
How To Play Cribbage
Brief Cribbage Overview
Championship Cribbage All-Stars is one of DreamQuest Software's most popular game titles. Get your own copy today and join the fun today!
For a complete introduction on how to play Championship Cribbage All-Stars, please use our interactive Cribbage 101 tutorial, accessible from the game's Help menu. Simply click the "Menu" button in the lower left corner, select Help, and then select Cribbage Tutorial.
Cribbage is a point-based card game that traditionally uses a wooden peg board as a score card. The object of the game is to be the first to score 121 points or more on the board. Each hand consists of a dealing phase, a discarding phase, a deck cut, a playing (or pegging) phase, and finally a "show" (or scoring) phase.
Cribbage Rules and Strategy
The Deal
For a standard 2-player game, each player is dealt 6 cards.
Discard
The discard phase follows the deal. Each player chooses 2 cards to discard face down into the "crib." This crib is a bonus hand that the dealer gets to score after play completes.
Deck cut
The non-dealer cuts the undealt cards to select the starter card. This card will be used for counting combinations in both hands and the crib during the "show" at the end of the hand. The starter card will be placed face up next to the board at the top of the play field.
Single cards are played in turn on the table. In this stage of the game the total value of the cards played by both players must not exceed 31 with Aces worth 1, face cards all worth 10, and all other cards worth their face values.
Pegging
Pegging points are awarded if you achieve a pair, a run of multiple cards in sequence, or a combination of 15. A player who cannot play without exceeding 31 points does not play a card but says "Go," leaving his opponent to continue if possible and pegging for any further combinations made. Bringing the total to exactly 31 pegs 2, but if the total is 30 or less and neither player can lay a card without going over 31, then the last player to lay a card pegs one for "the go" or one for "last."
Show
After all players' cards have been played and the points for play are "pegged," players retrieve their cards and receive a score for all valid combinations of cards held in their hand. During this "show" phase, the STARTER card (the one which was cut earlier) will be added to your hand as your 5th card and you will be awarded with pegging points for any pairs, runs, or combinations of 15.
Finally, the dealer exposes the four cards of the crib and scores them with the start card. The scoring is the same as for the players' hands except that a flush in the crib only scores if all four crib cards and the start card are of the same suit. If that happens, the flush scores 5.
Be the first to score 121 points or more on the board to win!
More Cribbage Resources
- Now that you've learned how to play, try a game of Cribbage with the rules still fresh in your mind. Download a free 3-game trial of Championship Cribbage All-Stars. Take advantage of our easy interactive tutorial, or play a real game. (Choose from five difficulty levels through the Settings menu.)
- For more information about Championship Cribbage All-Stars, please visit our Championship Cribbage All-Stars Information Page
- For expert tips and techniques, please visit our Cribbage Tips page.
View rules for other Championship All-Stars titles here:









