Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (38 page)

FIFTEEN
Score 2 points for any card combination that adds up to 15 points.

PAIR
Two cards of the same rank earn 2 points. In the matching phase, players earn points if they pair an opponent’s card. For example, if player one throws 9 of diamonds and player two throws 9 of clubs, player two earns 2 points for the pair.

MULTIPLE PAIRS
Three cards of the same rank are worth 6 points, because they can be combined into three sets of pairs. For example, 4 of hearts, 4 of diamonds, 4 of clubs in your hand may be combined into three pairs of fours (4 of hearts-4 of diamonds, 4 of hearts-4 of clubs, 4 of diamonds-4 of clubs) for a total of 6 points. With four cards of the same rank, you earn 12 total points for making six sets of pairs. Multiple pairs also may be played in the matching phase. For example, player one throws 5 of hearts and player two throws 5 of clubs for 2 points. If player one replies with 5 of diamonds, he earns 6 points for three sets of pairs (5 of hearts-5 of clubs, 5 of hearts-5 of diamonds, 5 of clubs-5 of diamonds). If player two miraculously follows with a fourth card of the same rank, she earns 12 points.

RUN
At minimum, a run is three cards in sequence, regardless of suit. So 5 of hearts-6 of diamonds-7 of diamonds earns a player 3 points, while a run of four cards is worth 4 points. If a player has a pair of cards in the run, multiple runs may be scored. For example, the hand 3 of hearts-4 of diamonds-5 of hearts-5 of clubs is worth 8 total points for the two three-card runs (3 of hearts-4 of diamonds-5 of hearts for 3 points; 3 of hearts-4 of diamonds-5 of clubs for 3 points), plus a pair of fives for 2 additional points. A quadruple run (for example, 9-9-10-10-J) scores 16 points.

In the matching phase, players earn points for runs even if the cards are not played sequentially. For example, if player one throws 5 of clubs and player two throws 7 of hearts, then player one may throw any 6 to earn 3 points for a run. The run is not allowed if a nonsequential card is thrown into the mix. So in this example, the run is not scored if the cards are played in the following order: 5 of clubs, 7 of hearts, J of diamonds, 6 of clubs.

FLUSH
At minimum, a flush is four cards of the same suit, regardless of rank. So the hand 3 of hearts-7 of hearts-10 of hearts-J of hearts is worth 4 points (1 point for each card in the flush). If the turn-up card is also a heart, the hand is worth 5 points. Flushes are earned only for cards held in your own hand. Flushes may not be earned during the matching phase, and four-card flushes in the crib do not earn any points. However, if the crib cards are of the same suit
and
if the turn-up card matches that suit, then the crib owner earns 5 points for a crib flush.

HIS NOBS
This oddly named bonus (worth 1 point) is earned by any player who holds a jack of the same suit as the turn-up card.

HIS HEELS
Another oddly named bonus (1 point), this time earned by the dealer when she happens to turn up a jack.

GO POINT
A player pegs 1 “go” point when his opponent cannot play a card without taking the total over 31 points; or 2 “go” points for himself when he scores exactly 31 points and forces his opponent to begin play back at zero.

LAST POINT
The player who throws the last card in the matching phase earns 1 point.

HOW TO PLAY
Each hand of Cribbage is divided into two phases, the
matching phase
and the
showing phase
.

MATCHING PHASE
Once the crib is established and the turn-up card is settled, the game starts with the non-dealer leading a single card from her hand, face up, and announcing the card’s rank out loud (for example, if you play 5 of hearts, announce “five”). Players then alternate throwing cards face up on the table, in an attempt to earn points by combining their cards plus their opponent’s into pairs, runs, fifteens, and “go” points.

For example, if player one throws 7 of diamonds and player two throws 7 of hearts, player two pegs 2 points for a pair. If player one replies with 7 of spades, she pegs 6 total points for creating three sets of pairs.

Alternatively, if no pairs, runs, or fifteens are scored, then the player who cannot play a card without going over 31 total points sacrifices a “go” point to his opponent. For example, if player one leads 10 of hearts, player two follows with Q of spades, and player one replies with 8 of diamonds, then player two either must throw a three (thereby pegging 2 points for hitting 31 exactly); or throw an ace or a two, keeping the total below 31 points; or, if she cannot play a card without exceeding 31 points, peg 1 “go” point to her opponent. In the latter case, the count begins again at zero and the next card is led by player one.

The player who throws the last card in the matching phase scores 1 point.

SHOWING PHASE
Once each player has exhausted his four cards, each “shows” and scores his cards in the following strict order: non-dealer, dealer, dealer’s crib.

The turn-up card is used by both players as a fifth card in their hands. For example, assume the non-dealer holds J of spades-J of hearts-Q of spades-K of hearts and the dealer holds 5 of diamonds-6 of diamonds-7 of diamonds-J of diamonds. If the turn-up card is 5 of spades, the players score the following:

Non-dealer scores 12 total points for two runs (J of hearts-Q of spades-K of hearts for 3 points; J of spades-Q of spades-K of hearts for 3 points), one pair (J of spades-J of hearts for 2 points), and making fifteen twice (J of spades-5 of spades for 2 points; J of hearts-5 of spades for 2 points).

Dealer scores 16 total points for two runs (5 of diamonds-6 of diamonds-7 of diamonds for 3 points; 5 of spades-6 of diamonds-7 of diamonds for 3 points), one flush (5 of diamonds-6 of diamonds-7 of diamonds-J of diamonds for 4 points), one pair (5 of diamonds-5 of spades for 2 points), and making fifteen twice (5 of diamonds-J of diamonds for 2 points; 5 of spades-J of diamonds for 2 points).

SCORING THE CRIB
After the matching and showing phases are finished, the dealer turns up the crib cards and pegs points for any pairs, multiple pairs, runs, flushes, and fifteens it contains, using the turn-up card as a fifth card in the hand. For example, if the turn-up card is Q of spades and the crib contains 5 of hearts-5 of diamonds-3 of clubs-7 of hearts, then the dealer earns 2 points for a pair (5 of hearts-5 of diamonds), and 8 points for making fifteen four times (Q of spades-5 of hearts plus Q of spades-5 of diamonds plus 7 of hearts-3 of clubs-5 of hearts plus 7 of hearts-3 of clubs-5 of diamonds).

HOW TO WIN
There are two critical decisions a player must make in Cribbage: which two cards to throw into the crib, and which card to lead with in the matching phase. The crib decision is usually straightforward if you’re the dealer. Look at your six cards and determine which four have the best odds of earning points for pairs and runs. As the dealer, you ultimately will earn any points in the crib, so it’s OK to throw a pair into the crib if it means you keep a run of three or more together in your hand. When in doubt, keep a run, and hope the turn-up card will add to it.

The decision is more complicated for the non-dealer. You must strike a balance between keeping the best four cards possible in your hand and being careful not to throw useful point cards into the dealer’s crib.

There’s no more frustrating hand to be dealt when you’re the non-dealer than 3 of hearts-3 of diamonds-5 of hearts-5 of diamonds-6 of hearts-7 of spades. You hate to throw any points into the dealer’s crib. Yet there’s no other choice, so minimize the pain by throwing 3 of hearts-3 of diamonds into the crib (a gift of 2 points to the dealer) and keep the other four cards, since they have a much greater scoring potential.

POINTS OF ETIQUETTE
Etiquette matters in Cribbage. There are not many rules, so novice players owe it to themselves to commit the following to memory.

After playing a card, always announce the current card total. It is rude to do otherwise. For example, if you throw 8 of diamonds on 10 of hearts, say “eighteen.”

Similarly, announce what you’re scoring as you play. If you throw 5 of diamonds on J of hearts, say “fifteen for 2 points.” If you throw 9 of clubs on 7 of diamonds-8 of hearts, say “24 for a run of three.”

Table talk
is not allowed in Cribbage. So do not discuss or drop hints about cards you hold, cards in the crib, points of strategy, etc.

If a player forgets to peg a score she is entitled to, or simply doesn’t add her points properly, once the next card is played, the opponent may declare
muggins
and take the unearned points as her own.

VARIATION 1: CRIBBAGE 1/11

Once you get the hang of Cribbage, try this deceptively simple variation in which aces may be counted as 1 or 11 in either the matching or showing phase. For example, the hand A of spades-3 of hearts-4 of clubs-5 of diamonds is normally worth 3 points for the 3 of hearts-4 of clubs-5 of diamonds run. In Cribbage 1/11, the hand is worth 5 points: 3 for the run plus 2 for fifteen (A of spades-4 of clubs).

VARIATION 2: REVERSE CRIBBAGE

This is played exactly like the standard game. The only difference is that the first player to score 121 points loses rather than wins. And yes, it is much harder than it sounds not to score points, especially if you’re the dealer. This is a superb variation for veteran Cribbage players who love the basic game but are looking for new challenges.

VARIATION 3: THREE-HAND CRIBBAGE

This is an excellent game for three players and requires no extra learning or effort, as long as you’re already familiar with the basic two-hand game. The game is played exactly like the standard game, with the following exceptions.

Instead of four cards, all players are dealt five, and one card is dealt to the crib. Each player then throws one card into the crib, so each player (as well as the crib) holds four cards.

In the matching phase, the only difference is that in the case of a go point being earned, the next round is always opened by the first player unable to play a card in the previous round. The player to the left of the dealer determines the turn-up card, and also opens. When scoring during the showing phase, the order is always clockwise, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

VARIATION 4: FOUR-HAND CRIBBAGE

The main argument against four-hand cribbage is that few opportunities exist to work collaboratively with your partner. There is no bidding, no trump, no dummy hand—none of the features common to more sophisticated four-player partnership games.

The game is played exactly like the standard two-hand game, except that partners sit opposite one another, and instead of four cards, all players are dealt five. Each player then throws one card into the crib, so all players (plus the crib) have four cards.