What is a cribbage board?
A cribbage board is a scoreboard with rows of small holes, one track for each player. Instead of writing scores down, you move small pins called pegs along your track. That is where the word “pegging” comes from.
Boards are traditionally made of wood, and many players own one that has been passed down in the family. The design dates back to the game’s invention in 17th-century England.
How many holes?
- Continuous (121-hole) boards: each player has one long track of 120 holes plus a final game hole. You travel once around to win.
- Traditional 60-hole boards: two rows of 30 holes per player. You go “twice around” the board and finish in the game hole — the same 121 points.
- Holes are grouped in fives so you can count quickly.
How to move the pegs
Each player has two pegs. At the start, both sit in the start holes.
- When you score, move your back peg forward past your front peg by the number of points.
- The peg you moved becomes your new front peg.
- Next time you score, leapfrog with the other peg.
Why two pegs? The gap between your pegs always shows your most recent score. If anyone miscounts, you can see it and put it right.
Streets and the skunk line
Players often split the board into sections called streets:
| Section | Holes |
|---|---|
| First street | 1–30 |
| Second street | 31–60 |
| Third street | 61–90 |
| Fourth street | 91–120 |
| Game hole | 121 |
Many boards mark a skunk line after hole 90. If you lose without passing it, you are skunked, and the winner usually scores an extra game. Finishing below 61 is a double skunk.
Types of cribbage boards
- Two-player straight boards — the classic rectangle.
- Continuous track boards — a single winding path, often in the shape of a loop or a “29”, after the best possible hand.
- Three- and four-player boards — three tracks in a triangle, or four tracks for partnership games.
- Travel boards — small folding boards with storage for pegs and cards.
Playing without a board
You don’t need a board to play. Paper and pencil work, and in our free online cribbage game the on-screen board moves both pegs for you, showing every point as it happens. New to the game? Start with the cribbage rules.
Questions
What is a cribbage board?
A cribbage board is a scoreboard, usually wooden, with a track of holes for each player. Players move pegs along their track to record points. A full game is 121 points.
How many holes are on a cribbage board?
A standard board has 121 holes per player: two laps of 60 holes plus a final game hole. Some boards have 61 holes per player and you go around twice.
What are the cribbage pieces called?
They are called pegs. Each player has two pegs in their own colour. Many boards have a small storage compartment for spares.
Why do you use two pegs in cribbage?
Moving the back peg ahead of the front peg each time you score means the gap between them always shows your last score. If someone miscounts, it is easy to check and fix.
Do I need a cribbage board to play?
No. Pencil and paper work fine. When you play online at Play Daily Cards, the board on screen moves the pegs for you.
Ready to play?Free cribbage in your browser — start at Beginner and work up to Advanced.
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