Cribbage Two-Player Setup: Frequently Asked Questions

A standard two-player game of **Cribbage** uses a standard 52-card deck (without jokers) and a cribbage board with two pegs per player. The target score is **121 points**.

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### Frequently Asked Questions: Two-Player Setup

#### 1. How many cards are dealt to each player?

The dealer deals **6 cards** face-down to each player (one at a time).

#### 2. How many cards go into the Crib?

Each player chooses **2 cards** from their hand to discard face-down into the "Crib" (a extra 4-card hand owned by the dealer). This leaves each player with **4 cards** in their active hand.

#### 3. How is the first dealer determined?

Both players cut the deck. The player who cuts the **lowest-ranked card** deals first.

* **Aces are always low** (worth 1).
* If both players cut cards of equal value, they re-cut.
* The deal alternates between players after every hand.

#### 4. What is the "Starter Card" (Cut Card)?

After both players throw 2 cards into the crib, the non-dealer (*Pone*) cuts the remaining deck. The dealer flips the top card of the lower stack face-up on top of the deck. This card acts as a 5th shared card for both players' hands and the crib during post-round scoring.

#### 5. What happens if the Starter Card is a Jack ("His Heels")?

If the dealer turns up a **Jack** as the starter card, the dealer immediately pegs **2 points** (called *"Two for His Heels"* or *"His Nibs"*) on the board before play begins.

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### Setup Sequence at a Glance