By Neal Taparia - 7/24/2023
You can win a game of cribbage in multiple ways, depending on your strategy. But if you really want to lord a victory over your opponent, shoot for a skunk. We’ll go over how to skunk your opponent and avoid getting skunked yourself.
If you’re unfamiliar with how to play cribbage, you might want to brush up on the rules before reading on!
A skunk is when you beat your opponent by 31-60 points. According to the American Cribbage Congress, a skunk game is worth 2 game points, rather than 1, for cribbage matches. However, for most home games, skunks are just worth bragging rights.
If you’re really on your game, you could achieve a double skunk — beating your opponent by 61-90 points. Double skunks count as 3 games.
Triple skunks (winning by 91 or more points) are also possible, if you’re extremely lucky and good at cribbage strategy. Triple skunking your opponent also means you automatically win the cribbage match.
Type of Skunk | Point Range to Get Skunked | Reward for the Winner |
---|---|---|
Skunk | 61-90 | 1 extra game point |
Double Skunk | 31-60 | 2 extra game point |
Tripe Skunk | 0-30 | Automatically wins the match |
When you’re the pone/non-dealer:
When you’re the dealer:
If you have a pair, lead with it. Your opponent might also pair it, giving you the opportunity to score a pair royal.
Counting your points can get confusing because there are so many card combinations that score points. The best way to track cribbage scores is to pick a counting order.
Most people use this order to track their scores:
Combination | Points | How it works | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
15 | 2 | The value of cards played = 15 pips | 5+10, 6+9, 4+5+6 |
31 | 2 | The value of cards played = 31 pips | A+5+5+Q+K |
Pair | 2 | A pair of cards of the same rank | 9,9 |
Royal Pair | 6 | Three-of-a-kind | 9,9,9 |
Double Royal Pair | 12 | Four-of-a-kind | 9,9,9,9 |
Run of 3+ | 1 per card | Cards with sequential ranks | 6-7-8 (Runs do not have to be in order, 8-6-7 counts as a run) |
3-Card Double Run | 8 | A run of 3 including a pair | Four cards total, e.g. 6,7,7,8 (Counts as two 3-card runs and a pair) |
4-Card Double Run | 10 | A run of 4 including a pair | Five cards total, e.g. 6,7,7,8,9 (Counts as two 4-card runs and a pair) |
3-Card Triple Run | 15 | A run of 3 cards with three-of-a-kind | Six cards total, e.g. 6,7,7,7,8 (Counts as three 3-card runs and a royal pair) |
3-Card Quadruple Run, or Double Double Run | 16 | A run of 3 cards including 2 pairs | Five cards total, e.g. 6,7,7,8,8 (Counts as four runs of 3 and 2 pairs) |
Flush of 4+ | 1 per card | Cards of the same suit. Can only be scored during the Show. | Four-card flush, e.g. 4 spades in a hand or crib = 4 points or Five-card flush, e.g. 5 spades in a hand or crib = 5 points |
Nobs, or “one for his nob” | 1 | Jack of the same suit as the Start or top card | Jack of hearts where the Start card (top card) is a heart |
Nibs, or “two for his heels” | 2 | Jack is the Start card. 2 points go to the dealer. | |
Last Card | 1 | The last card played before someone says “Go” | |
Muggins | ? | A player calls Muggins to take the points another player forgets to claim. | If a player doesn’t notice a combination of 15 by the end of their turn, their opponent may call Muggins to claim the 2 points at the beginning of his turn. |