Cribbage Scoring: How to Count a Hand (with Chart)
To count a cribbage hand, take your four cards plus the starter and add up: 2 points for every combination making 15, 2 for every pair, 1 per card in every run of three or more, 4 for a four-card flush (5 if the starter matches) and 1 for the Jack of the starter's suit (His Nobs). Count in that order and say it out loud: "fifteen two, fifteen four, and a pair is six."
Cribbage scoring chart
| Combination | Points | When |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen (any cards adding up to 15) | 2 each | Pegging and the show |
| Pair | 2 | Pegging and the show |
| Three of a kind (pair royal) | 6 | Pegging and the show |
| Four of a kind (double pair royal) | 12 | Pegging and the show |
| Run of 3, 4 or 5 cards | 1 per card | Pegging and the show |
| Flush: 4 cards of a suit in the hand | 4 (5 with the starter) | Show (hand only) |
| Flush in the crib (all 5 cards) | 5 | Show (crib) |
| His Nobs: Jack of the starter's suit | 1 | Show |
| His Heels: the starter is a Jack | 2 to the dealer | Cut |
| Exactly 31 | 2 | Pegging |
| Go, or the last card | 1 | Pegging |
How to count a hand, step by step
Counting is easy once you always go in the same order. Look at all five cards (your four plus the starter) and work through this list:
- Fifteens. Find every different group of cards that adds up to 15: two cards, three, four or all five. Each group is 2 points.
- Pairs. Every pair of same-rank cards is 2. Three of a kind holds three pairs (6), four of a kind six pairs (12).
- Runs. A run is three or more cards in sequence, suits don't matter. Score 1 per card. If a card is doubled, the run counts twice: 4-5-5-6 is two runs of three.
- Flush. Four hand cards of one suit: 4. With a starter of that suit too: 5.
- Nobs. A Jack in your hand of the same suit as the starter: 1.
Counting the example: fifteens 4+5+6 twice (once with each 5) and 5+J twice: four fifteens, 8. Pair of 5s: 2 (10 so far). Runs 4-5-6 twice, one with each 5: 6 (16). Nobs: the J♠ matches the 5♠ starter: 1. Total 17. Said out loud: "fifteen two, four, six, eight, a pair is ten, a double run is sixteen, and nobs is seventeen."
Shortcuts for runs
| Cards | Name | Points for runs and pairs |
|---|---|---|
| 4-5-5-6 | Double run of three | 8 (two runs of 3 + a pair) |
| 4-5-5-6-7 | Double run of four | 10 (two runs of 4 + a pair) |
| 4-5-5-5-6 | Triple run | 15 (three runs of 3 + three of a kind) |
| 4-4-5-5-6 | Double double run | 16 (four runs of 3 + two pairs) |
Counting the crib
The crib is counted exactly like a hand, by the dealer, after their own hand. The only difference: a flush in the crib needs all five cards (the four crib cards and the starter) to be one suit. Four of a suit in the crib scores nothing.
Scores you can't get
No hand can score 19, 25, 26 or 27. That's why players joke about a "nineteen hand" when they score nothing at all. The best possible hand is 29; see the best cribbage hands.
In the GameLake cribbage game every show is counted out loud and each scoring group lights up in turn, so you can check your own count against it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you count fifteens in cribbage?
Find every different combination of cards (two or more) that adds up to 15, counting J, Q and K as 10. Each combination is 2 points. The same card can be part of several fifteens.
How many points is a run in cribbage?
1 point per card: a run of three is 3, four is 4, five is 5. A duplicated card makes a double run, counted twice.
Does a flush count in the crib?
Only if all five cards, the four crib cards and the starter, are the same suit. Then it's 5 points.
What is His Nobs worth?
1 point: a Jack in your hand or the crib that matches the starter's suit.
What is the average cribbage hand?
A little under 5 points on average, before the crib. Most hands score between 2 and 10, so 8 is a good hand and 12 or more a great one.
Can you score 19 in cribbage?
No. 19, 25, 26 and 27 are impossible, so "19" is slang for a hand worth nothing.