Cribbage is a two-person card game that has been popular since the 17 Century. It is a complex, addictive game that can be easily played by a beginner, but provides new challenges for the more advanced player.


HOW TO PLAY

The object of the game is to score 121 points before you opponent does. A standard 52 deck of cards is used. Points are scored from combinations of cards that total 15, from pairs, straights, flushes, by scoring 31 in the play of the hand, or by playing the last card in a cycle that does not reach 31.

SELECTING A DEALER

Keys:
Click 8 on the keypad to deal the cards to the players.

The game begins with each opponent cutting a card from the deck. The competitor with the lowest card gets to deal and owns the first "crib". The dealer deals six cards to each player from a shuffled deck.

THE DISCARD

Keys:
Use 4 and 6 on the keypad to scroll through your cards.
Use 2 on the keypad to select/unselect a card for discard.
Use 8 on the keypad to commit the discard.

Each player selects two cards to discard. The discarded cards form the "crib" which is not played, but gets scored after the dealt cards are played. The "crib" belongs to the dealer.

THE CUT

The non-dealer cuts a card from the deck. If the card is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 for "his heels". The cut card is not used in the play, but gets counted with each of the hands in the scoring.

THE PLAY

Keys:
Use 4 and 6 on the keypad to scroll through your cards.
Use 2 on the keypad to play a card.
Use 8 on the keypad to indicate that you have no move. This is important to remember, because the game will not continue until you push it.

The cards are played alternately with the non-dealer playing first. Played cards are summed at each play, and the sum cannot exceed 31. When no more cards can be played it is called a "Go". The last player to play a card gets 1 point if the sum is not 31, or 2 if the sum is 31.
If there are still cards in either players hand, a new round starts, with the sum being set back to 0. Jack, Queen, and King are all worth ten points. Ace is worth one.

There might come a point where one player cannot play a card, either because his cards are too large, or because he has run out of cards. If this happens, the other player has to keep playing cards until he can't play anymore. When no cards are left in either the players hand, the hands are scored, and if neither player has reached 121 points, the cards are shuffled and a new round is dealt. The new dealer is the person who did not deal the last time. This process repeats itself until one player wins by scoring 121 points. If the other player has less than 91 points, he has been "skunked" and loses two games.

SCORING IN THE PLAY

During the play, it is possible to earn points by playing certain combinations of cards. Cards in the play are scored as:

Runs of three or more are scored as the number of cards in the run. The run does not have to be played sequentially. For instance, three cards played in the order 6, 4, 5 will count as a 3 point run.
Pairs, three of a kind, and four of a kind are scored if more than one card of the same face are played in a row. For instance two Tens count as a pair, but a Jack and a Queen do not, because even though they have the same value, they have different faces. If a pair is played, the last to play scores 2. If three of a kind is played, the last to play scores 6. If four of a kind is played, the last to play scores 12.
If the running total ever reaches 15, the player playing the card that caused it to reach 15 scores 2 points.
The last person to play a card in a round that does not reach 31 receives 1 point.
The last person to play a card in a round that reaches 31 receives 2 points.


SCORING THE HAND

After all the cards are played, the cards that were dealt to the hand are scored. The card that was cut at the beginning gets counted in each of the hands during the scoring. The dealer also scores the "crib". Points are earned in the hand as:

2 points for any set of cards that adds to 15
Points equaling the number of cards in the run for any run
2 points for pair
6 points for 3 of a kind
12 points for 4 of a kind
4 points for a flush of 4 cards, provided that the non-flush card is the cut card. Flushes of 4 cards are not counted in the "crib"
5 points for a flush of 5 cards