Card Games

Cribbage points

In cribbage, points are the units used to score combinations made during play and in the hand, including 15s, pairs, runs, flushes, and the last card.

15: 2 points
Pair: 2 points
Three of a kind: 6 points
Four of a kind: 12 points
Run: 1 point per card, minimum 3 cards

Key points

Points are scored during play (pegging) and when counting the hand and crib.¹²
A four-card flush scores 4 points; a five-card flush (including the starter) scores 5.¹
Standard cribbage is played to 121 points; some variants use 61 or 120/121.¹³
Players move pegs on a board to track their cumulative points.¹²

Cribbage points scoring

Common scoring combinations and their point values.
Combination	Points
15 (any combination totalling 15)	2
Pair	2
Three of a kind	6
Four of a kind	12
Run (3+ consecutive cards)	1 per card
Four-card flush (hand only)	4
Five-card flush (hand + starter)	5
Last card played (during pegging)	1
His Nobs (jack matching starter suit)	1

Common questions

How to score cribbage points?

Score 2 points for any combination totalling 15, for a pair, and for the last card played. Runs score 1 point per card (minimum 3). Three of a kind scores 6, four of a kind 12. A four-card flush scores 4; a five-card flush scores 5. His Nobs (jack matching starter suit) scores 1.

Where this term is used

Card games

Not the same as

Cribbage rules — the procedures that determine when points are scored, not the scoring units themselves

Card games Cribbage points to win Explains the target total needed to win a game of cribbage, typically 121 points. Card games Cribbage flush Details the flush scoring combination in cribbage, worth 4 or 5 points. Card games Rummy points Covers the scoring system used in rummy card games, which differs from cribbage. Card games Cribbage scoring rules Provides a full breakdown of how points are awarded in cribbage hands and pegging. Card games Cribbage board rules Explains how the cribbage board is used to track points during a game. Card games Cribbage terms and phrases A glossary of common cribbage terminology, including scoring-related terms.

Sources

Cribbage en.wikipedia.org Provides the standard scoring values for cribbage combinations and the game target.
The Play of the Cards pagat.com Details the pegging phase and how points are awarded during play.
Cribbage bicyclecards.com Confirms the standard game target of 121 points in cribbage.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.