♠️ HOW TO PLAY CRIBBAGE

A classic card game of counting, strategy, and luck!

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THE OBJECT OF THE GAME

Be the first player or team to reach 121 points by scoring combinations of cards during play and in your hand.

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WHAT YOU NEED

• A standard 52-card deck (no jokers).

• A Cribbage board and pegs.

• Two players for one-on-one play, or four players in two teams.

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1. ONE-ON-ONE CRIBBAGE

Getting Started

1. Each player takes two pegs of the same color.

2. Cut the deck to determine the dealer. The lowest card deals first.

3. The dealer shuffles and deals 6 cards to each player.

4. Each player chooses 2 cards to discard face down into the dealer's crib, leaving 4 cards in each player's hand. The crib belongs to the dealer.

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The Starter Card

The non-dealer cuts the deck, and the dealer turns up the top card. This is the starter card, used later when counting hands. If it is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately. This is called His Heels.

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2. PLAYING THE CARDS (THE PEGGING)

1. The non-dealer plays a card face up and announces its value. Number cards count as their face value, face cards count as 10, and Aces count as 1.

2. Players alternate playing one card at a time, announcing the running total. The total must not exceed 31.

3. Score points during play for:

   • 15: Total equals 15 — score 2 points.

   • 31: Total equals 31 — score 2 points.

   • Pair: Two consecutive cards of the same rank — score 2 points.

   • Three of a kind: Three consecutive cards of the same rank — score 6 points.

   • Four of a kind: Four consecutive cards of the same rank — score 12 points.

   • Runs: Three or more consecutive ranks played in any order — score 1 point per card.

4. When neither player can play without exceeding 31, the count resets to zero. The player who played last scores 1 point for Go, unless the total reached 31, which scores 2 instead.

5. Continue until all cards have been played.

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3. COUNTING YOUR HANDS

Starting with the non-dealer, each player scores their four-card hand using the starter card as a fifth card. Then the dealer counts their hand and finally the dealer counts the crib.

Score these combinations:

• 15: Any combination totaling 15 scores 2 points.

• Pair: Two cards of the same rank score 2 points.

• Runs: Three or more consecutive ranks score 1 point per card.

• Flush: Four cards of the same suit score 4 points in the hand. If the starter is also that suit, score 5. A four-card flush does not score in the crib; all five cards must match suit.

• Nobs: A Jack in your hand matching the starter card's suit scores 1 point.

Cards can count in multiple combinations. Add all scoring combinations together and peg the points.

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4. WINNING

The first player to reach 121 points wins immediately, even during play or while counting a hand.

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2. FOUR-PLAYER TEAM CRIBBAGE

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Getting Started

1. Sit opposite your partner. Partners share one score.

2. Use two pegs per team.

3. Deal 5 cards to each player.

4. Each player discards 1 card face down into the dealer's crib, leaving 4 cards per player. The dealer's team owns the crib.

5. Cut for the starter card as in two-player Cribbage. A starter Jack scores 2 points for the dealer.

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Playing the Cards

1. The player to the dealer's left leads.

2. Players take turns clockwise, playing one card at a time and announcing the running total.

3. Score 15s, 31s, pairs, triples, quadruples, and runs using the same rules as one-on-one Cribbage.

4. A player who cannot play without exceeding 31 says "Go." Other players who can still play may continue.

5. The last player to play scores 1 point for Go, or 2 points for reaching 31. Reset the count and continue until everyone has played all their cards.

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Counting Hands

1. The non-dealer's team counts first, followed by the other team in turn, and the dealer's team counts last.

2. Each player counts their own four-card hand with the starter card.

3. The dealer's team also counts the crib.

4. Add each player's points to the team's shared score.

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Winning

The first team to reach 121 points wins immediately.

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QUICK SCORING GUIDE

CombinationPoints

Cards totaling 152

Pair2

Three of a kind6

Four of a kind12

Run of 3 cards3

Run of 4 cards4

Run of 5 cards5

Flush of 4 cards in hand4

Flush of 5 matching suits5

Jack matching starter suit (Nobs)1

Starter card is a Jack (His Heels)2

Go (last card played, not 31)1

Total reaches 31 during play2

Remember: Aces are low, and runs do not wrap around (King-Ace-2 is not a run).

Have fun, and may the best player or team win!

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A NOTE ABOUT THE RULES

These instructions cover standard Cribbage rules. Some families and players use house rules or regional variations. Before starting, agree on any differences so everyone is playing by the same rules.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR PURCHASE!

Thank you for choosing JMK Graphix and supporting our small, locally owned business! We hope your new game brings plenty of fun, friendly competition, and great memories with family and friends.

Looking for more fun? Check out our other games and unique creations in our online store!

JMK Graphix
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