Cribbage: Play Online for Free (Solo & Multiplayer)

Cribbage is a classic 2-player card game that combines luck, skill, and quick-witted thinking. With over 300 years of history, this beloved British pub game has spread throughout the English-speaking world. Players score points by forming card combinations during play and in their hands, racing to be the first to peg out at 121 points on the cribbage board. On World of Card Games, the first dealer is chosen at random.

Play free Cribbage online against the computer or challenge other players. No signup required to get started. You can either join a public table or create your own private table to play with friends and family. So shuffle the deck, deal the cards, and let the pegging begin!

Rules

We've created a detailed page explaining how to play Cribbage with all the rules. If you're new to the game, we suggest heading over there to learn the basics. The page includes an interactive tutorial that will teach you while you play. If you're just looking for a quick refresher, look no further.

The goal is to reach 121 points before your opponent by scoring combinations during the play and in your hand. Each player is dealt 6 cards and must discard 2 to the "crib," a bonus hand that scores for the dealer. A start card is then turned up, and players take turns playing cards, counting up toward 31 and scoring for pairs, runs, and totals of 15.

After all cards are played, players score their hands using the start card as a shared fifth card. Points are earned for combinations that total 15, pairs, runs of three or more, and flushes. The dealer then scores the crib in the same way. The first player to reach 121 points wins the game.

Card values for counting are: Ace = 1, number cards = face value, face cards (J, Q, K) = 10. For ranking purposes, cards run from Ace (low) through King (high).

Strategy

Success in Cribbage requires balancing several considerations: keeping a good hand, discarding wisely to or against the crib, and smart play during the pegging phase. We've summarized some of the most useful strategic points below.

Discarding to the Crib:

When you're the dealer, you want to put good cards in the crib since it scores for you. Fives are especially valuable because they combine with any ten-card to make 15. Connected cards that could form runs are also good choices for your own crib.

When your opponent is the dealer, avoid giving them helpful cards. Never put a 5 in their crib if you can help it. Avoid pairs or connected cards. Wide cards (like 9 and King) are safer since they can't combine into runs and are less likely to form 15s together.

The Play:

Try to play cards that keep the count at positions where your opponent can't score 15 or 31. Leading with a card lower than 5 is often wise since your opponent can't make 15 immediately. Be careful about playing cards that could set up runs for your opponent.

Remember that the last card played scores at least one point (for "go" or "last"). Position yourself to play more cards when the count resets, or force your opponent to say "go" while you still have playable cards.

Would you like to try your hand at Cribbage? Join a table and start pegging toward 121!