Best Cribbage Hand

29: The Best Cribbage Hand Possible The highest scoring cribbage hand you can get is worth 29 points. It consists of a Jack and three fives. The cut card is the five of the same suit as the Jack. The best cribbage hand is three fives and a Jack that matches the suit of the cut card which is also a five. These five cards will have a total score of 29 points, which is the best hand possible in cribbage.

Traditional Cribbage is a card game that has been around since the 17th Century. It involves creating hands composed of pairs, runs, flushes, and sums to 15. Here at eCribbage.com, you can play 2 player, 3 player, and 4 player games. You can also play teams, muggins, and jokers.

Here is a perfect cribbage hand and the points. You may just switch the jack and the matching 5 of the cut to get the 4 possible perfect cribbage best hands. If the cut does not match the jack or you have a 10 value card instead of the jack, then you have 28 points only instead of the best cribbage hand. Your hand is and the cut is to match.

What features make eCribbage.com the best?

How to play (2 player):

The players cut to see who gets the first 'crib'. Players are dealt 6 cards each, and both have to discard 2 cards into the crib. Then a community card is cut that will play for both hands in the show. If a jack is cut for the cut card, the player with the crib immediately gets 2 points. (This is called His Nobs). Now on to the play:

The play

Players take turns playing (pegging) their cards one at a time and announcing the total sum of the cards. Face cards count for 10. If the sum is equal to 15 or 31, that player gets 2 points. If the player forms a pair, they get 2 points. A triple pair is worth 6 points, and a quadruple pair is worth 12 points. If either player forms a run of 3 or more, they get to claim that many points as well. Runs do not necessarily have to be played in order. For example if 4,7,5,6 was played, whoever laid the 6 would get to claim a run for 4 points.

You are not allowed to play a card to make a sum over 31, so if you play to 28 and your opponent only has cards of over 3, they will say GO and you will continue to play as many cards as you can up to 31. You also claim one point for playing the last card of every trick. Whoever played the last card in the trick, their opponent starts the next trick. When all cards have been played, you move on to the show.

The show

The show is where you count all the hands up. The player that does not have the crib counts first, then the player with the crib counts their hand, and then finally the crib is counted. Scores count for the following:

2 points for every pair

3 points for every run of 3.

4 points for every run of 4.

5 points for a run of 5.

2 points for each sum to 15.

4 points for a flush

1 additional point for a 5 card flush.

1 point for 'His Heels', if you have a jack and the suit matches the cut card.

Best Cribbage Hand Calculator

How to play (3 player):

3 player crib is very similar to 2 player crib except players are dealt 5 cards each instead of 6. They only throw one card each to the crib, and one card is taken off the top of the deck and placed in the crib.

eCribbage.com also provides the variant where the dealer (the player with the crib) can deal themself 6 cards, and the rest of the players 5. The dealer throws 2 cards to their crib, and the rest of the players throw 1 card to the crib.

Best Cribbage Hand Image

Second Best Cribbage Hand

How to play (4 player):

Best Cribbage Hand 29 Points

4 player crib is very similar to 2 player crib except players are dealt 5 cards each instead of 6. Every player throws one card to the crib. The play goes clockwise through all players. There is also a 2 vs 2, team cribbage game that is described on the team cribbage page.