1*e4dd4c49Sbostic 2*e4dd4c49Sbostic CRIBBAGE 36103c340Sarnold from 46103c340Sarnold According to Hoyle 5*e4dd4c49Sbostic 66103c340SarnoldCribbage is believed to have been invented by Sir John Suckling (1609-1642). 7*e4dd4c49SbosticProbably it is an elaboration of an older game, Noddy. The original game 8*e4dd4c49Sbosticwas played with hands of five cards; the modern game gives each player 9*e4dd4c49Sbosticsix. That is virtually the only change from Suckling's directions. 10*e4dd4c49Sbostic 11*e4dd4c49SbosticPlayers: 12*e4dd4c49Sbostic 13*e4dd4c49Sbostic Two. There are variants for three and four players, described 14*e4dd4c49Sbostic later. 15*e4dd4c49Sbostic 16*e4dd4c49SbosticCards: 17*e4dd4c49Sbostic 18*e4dd4c49Sbostic The pack of 52. The cards in each suit rank: K (high), Q, J, 10, 19*e4dd4c49Sbostic9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. The counting values are: K, Q, J, 10, each 10 20*e4dd4c49Sbostic(wherefore these are called tenth cards); ace, 1; each other card, its 21*e4dd4c49Sbosticindex value. 22*e4dd4c49Sbostic 23*e4dd4c49SbosticCribbage Board: 24*e4dd4c49Sbostic 25*e4dd4c49Sbostic Indispensable to scoring (unless you have a computer!, ed.) is 26*e4dd4c49Sbosticthe device known as the cribbage board. This is a rectangular panel, long 27*e4dd4c49Sbosticand narrow, in which are four rows of 30 holes each. (See illustration.) 28*e4dd4c49SbosticAt one end, or in the center, are two or four additional holes, called 29*e4dd4c49Sbosticgame holes. The board is placed between the two players, and each keeps 30*e4dd4c49Sbostichis own score on the two rows of holes nearest himself. Each is supplied 31*e4dd4c49Sbosticwith two pegs. Before the first hand, the pegs are placed in the game 32*e4dd4c49Sbosticholes. On making his first score, the player advances one peg an 33*e4dd4c49Sbosticappropriate number of holes (one per point) away from the game end of the 34*e4dd4c49Sbosticboard. The second score is recorded by placing the second peg an 356103c340Sarnoldappropriate distance ahead of the first. For each subsequent score, the 366103c340Sarnoldrear peg is jumped ahead of the other, the distance between the two pegs 376103c340Sarnoldalways showing the amount of this last score. 38*e4dd4c49Sbostic 39*e4dd4c49Sbostic The traditional mode of scoring is down (away from the game end) 40*e4dd4c49Sbosticthe outer row, and up the inner row. "Once around" is a game of 61 points. 416103c340Sarnold"Twice around" is a game of 121 points. 42*e4dd4c49Sbostic 43*e4dd4c49SbosticPreliminaries: 44*e4dd4c49Sbostic 45*e4dd4c49Sbostic Cards are drawn; the lower deals first. If cards of equal rank 46*e4dd4c49Sbosticare drawn, both players draw again. Dealer has the right to shuffle last. 47*e4dd4c49SbosticNondealer cuts, and must leave at least four cards in each packet. 48*e4dd4c49Sbostic 49*e4dd4c49SbosticDealing: 50*e4dd4c49Sbostic 51*e4dd4c49Sbostic Each player receives six cards, dealt one at a time face down, 52*e4dd4c49Sbosticbeginning with the nondealer. The turn to deal alternates. The dealer 53*e4dd4c49Sbostichas an advantage. 54*e4dd4c49Sbostic 55*e4dd4c49SbosticLaying Away: 56*e4dd4c49Sbostic 57*e4dd4c49Sbostic After seeing his hand, each player lays away two cards face down. 58*e4dd4c49SbosticThe four cards laid away, placed in one pile, form the crib. The crib 59*e4dd4c49Sbosticcounts for the dealer. Nondealer therefore tries to lay away balking 60*e4dd4c49Sbosticcards -- cards that are least likely to create a score in the crib. 61*e4dd4c49Sbostic 62*e4dd4c49SbosticThe Starter: 63*e4dd4c49Sbostic 64*e4dd4c49Sbostic After both hands have laid away, nondealer lifts off a packet from 65*e4dd4c49Sbosticthe top of the stock (the rest of the pack). Again, each packet must 66*e4dd4c49Sbosticcontain at least four cards. Dealer turns up the top card of the lower 67*e4dd4c49Sbosticpacker, which is then placed on top of the stock when the packets are 68*e4dd4c49Sbosticreunited. The card thus turned up is called 1 the starter. If it is a 69*e4dd4c49Sbosticjack, dealer immediately pegs 2, called 2 for his heels. 70*e4dd4c49Sbostic 71*e4dd4c49SbosticThe Play: 72*e4dd4c49Sbostic 73*e4dd4c49Sbostic Nondealer begins the play by laying a card from his hand face up 74*e4dd4c49Sbosticon the table, announcing its counting value. Dealer then shows a card, 75*e4dd4c49Sbosticannouncing the total count of the two cards. Play continues in the same 76*e4dd4c49Sbosticway, by alternate exposure of cards, each player announcing the new total 77*e4dd4c49Sbosticcount. The total may be carried only to 31, no further. If a player adds 78*e4dd4c49Sbostica card that brings the total exactly to 31, he pegs 2. If a player is 79*e4dd4c49Sbosticunable to play another card without exceeding 31, he must say "Go," and 80*e4dd4c49Sbostichis opponent pegs 1, but before doing so, opponent must lay down any 81*e4dd4c49Sbosticadditional cards he can without exceeding 31. If such additional cards 82*e4dd4c49Sbosticbring the total to exactly 31, he pegs 2 instead of 1. 83*e4dd4c49Sbostic 84*e4dd4c49Sbostic Whenever a go occurs, the opponent of the player who played the 85*e4dd4c49Sbosticlast card must lead for a new count starting at zero. Playing the last 86*e4dd4c49Sbosticcard of all counts as a go. (Since nondealer makes the opening lead, 87*e4dd4c49Sbosticdealer is bound to peg at least 1 in play.) 88*e4dd4c49Sbostic 896103c340Sarnold Besides pegging for 31 and go, the player may also peg for certain 906103c340Sarnoldcombinations made in play, as follows: 91*e4dd4c49Sbostic 92*e4dd4c49Sbostic Fifteen: 936103c340Sarnold Making the count total 15 pegs 2. 94*e4dd4c49Sbostic Pair: 95*e4dd4c49Sbostic Playing a card of same rank as that previously played pegs 96*e4dd4c49Sbostic 2. Playing a third card of the same rank makes pair royal 97*e4dd4c49Sbostic and pegs 6. Playing the fourth card of the same rank 98*e4dd4c49Sbostic makes double pair royal and pegs 12. 99*e4dd4c49Sbostic 100*e4dd4c49Sbostic The tenth cards pair strictly by rank, a king with a king, 101*e4dd4c49Sbostic a queen with a queen, and so on. (King and jack do not 102*e4dd4c49Sbostic make a pair, although each has the counting value 10.) 103*e4dd4c49Sbostic Run: 104*e4dd4c49Sbostic Playing a card which, with the two or more played 105*e4dd4c49Sbostic immediately previously, makes a sequence of three or more 106*e4dd4c49Sbostic cards, pegs 1 for each card in the run. Runs depend on 107*e4dd4c49Sbostic rank alone; the suits do not matter. Nor does the score 108*e4dd4c49Sbostic for run depend upon playing the cards in strict sequence, 109*e4dd4c49Sbostic so long as the three or more last cards played can be 110*e4dd4c49Sbostic arranged in a run. Example: 7, 6, 8 played in that order 111*e4dd4c49Sbostic score 3 for run; 5, 2, 4, 3 played in that order score 4 112*e4dd4c49Sbostic for run. 113*e4dd4c49Sbostic 114*e4dd4c49Sbostic Any of the foregoing combinations count, whether the cards 115*e4dd4c49Sbostic are played alternately or one player plays several times 116*e4dd4c49Sbostic in succession in consequence of a go. But a combination 117*e4dd4c49Sbostic does not score if it is interrupted by a go. 118*e4dd4c49Sbostic 119*e4dd4c49Sbostic Showing: 120*e4dd4c49Sbostic After the play, the hands are shown (counted). Nondealer 121*e4dd4c49Sbostic shows first, then dealer's hand, then crib. The starter 122*e4dd4c49Sbostic is deemed to belong to each hand, so that each hand includes 1236103c340Sarnold five cards. Combinations of scoring value are as follows: 124*e4dd4c49Sbostic 125*e4dd4c49Sbostic Fifteen: 126*e4dd4c49Sbostic Each combinations of two or more cards that total 127*e4dd4c49Sbostic fifteen scores 2. 128*e4dd4c49Sbostic Pair: 1296103c340Sarnold Each pair of cards of the same rank scores 2. 130*e4dd4c49Sbostic 131*e4dd4c49Sbostic Run: 132*e4dd4c49Sbostic Each combination of three or more cards in sequence 133*e4dd4c49Sbostic scores 1 for each card in the run. 134*e4dd4c49Sbostic Flush: 135*e4dd4c49Sbostic Four cards of the same suit in hand score 4; four 136*e4dd4c49Sbostic cards in hand or crib of same suit as the starter 137*e4dd4c49Sbostic score 5. (No count for four-flush in crib.) 138*e4dd4c49Sbostic His Nobs: 139*e4dd4c49Sbostic Jack of same suit as the starter, in hand or crib, 140*e4dd4c49Sbostic scores 1. 141*e4dd4c49Sbostic 142*e4dd4c49Sbostic It is important to note that every separate grouping of cards that 143*e4dd4c49Sbosticmakes a fifteen, pair, or run counts separately. Three of a kind, pair 144*e4dd4c49Sbosticroyal, counts 6 because three sets of pairs can be made; similarly, four 145*e4dd4c49Sbosticof a kind, double pair royal, contain six pairs and count 12. 146*e4dd4c49Sbostic 147*e4dd4c49Sbostic The highest possible hand is J, 5, 5, 5 with the starter the 5 of 148*e4dd4c49Sbosticthe same suit as the jack. There are four fifteens by combining the jack 149*e4dd4c49Sbosticwith a five, four more by combinations of three fives (a total of 16 for 150*e4dd4c49Sbosticfifteens); the double pair royal adds 12 for a total of 28; and his nobs 151*e4dd4c49Sbosticadds 1 for a maximum score of 29. (the score of 2 for his heels does not 152*e4dd4c49Sbosticcount in the total of the hand, since it is pegged before the play.) 153*e4dd4c49Sbostic 154*e4dd4c49Sbostic A double run is a run with one card duplicated, as 4-3-3-2. 155*e4dd4c49SbosticExclusive of fifteens, a double run of three cards counts 8; of four cards, 156*e4dd4c49Sbostic10. A triple run is a run of three with one card triplicated, as K-K-K-Q-J. 157*e4dd4c49SbosticExclusive of fifteens, it counts 15. A quadruple run is a run of three 158*e4dd4c49Sbosticwith two different cards duplicated, as the example 8-8-7-6-6 previously 159*e4dd4c49Sbosticgiven. Exclusive of fifteens, it counts 16. 160*e4dd4c49Sbostic 161*e4dd4c49Sbostic No hand can be constructed that counts 19, 25, 26 or 27. A 162*e4dd4c49Sbostictime-honored way of showing a hand with not a single counting combination 163*e4dd4c49Sbosticis to say "I have nineteen." 164*e4dd4c49Sbostic 165*e4dd4c49Sbostic The customary order in showing is to count fifteens first, then 166*e4dd4c49Sbosticruns, then pairs, but there is no compulsion of law. Example: A hand 167*e4dd4c49Sbostic(with starter) of 9-6-5-4-4 will usually be counted "Fifteen 2, fifteen 168*e4dd4c49Sbostic4, fifteen 6 and double run makes 14," or simply "Fifteen 6 and 8 is 14." 169*e4dd4c49Sbostic 170*e4dd4c49SbosticMuggins: 171*e4dd4c49Sbostic 172*e4dd4c49Sbostic The hands and crib are counted aloud, and if a player claims a 173*e4dd4c49Sbosticgreater total than is due him, his opponent may require correction. In 174*e4dd4c49Sbosticsome localities, if a player claims less than is due, his opponent may 175*e4dd4c49Sbosticsay "Muggins" and himself score the points overlooked. 176*e4dd4c49Sbostic 177*e4dd4c49SbosticScoring: 178*e4dd4c49Sbostic 179*e4dd4c49Sbostic The usual game is 121, but it may be set at 61 by agreement. 180*e4dd4c49SbosticSince the player wins who first returns to the game hole by going "twice 181*e4dd4c49Sbosticaround," the scores must be pegged strictly in order: his heels, pegging 182*e4dd4c49Sbosticin play, non-dealer's hand, dealer's hand, crib. Thus, if nondealer goes 183*e4dd4c49Sbosticout on showing his hand, he wins, even though dealer might have gone out 184*e4dd4c49Sbosticwith a greater total if allowed to count his hand and crib. 185*e4dd4c49Sbostic 186*e4dd4c49Sbostic When the game of 121 is played for a stake, a player wins a single 187*e4dd4c49Sbosticgame if the loser makes 61 points or more. If the loser fails to reach 188*e4dd4c49Sbostic61, he is lurched, and the other wins a double game. 189*e4dd4c49Sbostic 190*e4dd4c49SbosticIrregularities: 191*e4dd4c49Sbostic 192*e4dd4c49Sbostic Misdeal. There must be a new deal by the same dealer if a card 193*e4dd4c49Sbosticis found faced in the pack, if a card is exposed in dealing, or if the 194*e4dd4c49Sbosticpack be found imperfect. 195*e4dd4c49Sbostic 196*e4dd4c49Sbostic Wrong Number of Cards. If one hand (not crib) is found to have 197*e4dd4c49Sbosticthe wrong number of cards after laying away for the crib, the other hand 198*e4dd4c49Sbosticand crib being correct, the opponent may either demand a new deal or may 199*e4dd4c49Sbosticpeg 2 and rectify the hand. If the crib is incorrect, both hands being 200*e4dd4c49Sbosticcorrect, nondealer pegs 2 and the crib is corrected. 201*e4dd4c49Sbostic 202*e4dd4c49SbosticError in Pegging: 203*e4dd4c49Sbostic 204*e4dd4c49Sbostic If a player places a peg short of the amount to which he is 205*e4dd4c49Sbosticentitled, he may not correct his error after he has played the next card 206*e4dd4c49Sbosticor after the cut for the next deal. If he pegs more than his announced 207*e4dd4c49Sbosticscore, the error must be corrected on demand at any time before the cut 208*e4dd4c49Sbosticfor the next deal and his opponent pegs 2. 209*e4dd4c49Sbostic 210*e4dd4c49SbosticStrategy: 211*e4dd4c49Sbostic 212*e4dd4c49Sbostic The best balking cards are kings and aces, because they have the 213*e4dd4c49Sbosticleast chance of producing sequences. Tenth cards are generally good, 214*e4dd4c49Sbosticprovided that the two cards laid away are not too near (likely to make a 215*e4dd4c49Sbosticsequence). When nothing better offers, give two wide cards -- at least 216*e4dd4c49Sbosticthree apart in rank. 217*e4dd4c49Sbostic 218*e4dd4c49Sbostic Proverbially the safest lead is a 4. The next card cannot make 219*e4dd4c49Sbostica 15. Lower cards are also safe from this point of view, but are better 220*e4dd4c49Sbostictreasured for go and 31. The most dangerous leads are 7 and 8, but may 221*e4dd4c49Sbosticbe made to trap the opponent when they are backed with other close cards. 222*e4dd4c49SbosticGenerally speaking, play on (toward a sequence) when you have close cards 223*e4dd4c49Sbosticand off when you do not. However, the state of the score is a 224*e4dd4c49Sbosticconsideration. If far behind, play on when there is any chance of building 225*e4dd4c49Sbostica score for yourself; if well ahead, balk your opponent by playing off 226*e4dd4c49Sbosticunless you will surely peg as much as he by playing on. 227