This makes sense, and it looks better than the other options: 3,4,5, and 7 which is only worth 5 points (3+7+15 = 15 for two and a run for three more). Many people will look at their hands and immediately think: I’ll keep the 5, 10, 10, and maybe the 7 for 6 points. Imagine you have the following hand, and it’s your crib:ģ of hearts, 4 of clubs, 5 of spades, 7 of diamonds, 10 of spades, 10 of clubs. The other half considers all your options, including the crib as a separate entity. It’s pretty tough, so I made this Cribbage counting cheat sheet for you to use. Half of this tip only works if you’re great at counting points. You want to maximize your earnings, and the cards in your crib are part of those earnings. One of the most obvious, yet often messed up, strategies are to make sure you keep the highest points possible when you’re the dealer.ĭon’t just count your hand consider what you throw away. Keep The Highest Number Of Points As Dealer Psssst! I also do videos on discard tips. Whole books have been written on discard alone, and it’s critical in making the most of your luck in Cribbage.įor more information on skill and luck in Cribbage, check out our detailed article at the link. What you choose to discard from your hand into either your crib or your opponent’s crib is the most important decision, affecting how the game goes.Īs such, there are a lot of strategies and decisions to make at this point in the game. If It’s Really Close, Don’t Worry About The Crib At All Discard Strategies.If Dealer Is About To Win, Sacrifice Points For A Crazy Cut.Sacrifice Count In Pegging To Keep Down Score At The End.

Save Pegging Cards When You Have A Bad Hand.Use Probable Cuts Not The One You Want.Keep The Highest Number Of Points As Dealer.

Pdf how to play cribbage