How to Play Cribbage (2 Player)

Cribbage is a classic card-and-peg game of counting, combinations, and strategy. In the two-player version, players race to score points by forming card combinations and pegging them on the board.

The goal is to be the first player to reach 121 points.

What you’ll need

• A standard 52-card deck (remove jokers)
• A cribbage board and 2 pegs per player
• 2 players

About the board

• 60-peg boards are commonly used for travel and compact two-player games.
• 120-peg boards allow the full 121-point game to be tracked in a single pass.

Both board types use the same rules and scoring.

Set up

• Each player places two pegs at the starting position.
• Players take turns being the dealer; the non-dealer cuts the deck.

Dealing

• The dealer deals 6 cards to each player.
• Each player chooses 2 cards to discard into the crib.
• The crib belongs to the dealer.

The cut (starter card)

• The non-dealer cuts the deck.
• The dealer reveals the top card, called the starter.
• If the starter is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately (“his heels”).

Card values

• Ace = 1 point
• Cards 2–10 = face value
• Jack, Queen, King = 10 points

The play (pegging)

Starting with the non-dealer, players take turns laying down one card at a time, keeping a running total that may not exceed 31.

• If you cannot play a card without exceeding 31, say “Go”.
• The last player to play a card scores 1 point (or 2 points if the total is exactly 31).
• The count then resets to zero and play continues with the remaining cards.

Points scored during pegging:

• 15 = 2 points
• 31 = 2 points
• Pair = 2 points
• Three of a kind = 6 points
• Four of a kind = 12 points
• Runs of 3 or more = 1 point per card

Counting the hands

After all cards have been played:

1. The non-dealer counts their hand first
2. The dealer counts their hand
3. The dealer counts the crib last

Each hand consists of the player’s four cards plus the starter card.

Scoring combinations

• 15s: Any combination totaling 15 = 2 points
• Pairs: 2 / 6 / 12 points
• Runs: 3 or more consecutive cards
• Flush (hand): 4 cards same suit = 4 points (5 if the starter matches)
• Flush (crib): All 5 cards must match suit
• His nobs: Jack matching the starter’s suit = 1 point

Winning the game

The first player to reach or pass 121 points wins immediately, even if this happens during pegging or hand counting.