Cribbage Calculator
Cribbage Hand Calculator: Count Any Hand Instantly
Free cribbage calculator: pick your four cards and the starter to count fifteens, pairs, runs, flush and nobs. Works for hands and the crib.
Choose the four cards in your hand and the starter card. The calculator counts the hand the way you would at the table — fifteens, pairs, runs, flush and his nobs — and shows each part, so you can check a count or learn where the points come from. Tick “Crib” to apply the stricter crib flush rule.
Count a cribbage hand
29 points
- Fifteens16
- Pairs12
- Runs0
- Flush0
- His nobs1
How the calculator counts
- Fifteens: every different combination of two to five cards adding to 15 scores 2. Picture cards count 10, Aces 1.
- Pairs: 2 for every pair, which makes three of a kind 6 and four of a kind 12.
- Runs: only the longest run length scores, once for each way of making it.
- Flush: 4 for four hand cards of one suit, 5 if the starter matches. A crib needs all five.
- His nobs: 1 for the Jack in hand that matches the starter’s suit.
His heels — 2 points to the dealer when the starter itself is a Jack — is scored at the cut, not in the show, so it is not part of a hand total.
Hands worth trying
| Hand | Starter | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 5♥ 5♦ 5♣ J♠ | 5♠ | 29 — the best possible hand |
| 5♥ 5♦ 5♣ 5♠ | K♥ | 28 |
| 4♥ 4♦ 5♣ 5♠ | 6♥ | 24 |
| 3♥ 3♦ 3♣ 4♠ | 5♥ | 21 |
| 10♥ J♥ Q♥ K♥ | 5♥ | 18 |
| 5♣ 5♦ 6♥ 7♠ | 8♣ | 12 |
Why your count and the calculator disagree
- A missed fifteen made of three or four cards, such as 2 + 3 + 4 + 6.
- Counting a run of four as two runs of three, or forgetting the second run a duplicate card creates.
- Claiming a flush with three hand cards and the starter, which scores nothing.
- Counting nobs for a Jack that does not match the starter’s suit.
Use it to choose your discards
Dealt six cards, you keep four. Try the four-card hands you are considering with a few likely starters — a ten-card is the most common starter because sixteen of the 52 cards count 10. Remember who owns the crib: as dealer, the two cards you throw also score for you; as non-dealer, avoid giving away fives and pairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the calculator count pegging points?
No. It counts the show — a hand or the crib with the starter. Pegging depends on the order cards are played.
What does the Crib option change?
Only the flush. A hand scores a flush with four cards of one suit; the crib needs all four cards and the starter to match.
Why can’t I enter the same card twice?
A standard deck has one of each card, so a hand with a duplicate cannot happen. The calculator asks you to change one of them.
Is there a hand worth 19?
No. 19 is one of the totals no cribbage hand can make, which is why players say “nineteen” to mean a hand worth nothing.