Cribbage Squares Scoring
Scoring a Five Card Cribbage Hand
Suppose we had a hand of four cards and a starter card, making up the five card cribbage hand below, the scoring would go like this:
Totals of Fifteen
You count 2 points for each and every distinct combination of cards which together total 15 (Jacks, Queens and Kings all have values of 10 and Aces score low as 1).
8
and
7
= 2 Points8
and
7 = 2 Points8
and
7 = 2 Points8
and
7 = 2 PointsThis would score us a total of 8 points for our combinations of 15.
Sequences
1 point is scored for each card belonging to each unique sequence of three or more cards.
7,
8,
9 = 3 Points7
,
8,
9 = 3 Points7
,
8,
9 = 3 Points7
,
8,
9 = 3 PointsThis would score us a total of 12 points for our sequences.
Pairs
Each distinct pair of cards of the same rank score 2 points each.
7 and
7 = 2 Points8
and
8 = 2 PointsSo our two sevens and two eights would give us a total of 4 points for our pairs. Three cards of the same rank score 6 points (for the three distinct pair combinations) and is called a Pair Royal. If a hand contains all four cards of the same rank then 12 points are scored (for the six distinct pair combinations) and is called a Double Pair Royal.
Flush
If all five cards are of the same suit then you are awarded 5 points for a Flush.
Nob and Starter Nob
Finally, if we had a Jack in our hand of the same suit as the Starter then a single extra point would have been awarded for what is known in Cribbage terms as his "Nob". This is quite an unfortunate term in England where phrases along the lines of "I've got a nob in my hand" and "I'm going to beat you with my nob" are the source of great amusement, and have served to brighten up many a dreary game of Cribbage. Unfortunately most Americans won't understand the cause of such hilarity; but you can't expect to live "The American Dream" and have a laugh at the same time can you ? Anyway, if the starter had itself, been a Jack, then 2 points would have been awarded for the "Starter Nob".
Our total score for the above hand would have been 8 + 12 + 4 = 24 Points. This is a very high scoring hand as counts of 8 are probably nearer the average. Incidentally, the highest scoring five card crib consists of a hand of four 5s and a Jack turned starter. This would score 16 Points for fifteens (four combinations of 5 + J and four combinations of three 5s), 12 for a Double Pair Royal and 2 for the Starter Nob, giving a grand total of 30 points !
A Completed Cribbage Square
Here's a screen shot of a typical completed cribbage square for you to analyse. The scores for each of the eight cribbage hands are shown, and described below.
| Row 1 (10 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
5 and
K,
5 and
J,
5 and
Q
| 6 Points | ||
| Sequences: |
J,
Q,
K
| 3 Points | ||
| Nob: |
J
| 1 Point | ||
| Row 2 (6 Points) | ||||
| Pairs: |
Q,
Q,
Q
| 6 Points | ||
| Row 3 (21 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
7 and
8,
7 and
8,
7 and
8
| 6 Points | ||
| Sequences: |
7,
8,
9 and
7,
8,
9 and
7,
8,
9
| 9 Points | ||
| Pair Royal: |
7,
7,
7
| 6 Points | ||
| Row 4 (24 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
8 and
7,
8 and
7,
7 and
8,
8 and
7
| 8 Points | ||
| Sequences: |
7,
8,
9 and
7,
8,
9 and
7,
8,
9 and
7,
8,
9
| 12 Points | ||
| Pairs: |
8 and
8,
7 and
7
| 4 Points | ||
| Column 1 (14 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
7 and
8,
8 and
7
| 4 Points | ||
| Sequences: |
5,
6,
7,
8 and
5,
6,
7,
8
| 8 Points | ||
| Pairs: |
7 and
7
| 2 Points | ||
| Column 2 (6 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
8 and
7,
8 and
7
| 4 Points | ||
| Pairs: |
7 and
7
| 2 Points | ||
| Column 3 (7 Points) | ||||
| Fifteens: |
7 and
8,
7 and
8
| 4 Points | ||
| Pairs: |
7 and
7
| 2 Points | ||
| Nob: |
J
| 1 Point | ||
| Column 4 (4 Points) | ||||
| Pairs: |
Q and
Q,
9 and
9
| 4 Points | ||
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