Cribbage is a complicated game that sounds like it was invented by two kids going "I played a 2, you played a 4, then I played a 3, so that's a run, and I score," and the other kid going "well, my jack is the same suit as the flipped card, so I score," and back and forth until they couldn't come up with any more ridiculous ways to score points, then eventually grew up and were like, "remember that stupid game we used to play as kids? well, I found the paper where I scribbled down all the ridiculous ways to score. want to play?"
You didn't explain muggins. An optional rule but common for many veteran cribbage players is muggins. When scoring hands, whether the non dealer hand, dealer hand, or the crib, if the player scoring misses points after saying they are done scoring, the opponent can claim the missed points if they point out the error. For instance if the non dealer is scoring a hand that is 996J and the start card is a 4 of diamonds and says, "15 for 2 15 for 2 and a pair for 2. That makes six points and no more" but they fail to notice that the jack is also diamonds, the dealer can claim the 1 point for his nob that the nondealer missed. It makes the game a bit more cut throat and exciting.
I love playing & teaching friends how to play cribbage. I learned how to play as a teenager with my Dad. I taught my son & he taught his wife when they were dating. This video is helpful for me to share with anyone that wants to learn a great game.
Rule changes for 3 players: 0:15 A 3 player board must be used. One extra card is dealt to the crib. Each player is dealt 5 cards instead of 6. Each person chooses 1 card to give to the crib (so it will still end up with 4 cards). The player before the dealer cuts to the "Start Card", and the player after the dealer begins play at 1:59. 3:45 I've never heard of a version where the "Go" action gives out any points. Interesting. 3:48 this is the same for 3 players. 6:04 The dealer's hand is counted last for 3 players. They also of course have their crib. Also, losing with 90 points or less is considered being "Skunked" and 60 or less is "Double Skunked". ========--------======== Rule Changes for 4 Players: You play in teams of 2, each team using the same scoring pegs. Each team sits across from each other, so that the clockwise order is Team1, Team2, Team1, Team2. Each player is dealt 5 cards to their hand and chooses 1 to go into the crib. Any scoring during the play or the show goes to the team that scored it. The rest of the rules are the same as the 3 player game, including the dealer showing last, along with their crib. The first team to reach 121 points or more wins.
Imagine what this smells like: Over at city hall we have cribbage game and boiled chicken dinner every Tuesday night. Some idiot dummped his whole chicken dinner down the toilet. Then tried to flush it causing an overflow at city hall that went down the steps and out in to the street even. What a mess we had on our hands.
I grew up with cribbage and know the rules like the back of my hand (I'm younger than you'd think), but I now see the oddity of the game the moment I hear the objective of the game be stated by points instead of relative to the cribbage board. 121 certainly feels arbitrary, as does the scoring if you're unfamiliar
Can you explain “reminder, you may not score a flush, or, 1 for his knob when playing cards.” I understood everything but this portion. Is this referring to the portion when counting to 31? Thanks in advance.
Yes! there are 3 phases of the game: (1)the initial play of cards, counting to 31; (2) pegging individual points with the start card; & (3) the dealer counting the crib. In phase 1, you cannot count points for a flush or the jack suit. These points are only counted in phases 2 & 3 of the game.
Awsome. Thank you, i started to listen to one and thought omg this is so boring then i saw yous below and it all came clear. I use to ay with my mom a the time she passed 8 years ago. I cant believe i forgot how to play this . thank you for these clear instructions
Forgot to mention: how important it is that the non-dealer counts their hand first; if they reach 121 the dealer never gets to count their two hands. That's where the expression "three hands to my one" comes from. Also, my friends from western New York called nobs "the right jack!" How quaint!
It becomes pretty simple with practice. Pairs, runs, and flushes are fairly straightforward; the 'fifteen's becoming almost automatic mental math once you have some games under your belt; leaving the jacks as the only thing to watch out for, and there's only one of those in the deck that'll match the turned-up card at a time anyway... Just don't play with jerks who rush your counting while you're still learning and you'll do fine.
My family plays the game and we have a couple crafted boards from my mom’s grandparents, we also play with two to three players or four players in teams. I can’t quite remember how to play the three player variation but this game has a lot more room to be expanded if you have more than two people.
I just posted on comment on this, here's the 3 player changes: 0:15 A 3 player board must be used. One extra card is dealt to the crib when dealing the player hands. Each player is dealt 5 cards instead of 6. Each person chooses 1 card to give to the crib (so it will still end up with 4 cards). As usual, the crib is set aside for the dealer to use later. The player before the dealer cuts to the "Start Card", and the player after the dealer begins play at 1:59. 3:45 I've never heard of a version where the "Go" action gives out any points. I don't think this applies for 3 players. Interesting. 3:49 this is the same for 3 players. 6:04 The dealer's hand is counted last for 3 players. They also of course have their crib. Also fun fact, losing with 90 points or less is considered being "Skunked" and 60 or less is "Double Skunked".
thank you. for some reason, my family hasn't taught me how to play, yet expects me to just know how from watching them lol... i didn't know what was going on or how one was winning until i watched this video.
I watched twice and still don't get where all the cards come from. Only the first deal -- of six cards, with two discarded -- is described. What triggers additional deals, and of how many cards? I have fond memories of playing cribbage with my grandfather, but had no memory at all of how complicated the game is. I don't need a wooden board to do the scoring -- I need a computer to tell me how to score!
I was following it well until a certain point, and then that's it, got lost. Too much information, and I could not organize the details in a logical order.
Totally different scoring to how we play in the UK. Used to play years ago, but needed a refresher and this has totally confused me. We don't add face values.
Who invents all these hyper complicated games like this and bridge. They must have been really bord. No need to be this complex to have a fun card game
Cribbage can be played by 2, 3 or 4 players and is equally good for all those numbers. The game is quite complicated but not difficult. Luck of the deal and turn-up card ultimately determines the good and bad hands. The skill involved is discarding to the crib and the play up to 31 which makes the game such a moderate challenge.
Best instructions I’ve found. You know to explain outline of the game first, then the details so it’s in context. (I have an appreciation for explaining games well lol, it can be so difficult)
Awesome video but one thing my friends board (i dont have one) has three rows of dif colors is it able to be played eith three players or something?? Or is it nor really a cribbage board
I am looking all over youtube for this answer and cannot find it any. Please someone let me know. This is what happen. I bought the ge and started playing. Started the round with this hand. I was the dealer. They laid a 9, so I laid a 9, then they laid a 9. I couldn't lay down so I said go. Then they laid down an ace then a 2. That round was over. Then I started laying my last three cards down. They said I couldn't do that because they had not more cards. Do I play out my last three cards or reshuffle.
One thing to add is this is an old game played in some parts of England as part of pub leagues. some pubs have resident crib teams. when i used to play we played an aces high/low varient where you could declare the ace as 1 or 11. so an ace played at 20 points would give 31 if you wanted. it also meant runs could have an ace high or low. finally when we cut the deck it was not replaced but the cut wss completed by placing the top half of the pack under the bottom half.
