Yahoo! Games

CRIBBAGE RULES

Cribbage Home

History
Basics
Game Play
Scoring
Glossary

Go To: The Deal - The Play - Special Yahoo! Rules

The Play (pegging)

Starting with nondealer, each player in turn plays one card from his or her hand face up on the table. During the play, also known as the "pegging" phase, cards are kept in front of their owners after they are played so that players can count their hands later on.

Upon playing a card, the sum, or running total, of all the cards played so far is displayed. Aces count 1, face cards are 10, and other cards have their own face values. For example, if nondealer begins by playing a queen, "ten" would be displayed. If the dealer then played an eight, "eighteen" would be displayed. If the nondealer then played an ace, "nineteen" would be displayed.

The running total may not exceed 31. A player who plays a card that makes the total 31 exactly scores two points, and the total is then reset to zero. The other player then continues by playing a card, which begins a new running total. If a player cannot play a card without making the total exceed 31 he is said to "go." The opponent then plays one or more cards, if possible, without going over 31, and earns a point for making the opponent "go" (or, more accurately, for having played the last card on the way to 31); but if the opponent is able to reach 31 exactly, he or she earns only the usual 2 points for 31, not an additional one for the go.

If a player is forced to "go" and the opponent cannot play a card (or any more cards) without going over 31, the opponent also is then forced to "go"--which does not, however, give the first player to "go" a point (only one player earns a go on each trip to 31). After both players "go," the count is reset to zero; a new running total is begun when the next card is played.

Play continues until both players have played all their cards. The last player to play a card scores a point (sometimes also called a "go," sometimes called a point for "last card").

Back to Top

Next: Special Yahoo! Rules

The Play (pegging)
	Starting with nondealer, each player in turn plays one card from his or her hand face up on the table. During the play, also known as the "pegging" phase, cards are kept in front of their owners after they are played so that players can count their hands later on. Upon playing a card, the sum, or running total, of all the cards played so far is displayed. Aces count 1, face cards are 10, and other cards have their own face values. For example, if nondealer begins by playing a queen, "ten" would be displayed. If the dealer then played an eight, "eighteen" would be displayed. If the nondealer then played an ace, "nineteen" would be displayed. The running total may not exceed 31. A player who plays a card that makes the total 31 exactly scores two points, and the total is then reset to zero. The other player then continues by playing a card, which begins a new running total. If a player cannot play a card without making the total exceed 31 he is said to "go." The opponent then plays one or more cards, if possible, without going over 31, and earns a point for making the opponent "go" (or, more accurately, for having played the last card on the way to 31); but if the opponent is able to reach 31 exactly, he or she earns only the usual 2 points for 31, not an additional one for the go. If a player is forced to "go" and the opponent cannot play a card (or any more cards) without going over 31, the opponent also is then forced to "go"--which does not, however, give the first player to "go" a point (only one player earns a go on each trip to 31). After both players "go," the count is reset to zero; a new running total is begun when the next card is played. Play continues until both players have played all their cards. The last player to play a card scores a point (sometimes also called a "go," sometimes called a point for "last card"). Back to Top Next: Special Yahoo! Rules