Cribbage rules - the discard
(Previous section: Cribbage rules - the basics)
Following the cut, each player throws away two cards from his hand into the 'crib' or 'box' - a third hand that is scored by the dealer. The rules of cribbage differ in this respect from its predecessor, Noddy (see the cribbage origins page for more details). This phase of cribbage is called the discard. Since the crib scores points for its owner, your choice of discard will generally be different depending on whether the crib is yours or your opponent's. However, you must throw two cards; it is against the rules to discard none or only one.
It is no exaggeration to say that the discard is the part of cribbage where skill and knowledge has the greatest effect on the outcome of the game. Whole books can be, and have been written, on the art of cribbage discards. A great site to practice your discards is The Daily Cribbage Hand, which has a sample hand for you to consider and then compare your choice of discard against other users, and discuss the different choices.
There are rules of thumb about the discard, and you can find some of these on the Discards section of Cribbage Corner. However, the choice of cards to throw is entirely free and not mandated by the cribbage rules.
The cut
Who gets the cut in three or four handed Cribbage? Is it the person in front of the dealer or the person behind?
Re: The cut
In three, four, or more-handed cribbage, pone is the player to the dealer's left (and pone makes the cut).
Order of Game
You start this page with "Following the turn-up, each player throws away two cards..." However, the next page says "The game then begins with the dealer turning up the top card..." So, which comes first, the discard or the turn-up?
Re: Order of Game
You are quite right - that was a mistake, and should have read "Following the cut...". The discard comes first because part of the strategy in discarding is working out what the turn-up card is likely to be, and keeping cards accordingly.