What Is the Crib in Cribbage?
The crib is an extra hand of cards that belongs to the dealer. In standard two-player cribbage, each player receives six cards and discards two cards face down into the crib. The dealer scores the crib after the players have counted their regular hands.
Once the crib has been formed, a starter card is revealed. This card is used along with the four crib cards to create combinations for scoring.
The crib is important because it gives the dealer an additional opportunity to earn points. However, the dealer should consider which cards to keep and which to discard, since the crib may contain cards contributed by both players.
How Do You Score the Crib in Cribbage?
The crib is scored using the same main combinations as a regular hand, but there is one important difference: **a four-card flush does not score in the crib.** All four crib cards and the starter must share the same suit to earn flush points.
The standard crib scoring categories are:
| Combination | Points |
|---|---|
| Each distinct combination totaling 15 | 2 |
| Pair | 2 |
| Three of a kind | 6 |
| Four of a kind | 12 |
| Run of three or more cards | 1 per card |
| Five-card flush | 5 |
| Nobs: a Jack matching the starter's suit | 1 |
A single card can contribute to multiple different scoring combinations. For example, a card may help form both a fifteen and a run. Count every valid combination separately, taking care not to count the same combination twice.
Does the Crib Score Differently From a Regular Hand?
Yes. Most scoring rules are the same, but flush scoring is different.
In a regular hand, four cards of the same suit score four points, even when the starter is a different suit. If the starter matches the suit, the five-card flush scores five points.
In the crib, all five cards must be the same suit for a flush to count. Four matching crib cards with a starter of another suit score no flush points.
This distinction is one of the most common sources of confusion for new players.
How Do Fifteens Work When Scoring a Crib?
A fifteen scores two points for every distinct combination of cards whose values add up to 15.
For counting purposes, Aces are worth one, number cards count at face value, and Jacks, Queens, and Kings count as ten.
For example, suppose the crib contains a 5, a 10, a 3, and a 7, with a 2 as the starter. The 5 and 10 form one fifteen, scoring two points. The 3, 10, and 2 form another fifteen, scoring two points.
Each distinct combination counts separately. The same card can appear in more than one valid combination.
How Many Points Does a Pair Score in the Crib?
A pair scores two points. Three cards of the same rank score six points because they form three distinct pairs. Four cards of the same rank score twelve points because they form six distinct pairs.
For example:
- Two Kings: 2 points.
- Three Kings: 6 points.
- Four Kings: 12 points.
The suits do not matter when identifying pairs. Only the card ranks must match.
How Do Runs Score in the Crib?
A run consists of three or more consecutive card ranks and scores one point per card.
Examples include:
- 4–5–6: 3 points.
- 5–6–7–8: 4 points.
- 7–8–9–10–Jack: 5 points.
The cards do not have to appear in numerical order. For example, 4–6–5 still forms a run of three.
Duplicate ranks can create double runs. A crib containing 4, 5, 5, and 6 has two separate runs of three, plus a pair of fives. The score is six points for the two runs and two points for the pair, making eight points before checking for other combinations.
What Is Nobs in Crib Scoring?
Nobs scores one point when the crib contains a Jack of the same suit as the starter card.
For example, if the starter is the 7 of Hearts and the crib contains the Jack of Hearts, the dealer scores one point for nobs.
The Jack does not need to form a pair or a run for this point to count. Nobs is a separate scoring feature.
Does the Dealer Always Score the Crib?
The crib belongs to the dealer, so the dealer scores it after the regular hands have been counted. However, the game can end before the crib is scored if a player reaches the winning total.
In standard cribbage, the first player to reach 121 points wins immediately. This means the order of scoring matters, especially when either player is close to the target.
The non-dealer normally counts their hand first, followed by the dealer's hand and then the crib.
Can the Crib Score Zero Points?
Yes. A crib may contain no valid fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes, or nobs. If no scoring combination exists, the crib scores zero points.
A zero-point crib is not an error. It simply means the five cards do not form any qualifying combinations.
Players should still check every possible combination before recording a zero, since it is easy to overlook a fifteen or a short run.
What Is the Difference Between the Crib and the Starter Card?
The crib is the dealer's extra hand made from four discarded cards. The starter, also called the cut card, is the card revealed after the crib has been set aside.
The starter is not owned exclusively by the dealer. It is used as the fifth card when scoring both players' hands and the crib.
This means one starter card can help create scoring combinations in several different places during the same round.
What Are the Most Common Crib Scoring Mistakes?
Beginners often make the following mistakes:
1. **Counting only one fifteen:** Every distinct combination totaling 15 scores two points.
2. **Forgetting double runs:** A duplicated rank can create multiple runs.
3. **Scoring a four-card crib flush:** The crib requires all five cards, including the starter, to share a suit.
4. **Missing nobs:** A Jack matching the starter's suit adds one point.
5. **Counting a combination twice:** List each distinct combination carefully.
6. **Ignoring the scoring order:** A player can win before all hands or the crib have been counted.
A useful approach is to check fifteens first, then pairs, runs, flushes, and nobs. With practice, this sequence makes scoring more reliable.
Conclusion
Cribbage crib scoring uses familiar combinations such as fifteens, pairs, runs, and nobs. The most important difference from regular hand scoring is that a crib only earns flush points when all five cards share the same suit.
To score accurately, examine every distinct combination, remember the special flush rule, and follow the correct order of play. Understanding these details helps beginners avoid common mistakes and makes cribbage easier to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
### How many cards are scored in the crib?
Five cards are scored: the four cards placed in the crib and the starter card.
### How many points does a fifteen score in the crib?
Each distinct combination totaling 15 scores two points.
### Can a crib have a four-card flush?
No. In standard cribbage, all five cards, including the starter, must share the same suit for the crib to score a flush.
### Does a pair in the crib score two points?
Yes. A pair scores two points, three of a kind scores six, and four of a kind scores twelve.
### Who scores the crib?
The dealer scores the crib after both regular hands have been counted, unless the game ends earlier because a player reaches the winning score.
### What is the maximum score in a cribbage hand?
The famous maximum hand score is 29 points. The highest possible score in a crib is a separate question and depends on the combinations available in the five crib cards.
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