I wonder how many Cribbage players, like me, also play the board game Go (also known as baduk or weiqi). I think there are some interesting similarities.

Both Go and Cribbage are games where your winning strategy depends on the way your opponent plays. You need to be constantly thinking about what your opponent's plans might be, and try to frustrate them at the same time as advancing your own plans. When you're behind on score, you need aggressive and risky tactics to change the balance of the game, but if you're ahead, quiet and solid play is the key.

Go is a game of perfect information where there is no element of chance, whereas in Cribbage you are subject to the luck of the deal, and you don't know what's in your opponent's hand. However, both games require a balance between intuition and pure calculation.

You also need a strong pattern-matching ability: in Cribbage, to understand what your opponent's play tells you about their hand; in Go, to understand the way that the placing of stones on the board exerts power and influence, and to work out what patterns your opponent is trying to create.

If you play Go, you might like to check out Shimari, my Go blog which recounts my daily ups and downs, wins and losses, and some of my more interesting games. If you don't know anything about Go but would like to find out a bit more, have a look at Sensei's Library, an excellent community web site for beginners to advanced players.

If you play both Cribbage and Go, comment here to let me know!

When you are on the 2nd round of play, after reaching 31 or "go" to last card, does any sequencing continue when the count starts back over at zero?
Example of first sequence of card played: 5, 9, 7, 9
player 1 says "go" and player 2 cannot.
Play resumes with Player 1 putting down an 8
Does this count as a 3 card run, 7, 8, 9? or no, because when the count restarts at zero any pairs, runs, etc. also starts over?

Reader Darren is looking for a cribbage board made by Ron Cyr called a "Cyrcle cribbage board". These seem to be quite rare and collectable, so if anyone owns or knows of such a board, please get in touch!

Jay Boysun asks via email:

I had a quick question regarding pegging and am hoping you could provide some light being shed upon the subject. My Grandfather taught me the game when I was younger and I thought I remember him telling me that if you are the dealer you will always have at least one point in the peg although you would not necesarrily reciev any points in the hand or crib. The subject came up tonight when my family was playing cards and this talked about. I am just curious if this holds true in 2 handed cribbage as well as 3 or 4 handed play.

We referred this question to Professor Plum, Cribbage Corner's resident maths and statistics expert. Professor Plum:

Jay,

Your grandfather was quite right. In two player cribbage, the dealer must peg at least one point. Here's why. You both have the same number of cards. Your opponent plays first. When you play your last-but-one card, either your opponent can go or he can not. If he can, you get a point for last. If he can't, you get a point for Go.

This is not necessarily true in the 3 or 4 player game as someone else can score the Go.

Thanks, Professor! And thanks Jay, for asking the question.