Official Six Card Cribbage Rules

Last Updated on April 9, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Six Card Cribbage is the most popular modern variation of Cribbage, typically played by two people, though it also scales well for three players or four in teams of two. This flexibility has helped make it the standard version of the game in English-speaking countries today.

Interested players might also want to explore Five Card Cribbage, an older version that still has a following in parts of the UK.

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How to Play Six Card Cribbage

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Number of Players

• Standard game: 2 players
• Optional formats: 3 players (cutthroat) or 4 players (fixed teams)

Objective

Be the first player to score 121 points, which typically takes several hands. Points are earned through card combinations played or held in your hand or the crib.

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Equipment

• Deck: Standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
• Board: A Cribbage board with pegs to track score from 0 to 121
• Cards rank from King (high) down to Ace (low): K, Q, J, 10, 9 … 2, A

Scoring is tracked using two pegs per player. After earning points, you leapfrog the rear peg ahead of the front peg to show your new total.

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Setup

Deciding First Dealer

Each player cuts the deck; the lower card deals and also gets the first crib. If there’s a tie (including matching face cards), re-cut.

Players alternate dealing each round. Games are typically played as best two out of three. In a third game, players cut again to determine the starting dealer.

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Dealing

• Each player is dealt 6 cards face down
• Remaining cards form a face-down stack
• Each player chooses 2 cards to discard face down into the crib (dealer’s bonus hand)
• The non-dealer cuts the deck, and the dealer reveals the top card of the lower pile—this is the starter
• If the starter is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points immediately: “Two for his heels”

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Card Play

Players take turns laying down one card at a time, tracking a cumulative total up to 31. Cards are played face up in individual piles, and the total value is called out as each card is played:

• Face cards (J, Q, K) = 10
• Ace = 1
• Number cards = face value

If you can’t play without going over 31, say “Go.” Your opponent continues, pegging for any points scored, and then you start a new count from zero.

If someone plays a card to make exactly 31, they peg 2 points.

If neither player can play and the count is less than 31, the last player to lay a card pegs 1 point (“One for last”).

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Scoring During Play

You score points as follows during play:

Combination	Points	Notes
Fifteen	2	Any combination summing to 15
Pair	2	Two cards of same rank
Pair Royal	6	Three of same rank
Double Pair Royal	12	Four of same rank
Run of 3+ cards	1 point per card	Cards must be consecutive in value and played in a row
Thirty-one	2	Total reaches 31
Last Card	1	Last playable card under 31

Example:

Player A: plays King → 10
Player B: plays 6 → 16
A plays King → 26
B says Go
A plays 2 → 28
A plays 2 → 30 (scores 3 for a pair + last card)

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The Show

After play ends, players reveal hands and score them using the starter card as part of each hand. Non-dealer scores first, followed by the dealer’s hand, then the crib.

Valid scoring combinations:

Combination	Points	Notes
Fifteen	2 each	Any combo of cards totaling 15
Pair	2	Two of same rank
Pair Royal	6	Three of same rank
Four of a Kind	12	All four of same rank
Run (3, 4, or 5 cards)	3-5	Must be in sequence
Flush	4 or 5	4 if hand only, 5 if including starter (crib flush must be all 5 cards)
One for His Nob	1	Jack in hand matches starter’s suit

You may count a card multiple times in different combinations. For example, a hand of 7, 8, 8, K with a 9 starter can score:

• Fifteen 2 (7+8), fifteen 4 (7+8), pair is 6, run is 9, another run is 12.

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Muggins (Optional Rule)

If a player misses a valid score when counting their hand or crib, the opponent can call “Muggins” and claim the missed points. In cutthroat circles, you don’t even need to say anything—just peg the points they overlooked.

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Winning

The first player to peg past 120 wins. It doesn’t need to be an exact 121—going over is fine. The game ends instantly, even if during a show or on the starter card.

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3-Player and 4-Player Variants

Three-Handed

• Deal 5 cards each and 1 to the crib
• Each player discards 1 card to the crib
• Play continues clockwise
• The player left of the dealer starts the play
• All other rules remain the same

Four-Handed (2 Teams)

• Play and scoring follow the usual structure
• Partners sit across from each other
• Deal 5 cards per player
• Each player contributes 1 card to the crib
• Partners may assist with pegging but cannot signal or advise on plays

Six Card Cribbage is the most widely played version of the game today, typically involving two players but also playable with three or four. This guide covers everything from setup and dealing to scoring combinations and optional rules like Muggins, including variations for 3 and 4 players.