Cribbage rules - the scoring
(Previous section: Cribbage rules - the go)
Having played out all the cards, both players then score their hands, pone first - this time including the turn-up card as part of both hands. The dealer's crib also includes the turn-up. Again, points are scored for 15s, runs, and pairs; you can also score for a flush (all cards of the same suit) - see the cribbage scoring chart below for a handy reference. It is a key part of the rules of cribbage that the non-dealer should score first - at the end of the game, both players may have enough points to win, and the right to score first will determine victory. The cribbage board's positions usually alternate during the game, with first one player leading, then the other. The trick is to be in the first-scoring position when you are close enough to win!
Cribbage flush
If the four cards in your hand are of the same suit, you score four for a flush (a cribbage flush, unlike in poker, doesn't beat three of a kind!). If the starter card is also of the same suit, you score five. However, in the crib you cannot score a four-card flush; all five must be the same suit. These rules occasionally have local variations, so check to make sure which rules are being used. In an official tournament, the American Cribbage Congress rules apply.
Some cribbage rules sites explicitly state that flushes are not scored in cribbage. This is incorrect, at least according to the American Cribbage Congress rules, which are the nearest thing to an official set of rules for cribbage.
Cribbage pairs
2 points are scored for a pair in cribbage, and 6 for a pair royal - that is, three cards of the same rank. This can be considered as 3 different pairs worth 2 points each. Similarly, double pair royal (four of a kind) scores 12 as there are 6 ways of picking two cards from four. You begin to see why mathematicians love this game.
Combinations of cards making 15 score two points each - for example, 8 and 7. As many ways as you can make 15 with your cards, you score 2 points for each of them. For example, 8-7-7-A can make 15 three ways: the 8 and one 7, the 8 and the other 7, and the 7-7-A. Consequently it scores 6 points (for 15s, and a further 2 for the pair of 7s).
Cribbage runs
Runs score as many points as there are cards in them. For example, a four-card run 9-T-J-Q scores 4.
Cribbage nobs
You also score 1 point if you have the Jack of the same suit as the starter card (known as 'his nob' or just 'nobs').
Cribbage scoring chart
You can print out this cribbage scoring chart and keep it handy when you're playing!
| Score | Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 2 | - |
| Pair | 2 | - |
| Pair royal | 6 | Three of a kind |
| Double pair royal | 12 | Four of a kind |
| Run | 1 per card | Runs need not be in numerical order (eg 3-5-6-4) but they must be consecutive (3-4-4-5 does not score). |
| Go | 1 | The go is scored by the last player to lay a card. |
| 31 | 2 | The 2 points for 31 includes a go (by definition no-one can go when the total is 31). So no extra point is scored for the go. |
| Nobs | 1 | "One for his nob" is scored if you hold the Jack of the turn-up suit. |
scoring runs on a 'go'
My husband and I play cribbage twice every day. Today we ran into a scoring dilema that we just can't figure out. The count was at 22 and the last two cards played were 5 and 6. My husband said "GO" I held a 2, 3 and 4 in my hand. I layed down the 4 which gave me a 3 point run. Now it gets tricky. I then played the 3 which I thought gave me a 4 point run, then I played the 2 for a 5 point run, then 1 point for the 'Go'. For a total pegging score of 13 points. Our question is should I have just layed down all three of my cards and taken only the 5 point run and the 'Go'? Or was I correct to play one card at a time and score they way I did? Just so you know, I would have won the game anyway as I had first count and the points in my hand would have taken me to the finish. However, we disagree on my scoring. My argument is that I can only play one card at a time. My husband believes I should have layed all three cards at once!!! Thanks for your help.
Re: scoring runs on a 'go'
You score (and peg) for each card you play. So in your example you would have played the 4 and pegged 3 points for a 3-card run and one point for the go. Then you play the 3 and peg 4 points, and finally the 2 for a further 5 points. Nice play!
Re: scoring runs on a 'go'
In this example, wouldn't the total pegging points be 14 since 31 was reached?
The score wase 22. The last cards played were a 5 & 6 and that was a Go. The opponent played a 4 for 3 points, played a 3 for 4 points, then played a 2 for 5 points and reached 31 for 2 points (includes the 1 point for the Go).
Not Possible.
I believe the scenario outlined by the original poster is not possible. How could a 5 & 6 be the last cards played for a total of 22, she be left with 3 cards (2, 3, & 4) and her hubby be out of cards or unable to play?
She states the last 2 cards played were the 5 & 6 and then he said GO. Since she has 3 cards left this means she played 1 card and her hubby could only play 2 cards maximum either the 5 or 6.
How could the single card played prior to the 5 & 6 equal 11 points?
Let's say the total was really 21, since this is the largest feasable value for 3 cards with a 5 & 6. Why would her hubby say GO before she played one of her 3 cards?
Let's say she didn't remember the exact sequence of cards and she played the 4 and then he said GO. Now that sceI believe the scenario.
question on criggage
I am out of cards. My opponent has two cards left. He plays and says 10, then puts down a 6 and totals 16. Does my opponent score anything for ending the play at 16. He has no cards left, and I had no cards left when he started?
What is his score for ending the game?
Re: question on criggage
Hi Gayle,
Your opponent would score one point for 'last card'.
Scoring
If your score thirty one on the last play and had the last card as well do you get 31 for 2 and 1 for last card?
Re: Scoring
Unfortunately not, the 31 for 2 includes one for last card (or 'go').
Scoring a Triple Run
The question came up recently about the score for a triple run. According to almost every cribbage rule book we have been able to find, it is always scored as 15 without any 15-2 counted (i.e. K, Q, Q, J with cut as Q). Why is this not scored as 3 double runs or 24 points?
Re: Scoring a Triple Run
J-Q-Q-Q-K makes three runs: J-Q-K three different ways. Each run scores three because it is a run of three, so 3 x 3 = 9.
Scoring a triple run
the 8 points in a double-run are accumulated from 2x3-card runs (6 points) and a pair for 2 more. Looking at the K,Q,Q,J - Q hand, you would have 3x3 card runs (9 points) and a pair royal for the remaining 6 - a total of 15 points. Unless you get one more for the nob.
Yep, 15. Admin is wrong. 9
Yep, 15. Admin is wrong. 9 points for the three runs of 3, plus 6 for the 3-of-a-kind (which is 3 pairs).
good ques.
good ques.
Scoring a hand
Hi,
My hand after discarding two consisted of 7,7,8,8.
It was my crib and a 6 was cut.
How many total points is this?
I scored it as four runs of three for 12 + 4 points for the two pair plus 8 for the 15s' for a total of 24.
You scored correctly :)
You scored correctly :)
how and where dose the sequience stop in the deck
now when playing and counting your score and if u have a j,q,k,a in the run do u have 3 points, or do you have 4 point? The way i was taught was No Around the world sequience. How is the offecal sequience laid
Re: how and where dose the sequience stop in the deck
Aces are always low in cribbage.
scoring
I hold 3 sevens and i ace. how do I count it.4 or six
thank you
Let's see if I have the hang
Let's see if I have the hang of this: looks like the 3 7's are worth 6, and then each pair of 7's with the A gives you 15 for another 6. I think you have 12 points there Pat!
Scoring Help
If I have an 8, an A, and three 6's in total, do i score 2 points three times for adding up to 15 with each 8-A-6 combination for a total of 12 points (after adding the 6 points for the 3 of a kind)?
That is correct! 15-2, 15-4,
That is correct! 15-2, 15-4, 15-6, and three of a kind makes 12.
That is correct! 15-2, 15-4,
That is correct! 15-2, 15-4, 15-6, and three of a kind makes 12.
Correct
That is correct! 15-2, 15-4, 15-6, and three of a kind makes 12.
what about the pairs
There would also be 3 pairs of 6's. Total score 18
No, it is only 12
The 8, 6, 6, 6, A is only 12 points, not 18. You don't get to count the pairs twice. (3-of-a-kind is really 3 pairs and as such gets counted as 6 points. 4-of-a-kind is really 6 pairs and as such gives you 12 points.)
scoring
In the play for 2-handed cribbage:
Player 1 - 7
Player 2 - 8 (15 for 2)
Player 1 - 6 (run of 3)
Player 2 - 8 Last Card 1pt but any points additional points for a run?
No additional points scored
Unfortunately, no. You don't get any additional points for a run after playing the 2nd '8', because it plus the immediately previous cards do not constitute a run, and there is no 'Double Run' to be scored in the Play Phase. While the cards in a Play Phase run do not need to be played in numerical sequence ('2-3-4', '4-3-2', '3-4-2', etc. each form a 'Run of 3 for 3'), they *do* need to be *played* sequentially ('2-3-9-4' does not form a run, as the '9' breaks the sequence's continuity).
Had your 2nd '8' been instead a '7', only then would you have scored your own 'Run of 3 for 3' (formed by the '8-6' plus your '7'). Further, had your 2nd '8' been instead a '5' or '9', then you would've scored a 'Run of 4 for 4' (formed by the '7-8-6' plus your '5' or '9'), having added a card to an *end* of the 'Run of 3 for 3'.
Hope that helped!
J
scoring
How would you score this hand: In hand 5, 7, 8 ,8 and the starter card is 6
A double-run of 4 is worth 10
A double-run of 4 is worth 10 points (2 runs of 4 for 8, plus the pair for 2).
There are two 15s (7-8, 7-8) for 4 more points.
14 points.
Pegging Out
Opponents are basically five points from the finish and starting to count their cards in the '31' play. If an one player scores 6 points, is he allowed to peg out at this point?
Play Phase points are scored immediately
Yes. Phase points are scored immediately.
J
scoring
can you tell me how to score a hand of 2,3,3,7?
There's one 15 (using all 4
There's one 15 (using all 4 cards) and a pair for 2 more points.
4 points.
counting points at the end of a game
ok,,question,,4456 and turn up card is a 10,,,can you count your hand as such,,,8 plus 2+2+2,,,to equal 14,,or do you have to count 15's first,,then the double run,,,is a feud with hubby and father-in-law,,,,please help
it doesn't really matter what
it doesn't really matter what order you score in, the total is still 14. But I think most people I play with would score the 15s first...
15-2, 15-4, 15-6, and a double run makes 14
counting points at the end of a game
ok,,question,,4456 and turn up card is a 10,,,can you count your hand as such,,,8 plus 2+2+2,,,to equal 14,,or do you have to count 15's first,,then the double run,,,is a feud with hubby and father-in-law,,,,please help
It doesn't matter what you
It doesn't matter what you count first. Just count all the points:
4-4-5-6 is a double run for 8 points.
4-5-6 is 15 for 2 points.
The other 4-5-6 is 15 for 2 more points.
10-5 is 15 for 2 points.
Me and my opponent have one
Me and my opponent have one card left each, I play a ten then they play a five for 15 for 2 do they get a go as well for 3 three points?
Yes.
Yes.
do you get a count of eight in the crib hand if the turn up card
my frind and i were playing and this came up and we got into an argument about it. i had in my crib hand 2,3,3,K,j THE turn up card was and ACE I took the points for the four fifteens which gave me 8 but i did not take them for the double count of a run of three. My friend took those six I said he was wrong to. was he or was I wrong for not counting them?
If you have agreed to play
If you have agreed to play the variation where you take points if your opponent misses them, then he gets 6 (or eight if he called the pair of threes)
Too many cards in the crib
Remember there should only be four cards in the crib, not 2, 3, 3, K, J with the starter card as the ace. Assuming that one of the ten value cards was not in there you would have had a hand with 12 points. (Two 15s and a double run of 8 for 12)
last card
I played the last card which happened to make 31........do I get 3 points...2 for 31 and 1 for last card...big arguement over this
Check the rules.
From the Cribbage Rules page, "The Go":
The cribbage rules for scoring 'go' sometimes cause confusion. You earn a point for go when your opponent cannot go. This may be (a) because he has no cards (sometimes called 'One for last'), or (b) because he cannot play without going over 31 ('One for the go'). In either case if you make the total 31 you score only 2 points on the cribbage board, not 3 (because the go is included, as described above). However, you may well make 15 with the last card (in which case you do score 3).
Flush & Run Combo
In my hand I have A, 2, 3, 4 of diamonds.... Cut is 8 of diamonds.... does the run and flush each get counted? I counted 13... (A, 2, 4, 8 for 15-2; 3,4 8, for 15-4; run for 4, flush for 5 = 13)checked it with a family member, and my oponent thought it was 13 as well.
Thanks :)
Yep.
That's what I get.
8-3-4 = 15 for 2
8-A-2-4 = 15 for 2
A-2-3-4 = run of 4
Five diamonds = 5
flush & nob
if i have 4 spades in my hand and one happens to be a jack the turn card is a spade do i get to count the 5 spades + the jack again for 1 point as the nob so a total of 6 points ?
Scoring 'His Nobs'
Yes. When you hold in your hand (or Crib) a Jack that matches the suit of the 'turn' card, that Jack is counted as '1 for His Nobs', regardless of any other scoring combination involving that Jack.
Example:
You hold the following:
The 2, 4, and Jack of Diamonds, and Jack of Clubs.
The turn card is the 8 of Clubs.
You score:
A Pair for 2 (Jacks) plus 1 for 'His Nobs'.
Total score = 3
3 of a kind during play by one player?
Hello, I play crib with my girlfriend often and today we had an interesting play happen. I finished my hand on a "go" and she had 3 cards left. Her three cards were all 6's. So she layed them down to make 18. Does she get 6 for three of a kind plus 1 for last card to total 7 points or does she get 2 for a pair then 6 for three of a kind then 1 for last card to total 9 points?.
3 of a kind during play by one player?
Hello, I play crib with my girlfriend often and today we had an interesting play happen. I finished my hand on a "go" and she had 3 cards left. Her three cards were all 6's. So she layed them down to make 18. Does she get 6 for three of a kind plus 1 for last card to total 7 points or does she get 2 for a pair then 6 for three of a kind then 1 for last card to total 9 points?.