- Keep the four cards that score best with the starter, not just on their own.
- Give your own crib cards that work together. Give your opponent’s crib cards that don’t.
- Lead a card below 5. Don’t leave the count on 5 or 21.
- Ahead? Play safe. Behind? Take risks.
Discarding to the crib
You see six cards, keep four and throw two. Think about two things: which four score best together, and whose crib gets the other two.
When it’s your crib
- Throw cards that work together: a pair, two cards that make 15 (like 7-8 or a 5 with a ten-card), or two touching cards that could build a run.
- A 5 in your own crib is excellent — any ten-card turns it into 15.
- When two options score the same in your hand, choose the one that gives your crib the better cards.
When it’s your opponent’s crib
- Never give away a 5 if you can avoid it, and avoid pairs or 15s.
- Throw cards that are far apart, such as a King and a 2, or a 10 and an Ace — they rarely combine.
- Kings are the safest throw: nothing can run above them.
- Avoid throwing touching cards like 7-8 or 6-7 — they make both runs and fifteens.
Count the starter, not just your four cards
Your four cards are only part of the hand: the starter card joins them. Cards in the middle of the deck (4, 5, 6, 7) and hands with runs pick up points from many different starters, so a hand that scores a little less now can be the better keep. A Jack is worth keeping in a close decision too: if the starter matches its suit, it scores 1 for his nobs.
Discard examples
You are dealt 5♥︎ 6♣︎ 7♦︎ 8♠︎ K♥︎ 2♣︎.
Keep 5♥︎ 6♣︎ 7♦︎ 8♠︎: a run of four (4) and 7+8 for fifteen (2) is 6 points before the cut, and many starters add more. Throw K♥︎ 2♣︎ — far apart, so they are a safe gift to your opponent’s crib.
You are dealt 3♥︎ 4♦︎ 5♣︎ 5♠︎ J♥︎ K♦︎.
Keeping 5♣︎ 5♠︎ J♥︎ K♦︎ scores 10 right now (four fifteens and a pair). Keeping 3♥︎ 4♦︎ 5♣︎ 5♠︎ scores only 8 now (a double run of 3 and a pair), but almost any 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 starter adds a lot, so the two keeps are worth about the same once the starter is cut.
The crib breaks the tie. In your crib, keep 3-4-5-5 and throw J♥︎ K♦︎ to yourself: two ten-cards that make 15 with any 5 your opponent throws or that comes as the starter.
You are dealt 2♣︎ 5♥︎ 6♦︎ 7♠︎ 9♣︎ K♥︎.
Keep 2♣︎ 5♥︎ 6♦︎ 7♠︎ (a run of three and 2+6+7 for fifteen: 5 points) and throw 9♣︎ K♥︎. The 9 and King are far apart and add up to 19, so they give your opponent’s crib very little. Keeping the 5 matters here — throwing it would hand your opponent an easy fifteen.
Pegging strategy
- Lead low. Lead a 4 or lower so your opponent cannot make 15 straight away.
- Don’t lead a 5. Sixteen cards in the deck count as ten, so a 5 lead often gives up 15 for two.
- Lead from a pair. If you hold two 3s and lead one, a pair reply lets you answer with a pair royal for 6.
- Watch 5 and 21. A count of 5 lets any ten-card make 15, and a count of 21 lets any ten-card hit 31. Try not to leave the count on either.
- Play “off”, not “on”. Playing a card close in rank to your opponent’s (like a 7 on their 6) invites a run. Playing far away is safer when you have nothing to gain.
- Think before pairing. Pairing scores 2, but if they hold the third card it gives them 6.
- Keep a small card for the end. Low cards help you squeeze in the go or the last card for an extra point.
Your opponent leads 6♦︎. You hold 7♣︎ K♠︎ Q♥︎ 2♦︎.
Playing 7♣︎ makes 13 and puts two touching cards on the table: any 5 or 8 from your opponent scores a run of three, and an 8 also reaches 21. Playing K♠︎ instead makes 16. It is far from the 6, so no run is possible, and nothing they play can make 15. The King is the safer card.
If you held a 9♣︎, you would simply play it: 6 + 9 makes 15 for two.
Pegging traps to set and avoid
Traps you can set
- The pair-royal trap. Holding 3♥︎ 3♠︎, lead a 3. If your opponent pairs it for 2, you play the second 3 for a pair royal and 6.
- The answer trap. Holding 4♥︎ 4♠︎ 7♦︎, lead a 4. If your opponent plays a 7 to make 11, your second 4 makes 15 for two. If they pair your 4 instead, the same 4 gives you a pair royal for 6. Lead from cards you can answer.
Traps to avoid
- Don’t make the count 5 or 21 when you can help it.
- Don’t play a card one or two away from your opponent’s last card unless you can extend the run yourself.
- Don’t pair a card when you suspect they hold a third — for example, when they led it.
Playing the board (endgame)
Strong players change their style depending on the score. A common guide is that each player scores about 26 points across two deals (one as dealer, one as non-dealer), counting pegging, hand and crib.
- Ahead of that pace: play defensively. Give away nothing in pegging and throw safe cards.
- Behind: take more risks. Keep cards that could score big, even if they might score little.
- Near the finish: remember the counting order. The non-dealer counts first, so as the non-dealer you may only need your hand to win. As the dealer, focus on pegging enough to stop your opponent getting there first.
- Racing to 121: if you only need a few points, keep cards that peg well (low cards and pairs) instead of chasing a big hand.
- Watch the skunk line. When your opponent is below 91 late in the game, a little extra risk to keep them there can be worth a double win.
Common beginner mistakes
- Throwing a 5 into the opponent’s crib. It is the single most generous card you can give away.
- Ignoring whose crib it is. The same two cards can be a great throw to your own crib and a terrible one to your opponent’s.
- Leading a 5 or a ten-card. Both make it easy for your opponent to score 15.
- Missing points in the count. Practise with the calculator — and if you play muggins, your opponent can take what you miss.
How to practise
- Play the computer at Intermediate and tap Hint to compare its discard with yours. Then try to beat the Advanced level.
- Check tricky hands in the cribbage calculator until counting becomes automatic.
- Keep the scoring cheat sheet open while you play, and see the best cribbage hands to know what to aim for.
Questions
What is the most important skill in cribbage?
Discarding. Choosing which two cards to throw into the crib decides most of your points for the hand. Keep the four cards that score best together, and think about whose crib your two cards are going to.
What is the best card to lead in cribbage?
A card lower than 5, such as a 4, 3 or 2. Your opponent cannot make 15 in reply. Avoid leading a 5, because there are sixteen ten-value cards that turn it into 15 for two.
Should you keep 5s in cribbage?
Usually yes. A 5 makes fifteen with any ten-value card, and nearly a third of the deck counts as ten. Avoid throwing a 5 into your opponent’s crib.
What should you throw in your opponent’s crib?
Two cards that are far apart and don’t make 15, such as a King and a 2 or a 9 and a King. Avoid 5s, pairs, and touching cards like 7-8 that can build runs.
Should I always keep the highest-scoring four cards?
Not always. Think about the starter card too: a hand that scores slightly less now can score more on average once the starter is cut, especially runs and cards around 5. Then let the crib break the tie.
How do I get better at cribbage fast?
Play the computer, use Hint to compare your discards with the computer’s, and check tricky hands in the cribbage calculator. Most players improve fastest by fixing their discards first.
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