Free
- A complete game to 121 against the computer, as often as you like
- A complete game to 121 with a friend at a private table
- Every hand counted for you, in words, with each combination lit up
- Your solo game saved on this device
Classic card games
Cribbage online
Six cards, a crib and a race to 121 on a wooden pegboard. Count fifteens, peg your way home and watch the board fill.
In short: cribbage is a two-player card game where you race to 121 points on a pegboard. Each hand you keep four of six cards, give two to the dealer’s crib, score while laying cards toward a count of 31, then count your hand for fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and his nobs. Here you can play a complete game free against the computer or invite a friend to a private online table.
- 2 playersYou and the computer, or a friend online
- About 20–30 minutesA game to 121, as an estimate
- Any devicePhone, tablet or computer; touch, mouse or keyboard
- FreeA complete game to 121, no sign-up
What’s free, and what At Yours Plus adds
At Yours Plus
- Best-of-three and best-of-five matches, where a skunk counts as two games and a double skunk as three
- Count it yourself, with muggins, for experienced players
- A private game-night series at your table
- US$4.99/month or US$29/year. At a private table only the host needs it; guests join free.
Rooms, phones and privacy
Your cards stay yours
Each screen only receives its own hand. The discards, the crib and the deck stay with the room until the show, when every hand is turned face up.
Every move checkedThe room shuffles with its own randomness, only accepts a card from the player whose turn it is, and refuses any card that would take the count past 31.
RoomsRooms last two hours, and the host can add time in the final 30 minutes. Reopen your invitation in the same browser to get your seat back after a disconnection. Room data is removed when the room closes.
How do you play cribbage?
You play cribbage by keeping the best four of six cards, scoring as you lay cards toward a count of 31, and then counting your hand. The first player to peg 121 points wins.
Cut and deal
Cut for deal: the lower card deals first, and the deal then alternates. Each player gets six cards.
Feed the crib
Both players put two cards face down in the crib. The crib belongs to the dealer and is scored at the end of the hand.
Turn the starter
A card is cut from the deck and turned face up as the starter. If it is a jack, the dealer pegs 2 for his heels.
Peg to 31
The non-dealer leads. Take turns laying one card and saying the running total. Score 2 for making 15 or 31, and more for pairs and runs. The count can’t go past 31.
Say “Go”
If none of your cards fits under 31, say Go. Your opponent keeps playing while they can, then pegs 1 for the go (or 2 for exactly 31). The count starts again from zero.
Count the show
When every card is played, count each hand with the starter: the non-dealer’s hand first, then the dealer’s hand, then the dealer’s crib.
Race to 121
Swap the deal and play again. The first player to reach 121 wins at once, even in the middle of pegging or the show.
How do you score a cribbage hand?
You score a cribbage hand by counting your four cards together with the starter: 2 for each combination adding to 15, 2 for each pair, 1 per card in each run, 4 or 5 for a flush and 1 for his nobs. Count them in that order and say the running total aloud.
| Combination | What counts | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen | Any cards that add up to 15. Jacks, queens and kings count 10; aces count 1. | 2 for each |
| Pair | Two cards of the same rank | 2 |
| Three of a kind | Three pairs at once (a “pair royal”) | 6 |
| Four of a kind | Six pairs at once | 12 |
| Run | Three or more cards in sequence, any suits. Ace is low: A-2-3 counts, Q-K-A does not. | 1 per card |
| Double run | A run of three with a pair inside it, such as 4-5-5-6: two runs plus the pair | 8 |
| Flush | All four cards in your hand of one suit; 5 if the starter matches. The crib only scores a five-card flush. | 4 or 5 |
| His nobs | The jack of the starter’s suit in your hand or crib | 1 |
Counting an example hand
5♣5♦6♠4♥J♣
Hand 5♣ 5♦ 6♠ 4♥ with the J♣ starter. Say it like this: “Fifteen two, fifteen four, fifteen six, fifteen eight, a pair is ten, a run of three is thirteen, and another run of three is sixteen.” That’s 16 points. The jack is the starter, so there are no nobs here.
The crib is counted the same way, except a flush only counts when all four crib cards and the starter share a suit. The board here counts each hand for you and lights up the cards in every combination; turn on count-it-yourself with At Yours Plus if you’d rather do it the traditional way.
How does pegging score?
Pegging scores as the cards are laid: you peg points for making the count 15 or 31, for pairs and runs among the latest cards, and 1 for the go or the last card.
| During play | Points |
|---|---|
| Make the count exactly 15 | 2 |
| Make the count exactly 31 | 2 |
| Pair the card just played | 2 |
| Three of a kind in a row | 6 |
| Four of a kind in a row | 12 |
| Complete a run of 3 or more among the latest cards, in any order | 1 per card |
| Go: your opponent can’t play and you laid the last card | 1 |
| Last card of the hand, if it doesn’t make 31 | 1 |
| His heels: the starter is a jack (dealer only) | 2 |
Each player moves their back peg past the front one by the points scored, so the board always shows the last score as the gap between your two pegs. The count is always shown on the table, and a card that would pass 31 explains why it can’t be played.
Cribbage strategy tips
Keep fifteens and runs together
Fives are the best cards in the game: every ten-card makes 15 with them. Cards that touch (6-7-8) give you runs and double runs when the starter pairs one of them.
Think about whose crib it is
Throw your good cards (fives, pairs, touching cards) into your own crib, and break them up when it’s your opponent’s. The computer here weighs that on every discard.
Lead low, and lead from a pair
A card under 5 can’t be answered with a 15. Leading from a pair means a pair back lets you make three of a kind for 6.
Mind 5 and 21
Leaving the count on 5 or 21 gives your opponent 2 points with any ten-card. Count your way past them.
Watch the skunk line
Late in the game, playing safe to get past 91 can save a skunk; when you are far ahead, attack to make one.
Cribbage questions
What is the highest possible cribbage hand?
29. Hold three 5s and a jack, then cut the fourth 5 as the starter in the jack’s suit. The jack with each 5 and the four 5s together make eight fifteens (16 points), the four 5s are four of a kind (12) and the jack matching the starter’s suit is his nobs (1). Of the 12,994,800 possible four-card hands and starters, only 4 score 29. No hand can score 19, 25, 26 or 27, which is why players say “nineteen” for a hand worth nothing.
What are his nobs and his heels?
His nobs is 1 point in the show for holding the jack of the same suit as the starter card. His heels is 2 points for the dealer when the starter itself is a jack; it is pegged straight away, when the starter is turned up.
What is a skunk in cribbage?
A skunk is a win by 31 points or more: the loser finishes under 91, behind the skunk line marked on the board. A double skunk means the loser finished under 61. Here a single game shows any skunk on the result, and in At Yours Plus best-of-three and best-of-five matches a skunk counts as two games and a double skunk as three.
What is muggins?
Muggins is an optional rule for experienced players: you count your own hand and crib aloud, and if you miss any points your opponent can call “muggins” and take them. With At Yours Plus you can turn on count-it-yourself muggins against the computer or at a private table. It applies to the show; pegging is always scored for you.
How long does a game of cribbage take?
A two-player game to 121 usually takes about 8 to 10 hands, which is roughly 20 to 30 minutes. That is an estimate: there is no timer, and the computer waits for you. A best-of-three match takes about an hour.
Can you play cribbage online with a friend?
Yes. Create a private table on this page and send your friend the link. You each play on your own phone, tablet or computer. The room deals and checks every move, and your hand and the crib stay hidden from the other screen until the show. One complete game to 121 is free. The host’s At Yours Plus (US$4.99/month or US$29/year) adds best-of-three and best-of-five matches, count-it-yourself muggins and a private game-night series; guests never pay to join.
How good is the computer?
It is a strong, steady player. To discard, it works out the average score of every possible four-card keep over all 46 starters it might see, then adds or subtracts the expected value of the crib depending on whose crib it is. When pegging it takes fifteens, pairs and runs, and avoids leaving the count on 5 or 21 or setting up an easy pair or run for you. It never sees your cards or the deck.
Is it free, and does it work on a phone?
Yes. A complete game to 121 against the computer or a friend is free, with no download or sign-up, and your solo game saves on your device after every move. It works on phones, tablets and computers: tap a card and tap again to play it, or use the arrow keys, Enter and G for Go. Without 3D graphics the board is drawn flat, and reduced-motion settings skip the animations.
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