I love to play Cribbage.
I am not sure many people play these days. I do remember a friend of mine from work many years ago played. We used to meet and play on a regular basis. I think we were just amazed that anyone else even knew how to play.
My father taught me. I have taught my children.
What I like about Cribbage is it uses a different logic that many card games. It isn’t a “tricks” game like Bridge, Hearts or Spades. It isn’t a gambling game in the same way as Poker or Blackjack. Although one can gamble. It is more like gambling on Backgammon.
I am not going to lay out the rules here. But points are created by pairs, runs, and having cards total 15.
The best hand is 29. That consists of the four 5’s (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs) plus the “right Jack.”
Each hand has four cards plus a common card that is cut from the deck. If you have four 5’s in your hand and the Jack is cut — that is only 28. The Jack must be in your hand and the 5 that is the same suit must be the cut card — hence you have the “Right Jack” in your hand and that gives you the extra point.
How the total is calculated:
- 5S + 5H + 5D = 15 for 2 points.
- 5S + 5H + 5C = 15 for 4.
- 5S + 5D + 5C = 15 for 6.
- 5H + 5D + 5C = 15 for 8.
- J + 5S = 15 for 10.
- J + 5H = 15 for 12.
- J + 5D = 15 for 14.
- J + 5C = 15 for 16.
- 5S + 5H + 5D + 5C = 4 of a kind for 12, added to the 16 = 28.
- The Right Jack is worth a point and that comes to 29.
