Want to play cribbage on line? Start here with our guide to free online cribbage.

Several sites allow you to play cribbage online. For me the main difference between these free online cribbage games is the number and the quality of opponents they offer; some also require extra client software or drivers to be installed before you can play. If you are new to cribbage, see our guide to cribbage rules and strategy to get the hang of the basics, and try some cribbage games to download for Windows to practice on your PC first.

Free online cribbage sites

eCribbage.com

eCribbage.com is the most attractive and well-designed of the online cribbage games available; you need to download a Java application to play it, create a free account, and then you can play either traditional cribbage or Kings Cribbage against all comers. The interface looks great, and features lots of sounds, speech and animation.

The site features rankings and statistics, so you can keep track of your progress, and also hosts tournaments. If you are new to Kings Cribbage there is an interactive tutorial mode, and you can also save games in progress and come back to them later. Developer Damien Blond is planning to add lots more features in the near future, including additional cribbage variants such as Captain's Cribbage, lowball cribbage, and optional rules such as Muggins.

There is a cheerful mediaeval theme throughout, with attractive graphics and the chance to progress in rank from a lowly 'Serf' to 'Servant', 'Commoner' and even 'Knight' if you play well. You can communicate with your fellow peasants and nobles via a built-in chat window in the game, and a general chat in the Lounge area where you can watch other games in progress, or find players of the right level for you.

If you prefer Kings Cribbage to the old-fashioned game, you can play that too, on a nicely animated board with the same attention to detail of graphics and sound as in the traditional cribbage game. eCribbage.com looks much better and is easier to use than the other online sites such as Yahoo! Games or Pogo. The only drawback is that, as a new site, there are fewer players online than at the well-established sites. However, you won't find a shortage of opponents, and the smaller user base makes for a friendly atmosphere. The Java client works on Windows, Mac OS X or Linux. Recommended.

Yahoo! free cribbage

Yahoo! Cribbage requires only a Java-capable browser and is extremely popular, offering you a wide choice of opponents. There is a rating system and a separate ladder system, and a number of different cribbage rooms, and you can also kibitz on other games if you haven't the mental energy to play. You need to register with Yahoo!, which is free.

Pogo Cribbage

Online Cribbage at Pogo.com - a free and attractive looking online cribbage game, which just requires registration to play. Cribbage rooms for beginners, intermediates and expert players are available.

Other online cribbage sites

• Cribbage Online from Twoopy.com - download a client program for Windows and you can play against the computer or online opponents.

• Cribbage Master - for instant online cribbage fun, this requires no registration, simply click to play.

• Modern Cribbage, from Ultimate Retro Project - a little basic, but free and open source Java game. It does allow you to play cribbage online, but only against the computer.

• Play cribbage free online at FreeWorldGroup.com

Former free online cribbage sites

• MSN Cribbage has closed down (see the link for more information.)

Other free online cribbage games

• Kings Cribbage online lets you play Kings Cribbage online for free. Kings Cribbage is a board game combining elements of cribbage and Scrabble.

If you know about some other free online cribbage games, do tell us!