card). Cribbage scores occur during both pegging and when counting hands.
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Pegging Round Scoring
After the deal the pegging round begins with the player opposite the dealer (pone) playing a card face up. The player says (out loud) the card's numeric value. Face cards (jack, queen king) count as 10 and Aces count as 1. So if a player lays down a King the say "ten". Play alternates with the dealer playing a card next and announcing the numeric value of the combined cards. So if the pone plays a King and the dealer plays a 7, the dealer says "seventeen". This process continues until the total of all the combined cards is 31 or less.
During the pegging round, a player get two points for getting a combined card total of 15 and/or 31. If a player cannot play a card that is 31 or less the say "Go". The next player can play a card, or if they cannot play one that's 31 or less, they announces "Go" and the first player takes one pegging point. When a player gets 31 or both players "Go" teh combined total of cards played resets back to zero. This process continues until both players are out of cards. The last player to play a card gets "last card" worth 1 pegging point. Note: When play resets back to zero the player that did not get the "Go" plays first.
During the pegging round scores are awarded for getting combined card totals of 15 and 31, and for pairs, trips, 4 of a kind, and runs of three or more. Points for 15's, 31's and pairs are worth 2 points. Runs of three or more are worth one point per card. Trips get 6 points and 4 of a kind gets 12 points. "GO's" and last card played get 1 pegging point.
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Is a combined total of fifteen (15) - 2 points
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Is a combined total of 31 - 2 points
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Equals a pair - 2 points
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Equals three of a kind - 6 points
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Equals four of a kind - 12 points
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Equals a run of three - 3 Points
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Equals a run of four - 4 points
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Equals a run of five - 5 points
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Is the last card played (that's less than 31) - 1 point
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The final card played in the pegging round - 1 point (if a player's last card equals 15 or 31 the player gets 2 points
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A player scores pegging points for any of the above combinations. For example, if a card equals 31 and is also a pair they get 4 points (2 for the pair and two for 31).
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More about pegging points from runs of three or more.
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Scoring Cribbage Hands
Cribbage pegging points in the hand are calculated using the combinations of the four cards in your hand and the cut card. Both players count points in their hands after the pegging round. The pone counts their hand first. Points are scored for all combinations of 15's, pairs, trips, 4 of a kind, runs of three or more, and flushes (see rules for a flush in cribbage).
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FIFTEENs (2 points for each combination of 15)
Example: If a players cards are 9, 9, 6, 2, 5, they get two points for each set of 15's (9+6 , 9+6 = 4 points). In this example, the player also gets two points for the pair for a total of 6 points.
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PAIRs (2 points for each possible combination of pairs)
Pair = 2 points
Three of a kind = 6 points (three combinations of pairs x 2 points each = 6 points)
Four of a kind = 12 points (six combinations of pairs x 2 points each = 12 points)
RUNs of 3 (1 point per card)
One point is awarded for each card in a run of three or more.
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Run of 3 = 3 points
Run of 4 = 4 points
Run of 5 = 5 points
Run of 6 = 6 points
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DOUBLE RUNs (1 point per card in each run of three + 2 points for a pair)
A pair that's anywhere in a run of three or more is a double run. The pair (2 points) makes two runs of three (6 points) for a total of 8 points.
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Double Run Examples:
2, 2, 3, 4 = 8 Points
5, 5, 6, 7 = 8 Points
10, J, J, Q = 8 Points
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DOUBLE RUNs OF FOUR (1 point per card in each run of four + two points for the pair)
Same as above but with two runs of 4 cards (instead of three). 4 x 2 = 8 points plus a pair (2 points) for a total of 10 points (not including 15's).
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Double Run of Four Examples:
2, 2, 3, 4, 5
4, 5, 5, 6, 7
10, J, Q, K, K
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TRIPLE RUNs (1 point per card x 3 = 9 points + three combinations of pairs = 6 points)
Triple run occurs when there is three of a kind in a run of three. One point is awarded for each of the three runs of three (3 x 3 = 9 points), and two points for each of the three pairs (6 points) for a total of 15 points (not including 15's).
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Triple Run Examples:
2, 2, 2, 3, 4
7, 8, 8, 8, 9
J, Q, K, K, K
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DOUBLE DOUBLE RUNs (1 point per card x 4 (12 points) plus two pair (4 points): 16 points
A double double run is a run of four cards with two pairs within the run. There are four combinations of runs of three (4x3 = 12 points) and two sets of pairs (2x2 = 4 points) for a total of 16 points (not including 152).
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Double Double Run Example:s
2, 2, 3, 4, 4
5, 6, 6, 7, 7
J, Q, Q, K, K
Knobs and Knibs
Knobs and Knibs are subtleties in cribbage that are easy to overlook. Both knobs and nibs involve a Jack. They both are ways to score points with Jacks.
Knibs occurs when the dealer flips a Jack. Anytime this happens it is called knibs and the dealer gets two points.
Knobs occurs when a player has a Jack in their hand that is the same suit as the cut card. It scores 1 point and is counted when counting points in the hand.
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More information see what is knobs and knibs in cribbage?.
Other ways to get points in cribbage (optional)
MISDEAL: 2 points
If a cribbage dealer misdeals the pone gets 2 points automatically. Misdeals are identified as follows:
1. A card flips face up when dealing
2. Cards are dealt out of order (note: dealers must deal to their opponent first and then alternate back and forth until all 6 cards are dealt).
3. Too few or too many cards are dealt.
4. The dealer deals before the pone (opponent) cuts the deck.
MUGGINS (Stealing Points)
In competitive cribbage, or muggins cribbage, players can "steal" points from their opponent if they overlook them when counting their hand or during pegging. Playing muggins cribbage should be determined before the start of the game.
Scoring Cribbage Hand Points (Examples)
0 points
OUCH! Nada, nothing, zilch, zero.
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* About 8% of hands dealt in cribbage.
2 point hand
Fifteen x 2 = 2 points
Total = 2 Points
* Fifteen two and the rest don't do...
4 point hand
Two pair = 4 points
Total = 4 points
* Fifteen 2, fifteen 4 and there is no more...
6 point hand
Fifteen x 2 = 4 points
Pair x 1 = 2 points
Total = 6 points
*Fifteen 2, fifteen 4, pair is 6, and we're in the mix...
8 point hand
Run of three x 2 = 6 points
Pair = 2 points
Total = 8 points
*Double run for 8 is great...
9 point hand
Fifteen x 2 = 4 points
Run x 1 = 3 points
Pair x 1 = 2 points
Total = 9 points
12 point hand
Fifteen x 2 = 4 points
Run of three x 2 = 6 points
Pair = 2 points
Total = 12 points
14 point hand
Fifteen x 3 = 6 points
Run of three x 2 = 6 points
Pair = 2 pints
Total = 14 points
16 point hand
Fifteen x 4 = 8 points
Run of three x 4 = 12 points
Pair x 2 = 4 pints
Total = 24 points
Best Hand in Cribbage - 29 points
The best hand possible in cribbage is 29 points. This is called a "perfect hand" or "29 hand" and is as follows: iJack, 5, 5, 5 (in the hand) and 5 as the cut card. To get the perfect hand, the Jack must be nobs - the same suite as the cut card. A 29 hand is rare with odds of 1 in 216,580.
The odds of getting the best hand in cribbage, a 29 point hand, is 1 in 216, 580.
Cribbage Scoring Practice Hands
Hover over or click the image to see the points scored
POINTS ?
15 x 2 = 4 points
Pair = 2 points
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6 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 2 = 4 points
Run of 4 = 6 points
8 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 2 = 4 points
Pair x 1 = 2 Points
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6 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 2 = 4 points
Pair x 1 = 2 Points
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6 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 3 = 6 points
Pair x 3 = 6 points
12 POINTS
POINTS ?
0 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 2 = 4 points
Pair x 1 = 2 Points
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6 POINTS
POINTS ?
15 x 4 = 8 points
all cards same suite = 5 Points
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13 POINTS