Cribbage Scoring Guide: Master Your Hand!

Hey guys, ever found yourself staring at your hand in Cribbage, a deck of cards in one hand and a peg board in the other, wondering, "Wait, how many points did I actually just get?" You're not alone! Cribbage is this awesome, classic card game that's super chill with just a deck of cards and that iconic peg board. But let's be real, the scoring can sometimes feel like cracking a secret code. If you're just diving into a game, or maybe it's been a minute since your last Cribbage showdown, a quick refresher on how to tally up those points is a total game-changer. Understanding the scoring is key to not just playing, but actually winning this fantastic game. We're going to break down how to score your hand in Cribbage, making sure you can confidently count those points and leave your opponents in the dust. So grab your cards, get your pegs ready, and let's get this scoring party started!

The Basics: What Makes a Scoring Hand in Cribbage?

Alright team, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of scoring your hand in Cribbage. Before we even think about pegs and fancy combinations, we need to understand the fundamental building blocks of scoring. In Cribbage, points are awarded for specific combinations of cards you hold, as well as for the cards played during a turn. The core idea is to create sets of cards that add up to specific point values. The most common ways to score are through pairs, runs, and combinations that add up to fifteen. You'll also be looking for flushes and, of course, that magical royal flush of the Cribbage world – the 15-card combination with three of a kind, known as a 'royal marriage'. Keep in mind, every single card in your hand (and the starter card, which we'll get to) has the potential to contribute to your score. So, when you're looking at your hand, you're essentially scanning for these scoring patterns. Think of it like a treasure hunt for points! Don't just look at individual cards; look at how they interact with each other. The goal is to create as many scoring combinations as possible with the cards you have and the starter card revealed. This might seem a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be spotting those points like a pro. Remember, the game is played to 121 points, so every single point counts. Mastering the art of scoring your hand is the most critical step towards achieving that winning score.

Counting to Fifteen: Your Point-Scoring Foundation

Let's start with the most fundamental scoring opportunity in Cribbage: counting to fifteen. Seriously, guys, this is the bedrock of scoring, and it's probably the most frequent way you'll earn points. Anytime you can get a combination of cards that adds up to exactly 15, you get two points. Yes, just two points, but trust me, they add up faster than you think! So, how does this work? Well, face cards – Jacks, Queens, and Kings – are all worth 10 points. Aces are worth 1 point. Number cards are worth their face value. So, a 7 is worth 7 points, a 3 is worth 3 points, and so on. You'll be looking for any two cards that sum to 15. For example, a 7 and an 8? That's 15, so that's two points right there! A 10 and a 5? Boom, two points. A Queen (worth 10) and a 5? Again, two points. It gets a little more complex when you have three or more cards that can make 15. If you have three cards that can be combined to make 15, you get two points for each unique combination. For example, if you have a 5, a 7, and an 8, you can make 15 in two ways: 7 + 8, and 5 + (the remaining cards to make 15, which would be 10, but we only have a 5, 7, 8, so let's rephrase). Let's say you have a 5, a 10, and an Ace. You can make 15 with the 5 and the 10 (two points). You can also make 15 with the Ace and the 10 (two points). Wait, that's not right either. Let's simplify this. If you have a hand with cards like: a 5, a 7, an 8, and a Jack (which is 10). Let's say the starter card is a 10. In this scenario, you have a 5, a 7, an 8, a Jack (10), and the starter 10. Now, how many ways can we make 15? We have a 7 and an 8 (two points). We have the Jack (10) and the 5 (two points). We have the starter 10 and the 5 (two points). We also have a 7, an 8, and the starter 10. That doesn't make 15. How about a 7, an 8, and the Jack (10)? Nope. Okay, let's try another combination with the starter card. Let's say your hand is: 5, 7, 8, Jack. Starter card is a 10. Your total cards are 5, 7, 8, Jack (10), and the starter 10. Let's find our 15s: 7+8 = 15 (2 points). Jack(10)+5 = 15 (2 points). Starter 10+5 = 15 (2 points). Now, what if you have three cards that make 15? Let's say your hand is: 6, 9, Ace, King. Starter card is a 6. Your cards are 6, 9, Ace(1), King(10), and the starter 6. Here, 6+9 = 15 (2 points). King(10)+Ace(1)+a 4 would make 15, but we don't have a 4. So, let's focus on what we do have. The starter 6 and the 9 make 15 (2 points). The King (10) and the 5 would make 15, but we don't have a 5. So, let's focus on our actual hand: 6, 9, Ace(1), King(10), starter 6. We have a 9 and a 6 (2 points). We have a King (10) and an Ace (1) and another 6. That doesn't make 15. Okay, let's try this one: Hand is 5, 5, 5, King. Starter is 10. Cards are 5, 5, 5, King (10), starter 10. Here's how we score: Three 5s make 15 in one way (5+5+5=15 - not quite). Ah, the trick is combinations. Let's get back to basics. The most straightforward way is two cards adding to 15. If you have three cards that can be combined in different ways to make 15, you get points for each way. For example, if you have cards 5, 7, 8 and the starter is a 10. You have 7+8 (2 points). You have 5+10 (2 points). That's 4 points just from those combinations. If you have four cards that can make 15? Let's say you have 5, 5, 5, 5. And the starter card is a 10. You have four 5s. Each pair of 5s makes 10. That doesn't help for 15. Okay, final attempt at explaining the magic of 15s: If you have cards that, when paired with any other card in your hand or the starter card, add up to 15, you score 2 points for each such pairing. If you have a 5, a 7, and an 8, and the starter is a 10. The 7 and 8 make 15 (2 points). The 5 and the starter 10 make 15 (2 points). So that's 4 points. Now, imagine you have three cards that can make 15. Let's say you have a 7, an 8, and a 9. And the starter card is a 6. Cards are 7, 8, 9, starter 6. You have 7+8 = 15 (2 points). You have 9+6 = 15 (2 points). That's 4 points. What if you have a 5, a 5, a 5, and a King (10)? Starter is a 10. Cards are 5, 5, 5, King (10), starter 10. You have the King (10) and one of the 5s (2 points). You have the starter 10 and one of the 5s (2 points). Now, what about combinations of three cards? You have three 5s. If you combine any two 5s with the King (10) or the starter 10, you get 15. For example, 5+5+King = 15 (2 points). 5+5+starter 10 = 15 (2 points). So you're starting to see how these points can stack up. The rule is simple: every time you can form a combination of cards that sums to 15, you score 2 points. And if a card can be used in multiple combinations to make 15, you score points for each distinct combination. It's all about looking for those pairs, triples, or even quadruples that hit that magic number.

Pairs and Triplets: Doubling Up Your Points

Next up on our scoring journey are pairs, triplets, and quadruplets. These are super common and another fantastic way to rack up points. A pair is pretty self-explanatory: two cards of the same rank. So, two 7s, two Queens, two Aces. If you have a pair, you score two points. Easy peasy. But here's where it gets fun: if you have three cards of the same rank (a triplet), you actually score six points! Why six? Because you can form three different pairs from those three cards (Card 1 & Card 2, Card 1 & Card 3, Card 2 & Card 3). Each pair is worth two points, so 2+2+2 = 6 points. And if you're really lucky and pull four cards of the same rank (a quadruplet), you score a whopping twelve points! That's because you can form six different pairs from four cards (four choose two, for those math whizzes out there!), and 6 pairs * 2 points/pair = 12 points. So, always be on the lookout for matching ranks. These pairs can often be combined with other scoring combinations, especially the 'fifteens'. For instance, if you have a pair of 7s and the starter card is an 8, those two 7s make a pair (2 points), and then one of those 7s combined with the 8 makes 15 (another 2 points), and the other 7 combined with the 8 makes 15 (yet another 2 points). See how it adds up? Don't forget to check if your pairs can also form 'fifteens' with other cards in your hand or the starter card.

Runs: Straight Sequences Score Big

Ah, the run! This is where things start to feel like you're really getting somewhere in Cribbage scoring. A run is simply a sequence of three or more cards in numerical order, regardless of suit. The most common run is three cards long, like a 4, 5, 6, or a 9, 10, Jack. If you have a run of three cards, you score three points. If you have a run of four cards (e.g., 7, 8, 9, 10), you score four points. And if you manage to get a run of five cards (which is the maximum you can have in your hand plus the starter card), you score five points! The cool thing about runs is that they can be formed using cards from your hand and the starter card. So, if you have a 4 and a 6 in your hand, and the starter card is a 5, BAM! You've got a three-card run (4, 5, 6) and you score 3 points. Now, what happens if you have multiple cards of the same rank that can form runs? This is where it gets juicy! If you have a run, and you also have a pair of one of the cards in that run, it's like a super-powered score. For example, let's say you have a 4, a 5, a 6, and another 5. And the starter card is a 7. Your cards are 4, 5, 6, 5, starter 7. You have a run of 4, 5, 6 (3 points). You also have a run of 5, 6, 7 (3 points). BUT, you also have a pair of 5s. So, you have the run 4-5-6. Then you have the pair of 5s. This means you can form the run twice using those two 5s. So, you have the run 4-5-6 using the first 5 (3 points), and then you have the run 4-5-6 using the second 5 (another 3 points). That's 6 points just from that! If you have a triplet in a run, it's even better. If you have 4, 5, 6, and two more 5s, and the starter is a 7. You have the run 4-5-6. Then you have three 5s. Each pair of 5s can form a run with the 4 and 6. So, it's the run 4-5-6 (3 points), then the run 4-5-6 again (3 points), and then the run 4-5-6 a third time (3 points). That's 9 points for the runs alone, plus any points for the pairs themselves if you were scoring them separately (though typically, you group these into the run score). The key is to recognize that duplicates within a run multiply the score of that run. So, if you have a three-card run and a pair of one of the cards in that run, you get 3 points (for the run) * 2 (for the pair, creating two instances of the run) = 6 points. If you have a three-card run and a triplet of one of the cards, you get 3 points * 3 (for the triplet, creating three instances of the run) = 9 points. This is why runs, especially with duplicate cards, are incredibly valuable!

The Flush: Suits Matter (Sometimes!)

Now, let's talk about the flush. This is where the suits of your cards come into play. A flush is when you have four cards of the same suit in your hand. If you achieve this, you score four points. But here's a crucial detail: this typically only applies to your hand, not the Crib. A flush in the Crib is only worth points if all five cards (your four cards plus the starter card) are of the same suit, and even then, it's only worth five points. So, a four-card flush in your hand is worth 4 points, but a five-card flush in the Crib is worth 5 points. However, there's one exception to the