Play Cribbage Online – Free, No Download
Classic two-player cribbage right in your browser — play cribbage against the computer or with a friend. New to the game? Start the computer at Beginner level and work up to Advanced — it counts every point for you and never peeks at your cards. Or pass-and-play with a friend on one phone, tablet or laptop. No download, no signup, no waiting for a match — and you can install it on your phone like a cribbage app.
- vs ComputerThree bot levels — Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.
- 2 players, 1 deviceHands stay hidden when you pass the screen.
- Auto-countingEvery fifteen, pair, run and nob is scored and explained.
- Works on mobileBuilt for phones first, and just as good on desktop.
- Plays offlineAfter your first visit it works without internet. Install it like an app.
Cribbage for 2 players
Cribbage is at its best as a two-player game, and there are two ways to play it here:
- 2 players on one device. Choose Pass & play in Settings. When the turn changes, both hands are covered until the next player taps, so nobody sees the other’s cards. Great for playing with a partner, a friend or family at the table.
- You against the computer. No second player? Play the computer at Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level, any time.
Either way, the game deals, keeps score on the board and counts every hand for you. Need a refresher first? Read the cribbage rules for 2 players.
New to cribbage?
Is cribbage hard to learn? Not at all. The rules fit on one page, and you only need to spot three things: cards that add up to 15, pairs, and runs like 4-5-6. Most people are playing confidently after a game or two.
Here is the whole game in five steps:
- Deal six cards each. Throw two face-down into the crib, a bonus hand for the dealer.
- Cut a starter card. It counts as part of everyone's hand.
- Play cards in turn, keeping a running total up to 31. Score for hitting 15 or 31, pairs and runs.
- Count your hand with the starter: fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and his nobs.
- Move your peg. The first player to 121 points wins.
Tips for your first games: choose Beginner level, tap Hint whenever you're unsure, and read the score breakdown after each hand — the game shows exactly where every point came from.
Want a guided start? Try the cribbage for beginners practice game, with a tip on every turn and a worked scoring example.
How to play cribbage
Cribbage — often just called crib — is a two-player card game played with a standard 52-card deck and a pegging board. The first player to score 121 points wins. Each round has four stages:
- Deal and discard. Each player gets six cards and throws two face-down into the dealer’s crib.
- Cut the starter. A card is turned face up and counts as part of every hand. A Jack gives the dealer 2 points (“his heels”).
- The play (pegging). Take turns laying cards and counting up to 31. Score for 15, 31, pairs, runs and the last card.
- The show. The non-dealer counts first, then the dealer’s hand, then the crib.
Read the full cribbage rules with worked examples, including rules for 3 and 4 players.
Cribbage scoring
In the show you score 2 for every combination adding to 15, 2 for each pair, 1 per card in a run, 4 or 5 for a flush and 1 for “his nobs” (the Jack of the starter’s suit). The highest possible hand is 29. Keep the printable cribbage scoring cheat sheet handy, or count any hand with the free cribbage calculator.
Cribbage strategy in brief
- Discard with the crib in mind: feed your own crib pairs, 5s and 15s; give your opponent cards far apart, like a King and a 2.
- Lead low: a 4 or lower means your opponent can’t make 15 straight away.
- Watch the score: play safe when ahead, take chances when behind.
More in our cribbage strategy guide and the guide to the cribbage board and pegs.
Cribbage guides and tools
Cribbage FAQ
Is this cribbage game free?
Yes. It is completely free, runs in your browser and needs no download, app or account.
Can I play cribbage against the computer?
Yes. Choose Play the bot and pick a level: Beginner is relaxed and forgiving, Intermediate is a fair fight, and Advanced plays like an expert. The computer never looks at your cards.
Can two people play cribbage on one phone or tablet?
Yes. Pick Pass & play in Settings. When the turn changes, the screen hides both hands until the next player taps, so neither player sees the other's cards.
How many points do you need to win cribbage?
The first player to reach 121 points wins, which is twice around a standard cribbage board plus the final hole.
What is a skunk in cribbage?
You are skunked if you lose with fewer than 91 points, and double skunked if you finish below 61. In match play a skunk often counts as an extra game win for the winner.
What is the highest possible cribbage hand?
29 points: three 5s and the Jack in your hand, with the fourth 5 turned as the starter in the same suit as your Jack. It scores 16 for fifteens, 12 for four of a kind and 1 for his nobs.
Why do cribbage players say “nineteen” for a zero hand?
No combination of five cards can score exactly 19 points, so saying nineteen became a joking way to announce a hand worth nothing. 25, 26 and 27 are also impossible scores.
Can I play cribbage offline?
Yes. Once you have opened the game once, it keeps working without an internet connection. To keep it on your home screen, use Install the app, or on iPhone tap Share then Add to Home Screen.
Is cribbage hard to learn?
No. Most people learn cribbage in one or two games. You make fifteens, pairs and runs, and the first to 121 points wins. Start at Beginner level and the game counts every hand for you and explains the points.
Who counts first in cribbage?
The non-dealer (pone) always counts first, then the dealer counts their hand, then the dealer counts the crib. If the non-dealer reaches 121 first, they win even if the dealer would also have got there.
What is a cribbage board?
A cribbage board is a wooden scoreboard with rows of holes, usually 121 per player, and pegs for keeping score. Each player moves two pegs, leapfrogging the back peg past the front one, so a mistake is easy to spot.
What are the cribbage pieces called?
The scoring pieces are called pegs. Each player has two pegs in their own colour, and many boards keep a spare in a small storage slot.
Where did cribbage originate?
Cribbage is credited to the English poet Sir John Suckling in the early 1600s, who adapted it from an older game called Noddy. It spread with English sailors and settlers and remains one of the most popular two-player card games in the UK, the USA and Canada, with clubs and tournaments still running today.