Cribbage Scoring
Cribbage Scoring: How to Count a Hand, With a Scoring Chart
How cribbage scoring works: fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and nobs in the show, plus pegging points. A full cribbage scoring chart with worked examples.
Cribbage scores in two places. During the play (pegging) you score as cards go down: 2 for making the count 15 or 31, 2 for a pair and 1 per card in a run. In the show, each four-card hand is counted together with the starter card: 2 for every combination adding to 15, 2 for every pair, 1 per card in each run, 4 or 5 for a flush and 1 for his nobs. The dealer then counts the crib the same way.
Cribbage scoring chart
Use this chart for both the show and the play. A dash means the combination does not score in that phase.
| Combination | In the show | In the play (pegging) |
|---|---|---|
| Fifteen (cards adding to 15) | 2 for each different combination | 2 when the count reaches exactly 15 |
| Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Three of a kind (pair royal) | 6 | 6 |
| Four of a kind (double pair royal) | 12 | 12 |
| Run of 3, 4 or 5 cards | 1 per card | 1 per card (runs can be longer in play) |
| Flush: four hand cards of one suit | 4 | — |
| Flush including the starter | 5 | — |
| Crib flush (all five cards) | 5 | — |
| His nobs: Jack of the starter’s suit in hand | 1 | — |
| His heels: the starter is a Jack | 2 to the dealer at once | — |
| Thirty-one | — | 2 |
| Go / last card under 31 | — | 1 |
Picture cards count 10 towards fifteen and Aces count 1. For pairs and runs, cards keep their rank: a Queen and a King are not a pair, and Jack, Queen, King is a run of three.
How to count a cribbage hand, step by step
Count in the same order every time and you will not miss points. Put the starter beside your four cards and treat all five as one hand.
- Fifteens: find every combination of two or more cards that adds to exactly 15. Say them out loud: “fifteen two, fifteen four…”.
- Pairs: every two cards of the same rank score 2. Three of a kind contains three pairs (6); four of a kind contains six pairs (12).
- Runs: three or more consecutive ranks score 1 per card. If a duplicate card lets you form the run in two ways, count it twice.
- Flush: four hand cards of one suit score 4, or 5 if the starter matches. The crib only scores a flush when all five cards match.
- Nobs: a Jack in your hand of the same suit as the starter scores 1.
Example: 5♣ 5♦ 6♥ 7♠ with an 8♣ starter. One fifteen (7 + 8) is 2, the pair of fives is 2, and 5-6-7-8 is a run of four that can be made with either five — two runs, 8 points. Total: 12.
Double runs and the combinations to memorise
Experienced players count these patterns at a glance instead of listing every run and pair:
| Pattern | Example | Runs and pairs |
|---|---|---|
| Double run of three | 3-4-4-5 | 8 (two runs of 3 + a pair) |
| Double run of four | 3-4-5-5-6 | 10 (two runs of 4 + a pair) |
| Triple run | 3-3-3-4-5 | 15 (three runs of 3 + three of a kind) |
| Double-double run | 3-3-4-4-5 | 16 (four runs of 3 + two pairs) |
These totals do not include fifteens. With a 5 starter, 3-3-4-4 holds two more fifteens (3 + 3 + 4 + 5 twice), so the full hand scores 20.
Pegging: scoring during the play
Players take turns laying one card face up and announcing the running total. You score when your card makes the total 15 or 31, pairs the previous card, or completes a run with the cards just played (the run does not need to be played in order: 4, 6, 5 is a run of three).
If you cannot play without going over 31, say “Go”. Your opponent keeps playing as long as they can; whoever plays the last card scores 1, or 2 for reaching exactly 31. The count then starts again from zero. The last card of the whole play also scores 1.
Flush in cribbage: the rules people get wrong
- A hand flush needs all four cards in your hand to be the same suit. Three hand cards plus a matching starter score nothing.
- The crib is stricter: its four cards and the starter must all match, for 5 points.
- Flushes never score during the pegging.
The order of counting and how a game ends
After the play, the non-dealer counts first, then the dealer counts their hand, then the dealer counts the crib. The first player to reach 121 points wins immediately — even in the middle of the show — so counting order matters in a close game.
Not sure about a hand? Enter it in the cribbage calculator and it shows every fifteen, pair, run, flush and nobs point separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points is a fifteen in cribbage?
Two points for each different combination of cards that adds to 15. A hand with three separate fifteens scores 6 for fifteens alone.
Does a run of four count as two runs of three?
No. Only the longest run counts. 4-5-6-7 is one run of four worth 4 points. You count a run twice only when a duplicate card gives two different ways to make it, as in 4-5-5-6.
Do face cards count as 10 in cribbage?
Yes, Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10 for fifteens and for the running total in play. For pairs and runs they keep their own rank.
Can you score a flush with the starter card?
Only if all four cards in your hand are already the same suit; a matching starter then raises the flush from 4 to 5. A crib flush needs all five cards to match.
What is the highest score in cribbage?
A 29 hand: three fives and the Jack of one suit in hand, with the five of that suit as the starter. See the best cribbage hands guide for the other top scores.