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In it's original form, the game of Cribbage was known as NODDY
and is probably one of the oldest card games still in
existence today. Cribbage, known simply as Crib, has been
popularly accredited to being invented by the English poet and
soldier, Sir John Suckling. (1609 - 1642)
Crib is a game for either 2 players or 4 players playing as
two sets of partners. A three handed version has been
developed but it's popularity is strictly limited.
In the not too distant past, Crib was a firm favourite with
servicemen and in pubs and clubs. Like most other card games,
it's popularity has waned in favour of watching TV or
listening to a "turn" in the club.
The game is played using an ordinary pack of cards with the
jokers removed and a CRIB BOARD for scoring on. Scoring could
be done on a piece of paper, calculator or even an abacus, but
a Crib Board is much more efficient and anyway it is
traditional. The Crib Board can also be used as a scoring
device for other card games.
The Crib Board, which can be bought quite cheaply at any shop
that sells games and things, is usually made from a piece of
wood or plastic and even metals like brass or copper and is
about 12" long, 2½" wide and ½" thick. Highly expensive
ornamental Crib Boards were carved from a variety of
materials, including ivory, by master craftsmen in days gone
by. No doubt that out in the Far East there are still a number
of these gifted craftsmen still carving superb Crib Boards.
There was a time that, for the sake of asking, breweries would
supply free of charge, packs of cards and crib boards, which
of course advertised the brewery's name. Pubs, clubs and any
bona fide organisation were the benefactors of this
unprecedented generosity and on occasion, the general public.
The Crib Board had holes drilled in it, of a diameter that
would comfortably seat a match. These holes were drilled in
the surface of the board in 2 lots of 6 groups of 10 holes
with 2 holes on their own at one end. Also drilled into the
board end were two holes some 3" deep into which were housed
the pegs when not in use. Each group of 10 holes was arranged
as two parallel rows of five holes. Therefore, starting at one
end in the outside lane, going all the way to the other end
and back down the inside lane and going all the way round
again and finishing in the single hole on its own, it was
possible to score 121 points. 121 is the score required to win
one leg at Crib.
When using the Crib Board to score, 2 pegs or matches per
player or team are used. On scoring the first points, say 2,
the first peg is placed in the second hole up the outside
lane. On scoring more points, say 4, the second peg is placed
in the fourth hole after the first peg. The first peg is left
in place until a third score is made. To peg the next score,
the first, or rear, peg is used and placed ahead of the second
peg in the appropriate hole. So, every time a score is pegged
the rear peg is used and placed the appropriate amount ahead
of the leading peg. This leap frogging method ensures that the
last score pegged is always displayed and that "mistakes" can
be spotted easily.
The rules of play differ only slightly between the 2 and 4
player game. For the 2 player game, each player is dealt 6
cards, 2 of which are set aside to make up the "box" or "crib"
of 4 cards. For a 4 player game, each player is dealt 5 cards,
one of which is set aside to form the Crib of still 4 cards.
In a 4 player game, the game is played as a partnership of two
players who sit opposite each other. A game, in all cases, is
the best of three legs and each leg is the first to reach 121
points, or twice round the board plus one.
The partners are selected by choice or chance in a 4 handed
game.
The dealer is selected (usually by cutting the cards method)
and the Crib always belongs to the dealer. The deal changes
after each hand in the two handed game and passes left in the
four handed game. There are no trumps or tricks in this game.
For the purposes of play and scoring, all pictures count as
ten and all other cards at face value, with the Ace as one.
The dealer shuffles the cards and offers the pack to his
opponent, to cut. In the case of 4 players, the player on the
dealer's right, cuts. The dealer deals six card, one at a time
to each player and places the remainder of the pack in the
centre of the table and FACE DOWN. The Crib Board is placed
between the players and to one side, ready for immediate use.
Each player looks at their cards and discards 2 cards, FACE
DOWN to the crib, which is placed by the dealer's right hand.
NO ONE MAY LOOK AT THIS CRIB UNTIL THE HANDS HAVE BEEN PLAYED
OUT AND THEIR SCORES PEGGED and even then it is the dealer's
privilege to look at the crib. It is bad form for the
opponent, or even partner, to attempt to look at the crib.
Once the crib has been set aside, the non-dealer or player to
the dealer's right, cuts the cards and the top card after the
cut, is turned over by the dealer, whilst the non-dealer
replaces the cut portion of the pack and then the dealer
places the "cut" card on top of the deck, FACE UP. If a Jack
has been turned up, the dealer scores 2 points and usually
says, "Two for doing it" whilst pegging the score.
The non-dealer or person to the LEFT of the dealer starts the
game by playing a card out of his hand onto the table in front
of him, face up and calling out it's value or which picture it
is.
The next player plays a card out of his own hand by placing it
face up in front of himself, at the same time calling out the
total value of the cards played so far, as well as stating how
many points scored and for what reason.
The total value of the cards played so far is the total value
from BOTH or ALL players.
E.g.
Play continues in turn until the total of the cards played
reaches a maximum of 31. This total cannot be "Bust."
If a player plays a card so that the total reaches exactly 31,
that player scores 2 points.
If a player plays a card so that the total reaches a figure
less than 31 and no other player can play, that player scores
1 point for last card, unless that player's score is within 6
points of winning the leg.
A player must play if able to do so, even if it means playing
two or three cards consecutively.
E.g.
When the score reaches 31 or under and the last card has been
played and there are still more cards to be played for that
hand, the played cards are turned face down. Play continues
starting with the player who would normally follow the player
who played the last card.
Player A plays a Q. Total is 10.
Once all the cards have been played, each player places his
cards on the table face up and calculates and pegs the score
that those cards add up to. At this stage and for the purposes
of scoring, the turned up card on top of the stack is counted
as part of each player's hand and crib.
It is bad form to actually pick up the turned up card and
place it in your hand or crib to assist in calculating the
score. Other players need the card also.
The first person to actually peg their score after the hands
have been played out, is the non-dealer or non-dealing
partnership. This is extremely important particularly towards
the end of a leg as only one person can win.
In some Crib schools, when playing a foursome, the first
person to peg their hand is the person to the left of the
dealer. The next person to his left then pegs their score,
then the person to his left pegs his score and finally the
dealer.
Once all the hand's scores have been pegged, the dealer
attends to the crib and pegs the points contained therein. It
is not necessary to score exactly 121 to win the leg, 121 is
the minimum score. However, it is important that the non-
dealer pegs his hand score first as both players could be so
close to winning that either player's hand score could get
them home and only one person can be first home.
Scoring at Crib is a complex affair, but once learned, many
players can just glance at a particular hand to KNOW what the
score adds up to.
The maximum that can be scored in a hand or crib is 29 and the
minimum is NIL. It is impossible to score 19 or 25 or 26 or
27. Some players, when their hand or crib does not score any
points, will say that their hand scores 19. (meaning none)
This can be somewhat confusing to newcomers to the game but it
is all part of the rich tapestry of life.
During the course of play and when adding up the points in the
hand or crib, if two or more cards add up to 15, then 2 points
are scored.
2 points are scored for a pair. (two of a kind)
To a beginner, the scoring can be very confusing and the
beginner may try to use the same two or more cards to add up
to fifteen but using a different order. This is not the
correct way. Once two or more cards have been used to add up
to fifteen, then at least one of those cards must be changed
before adding up a further fifteen. Thus, if a player's hand
contains a 4 of clubs, a 5 of hearts, a 6 of spades and a 5 of
clubs, the 4 of clubs, 5 of hearts and 6 of spades add up to
fifteen as do 4 of clubs, 5 of clubs and 6 of spades. The 5 of
clubs, 6 of spades and 4 of clubs do not add up to fifteen.
They have already been used.
EXAMPLES OF SCORING DURING PLAY
A plays a 7. Total 7 for 0 pts.
The cards are turned over & play continues.
The cards are turned over & play continues.
H A N D
5C - 5S - 5D - JH
5C & JH = 15 for 2 pts.
TURNED UP CARD
C R I B
4C - 4D - 6S - 6H
4C 5H 6S = 3 pts for a run.
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