Cribbage · Play online
Play cribbage online for free, in your browser
This browser game is a free online cribbage game that lets you play full games against three different computer opponents. No download or account creation is required. Each computer opponent has a different difficulty level, from easy to hard.
How does a hand of cribbage work?
Each player is dealt six cards, and each discards two to create the crib. The crib is an extra four-card hand that belongs to the dealer, who gets to count it and score points from it at the end of the hand.
The non-dealer (also known as the pone) cuts the deck after the discards, and the dealer flips up the starter card. That card becomes a fifth card when each hand and the crib are scored. If the starter card is a jack, the dealer immediately scores two points for his heels.
The non-dealer plays the first card during the play, and both players then take turns while keeping a running count. In cribbage, aces are worth one, cards two through ten are worth their face value, and jacks, queens and kings are worth ten. You must play a card if one of your cards keeps the total at 31 or under.
If you cannot play a card without taking the count over 31, you call go. The other player continues with any legal cards they have left. Whoever plays the last card in the sequence gets one point, unless that card makes exactly 31, in which case they score two points. The count then starts over at zero. The other player leads if they have a card left; otherwise, the player who laid the final card leads again.
Once every card has been played, the non-dealer counts first, followed by the dealer and then the dealer's crib. The first player to reach or pass 121 wins immediately.
For a longer explanation with real examples, read the full guide on how to play cribbage.
Where do the points come from?
This table lays out the different combinations and ways you can score points when counting a hand or crib.
| Combination | Points |
|---|---|
| Each distinct combination of cards adding to fifteen | 2 |
| A pair, rising to 6 for three of a kind and 12 for four | 2 |
| A run of three or more consecutive ranks, suits irrelevant | 1 per card |
| A flush, four hand cards of one suit, five if the starter matches | 4 or 5 |
| His nobs, a jack matching the starter's suit | 1 |
A run uses consecutive ranks; suit does not matter. Aces are always low. A longer run always replaces any shorter runs contained inside it. A four-card flush can score four points in your hand, but to score a flush in your crib, all four cards plus the starter need to share the same suit.
During play, making the running count exactly 15 scores two points. If you play a card that matches the rank of the card that was just played, you score two points for a pair. You score six points for three of a kind and twelve points for four of a kind. Flushes and nobs score only when counting hands and the crib, not during play.
Our cribbage hand-scoring guide explains more and gives real examples to help you follow along.
What makes this browser game different?
This website and the Nobs cribbage app both use the same cribbage engine, which enforces cribbage rules faithfully and allows you to challenge human-like computer players.
- An honest shuffle. The browser's cryptographic random source seeds the game, and each hand begins with a fresh shuffle of the full 52-card deck. The cards are fixed before either side acts, and the difficulty setting never changes the deal. Sometimes you will get a great hand; sometimes the computer players will, just like in real life.
- The computer players cannot cheat. Computer players do not have access to hidden information. They can see their own cards and the same public game information you can, but they cannot see the unplayed cards in your hand.
- Better computer players are just better cribbage players. The harder computer players do not get better hands; they are honestly just better players. They have better board sense; they know discard strategies; they anticipate and think about what the human player might do.
Common questions
Is this online cribbage game free?
Yes. You can play as many games as you want without creating an account, providing an email address or installing anything.
Do I need to download anything?
No. The game runs on this page in a browser on a desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. If you would like a more complete experience, such as being able to play against friends, play against more computer players, earn achievements, and use coaching and training tools, you can get the Nobs app for iPhone on the App Store.
Can I play cribbage online with friends?
Not in this browser game. This website offers single-player cribbage against computer opponents only. The Nobs iPhone app lets you play friends and other people.
Can the computer see my cards?
No. Just like in real life (unless you are not careful), the computer cannot see your cards. The computer can see its own cards, the starter, and the cards that have already been played during a hand. It can think about what cards you might have, just like a person across the table can, but that is it.
Does the game save anything?
No game or game history is saved in this browser game. The page keeps your sound and game-speed preferences between visits. Aggregate analytics data about in-game behavior and outcomes is recorded, as explained in the website privacy notice.
Does this game use muggins?
No. Muggins is an optional rule that lets an opponent claim points you failed to count, but the browser game scores each hand automatically. Because there is no missed total to claim, muggins does not apply, and playing without it is still standard cribbage.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. The game works in a browser on a phone as well as on a tablet or desktop, with no installed app or plugin required.
Will the game continue if my connection drops?
Yes, if the page and opponent have already loaded. You need a connection to open the page, but the game engine and computer opponent then run inside the browser, so losing internet during play will not interrupt the game.
What is a skunk in this game?
In a standard cribbage game to 121, a loser finishing the game with a score between 61 and 90 is skunked. If the loser finishes with a final score of 60 or less, that is a double skunk.
Where can you learn more?
Continue with the part you need:
By the Nobs Cribbage team Last reviewed 2026-08-19