How to play Cribbage

By Josh, the 8th Grader

Items Required
Deck of Cards, Cribbage Board (you can use a piece of paper and tally marks but it's hard to keep track.
Amount of Players
2
How to Win
Be the first one to reach 121 points
How to Play
First, each player draws a card from the deck. The player with the lower card gets the first crib (we will talk about that later).
Each round consists of 4 parts

• Drawing
• Discarding
• Playing
• Scoring

Before we get into the game, I had better tell you how to score.

• Cards that add up to 15 are worth 2 points

Ex. 8 and 7 = a 15 because 7+8=15
(Note: K, Q and J are worth 10 each and an ace is worth 1)

• Two of a Kinds are worth 2

Ex. a 6 and a 6 is worth 2

• Three of a Kinds are worth 6

Ex. 3 6's are worth 6

• Four of a Kinds are worth 12

Ex. 4 6's are worth 12
(Note: 4 6's are not worth 20 because it's a four of a kind, a three of a kind and a two of a kind. They do not stack like that.)

• Straights are worth the amount of cards in the straight

An ace, a 2, and a 3 are worth 3 combined, but a 1 and a 2 don't count as 2

• Flushes are worth 4

Ex. An ace of hearts, a 4 of hearts, a 5 of hearts and an 8 of hearts is worth 4

• Nibs(AKA Nobs) is worth 2

If it is your crib and the cut card (will also talk about that later) is a Jack you get 2 points

• A GO is worth 1

Will talk about this later

• A 31 is worth 2

Will talk about this later

OK, so now that I have told you how to score, it's time to talk about playing.

Drawing
The person who's crib it is shuffles the deck. Then the other person grabs a card from the deck. This is the Cut Card. It is very important. Then the dealer deals 6 cards to each person. Make sure that your opponent does not see your cards. Now it is time for discarding.

Discarding
Each player discards two cards for the crib. You are both putting cards into the crib FACE DOWN. Now it is time for playing.

Playing
The player who is not the dealer/owner of the crib plays first, then the dealer, and you both take turns placing cards until a player cannot place a card without the cumulative value of the played cards going over 31 must say "GO!" and the person who played the last card has to keep playing until he/she too can't play a card without going over 31. Then the player that played the last card gets 1 point unless the total WAS 31, if that is so then that player gets 2 points! After the point(s) has been given the total value goes down to 0 and play continues until nobody has any cards left. Now it is time for scoring

Scoring
Now it is time to reveal the cards. First, we score the player who is not the dealer's hand. Then, the hand of the dealer. Then, the crib. Now, the dealer is the person who wasn't the dealer.

Play continues until someone gets to 121 points.

Skunks
A skunk is a win where your opponent had 91 points or under.
A double skunk is a win where your opponent had 61 points or under.

I hope you enjoy playing cribbage!