Use a standard 52-card deck and a cribbage board
Decide who deals first, usually by cutting the deck; lowest card deals
Deal 6 cards to each player
Each player chooses 2 cards to discard face down into the crib
The non-dealer cuts the deck, and the dealer turns the top card face up as the starter
If the starter is a Jack, the dealer scores 2 points for “his heels”
Players take turns playing one card at a time, adding to a running total
Do not let the running total exceed 31
Score points during play for:
15 for 2 points
Pairs for 2 points
Three of a kind for 6 points
Four of a kind for 12 points
Runs of 3 or more
Reaching exactly 31 for 2 points
If a player cannot play without going over 31, they say “go”
The other player continues if possible
When no one can play, reset the count to 0 and continue with the remaining cards
After all cards are played, each player scores their hand
The non-dealer scores first, then the dealer scores
The dealer also scores the crib using the 4 crib cards plus the starter
Score hands for:
15 for 2 points
Pairs
Runs
Flushes
Nobs, if a Jack matches the starter’s suit
In the crib, a flush counts only if all 5 cards are the same suit
Use the cribbage board to keep score
First player to reach 121 points wins
If both players can win in the same round, the player who reaches 121 first wins
Rotate the deal after each hand