How to Count a Cribbage Hand: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Learn exactly how to count a cribbage hand from scratch. Step-by-step instructions for counting fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes, and nobs with worked examples.
How to Count a Cribbage Hand
Counting your hand accurately is the most fundamental skill in cribbage. Miss points and you fall behind; misclaim points and your opponent says muggins. This guide walks you through the process step by step, with worked examples for every category.
The Golden Rule: Always Count in the Same Order
Work through these five categories every time, in this exact order:
- Fifteens
- Pairs
- Runs
- Flush
- Nobs
Using a consistent order means you never skip anything by accident.
Step 1: Set Up Your Five Cards
You always count five cards:
- Your four hand cards (the cards you kept from your six-card deal)
- The starter card (the cut card, shared by all players)
Example hand we’ll use throughout: 5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ + starter: 8♣
Step 2: Count Fifteens
Any group of cards whose values total exactly 15 scores 2 points.
Card values for counting:
- Ace = 1
- 2 through 10 = face value
- Jack, Queen, King = 10 (not 11, 12, or 13)
Check every possible grouping — pairs, three-card combos, four-card combos, and all five cards. A single card can appear in multiple fifteens.
Worked Example (5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ 8♣)
Systematically check:
- 5+6+? = need 4 → no single card is 4
- 5+7 = 12, need 3 → no
- 5+8♥ = 13, need 2 → no
- 5+8♣ = 13, need 2 → no
- 7+8♥ = 15 ✓ (2 pts)
- 7+8♣ = 15 ✓ (2 pts)
- 6+? — 6+9 would need a 9, no
- 5+6+4 — no 4 in hand
- Wait — 6+7+? = 13… no
- 5+10? — no 10-value card
- 5+6+4? — no
From this hand: 2 fifteens = 4 points from fifteens.
Tip: Go from two-card combos up to five-card combos. Check every pair, then every trio, etc. Don’t skip.
Step 3: Count Pairs
| Grouping | Points |
|---|---|
| Pair (2 same rank) | 2 |
| Three of a kind | 6 |
| Four of a kind | 12 |
Worked Example (5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ 8♣)
- 8♥ and 8♣ = pair ✓ (2 pts)
- No other pairs
Running total: 4 + 2 = 6 points
Step 4: Count Runs
Three or more consecutive ranks score 1 point per card.
Suit doesn’t matter for runs — only rank sequence. Ace is always low (A-2-3 works; Q-K-A does not).
| Run Length | Points |
|---|---|
| 3 consecutive ranks | 3 |
| 4 consecutive ranks | 4 |
| 5 consecutive ranks | 5 |
| Double run (pair inside a run of 3) | 8 |
| Double run of 4 | 10 |
| Triple run (three of a kind inside a run of 3) | 15 |
| Double-double run (two pairs inside a run of 3) | 16 |
Worked Example (5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ 8♣)
Cards ranked: 5-6-7-8-8
- 5-6-7-8♥ = run of 4 ✓ (4 pts)
- 5-6-7-8♣ = run of 4 ✓ (4 pts) — the pair of 8s means the run-of-4 counts twice
This is a double run of four = 8 points from runs + 2 for the pair = 10 total (but we already counted the pair in Step 3, so count only the runs here: 8 pts).
Running total: 4 + 2 + 8 = 14 points
Key insight: When you have a pair inside a run, the run counts for each copy of the paired card. Don’t count the pair again in the runs step — you already scored it in Step 3.
Step 5: Check for a Flush
All four hand cards the same suit = 4 points. All five cards (hand + starter) the same suit = 5 points.
Important rules:
- Only your four hand cards need to match for a 4-point flush
- If the starter also matches, it becomes 5 points
- Crib exception: In the crib, a flush only scores if all five cards match suit — a 4-card crib flush scores nothing
Worked Example (5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ 8♣)
The suits are ♠ ♣ ♦ ♥ ♣ — all different. No flush.
Step 6: Check for Nobs
If you hold a Jack that matches the suit of the starter card, score 1 point. This is called “nobs” or “one for his nob.”
Worked Example (5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 8♥ 8♣)
No Jack in hand. No nobs.
Final Count for the Example Hand
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Fifteens (7+8♥ and 7+8♣) | 4 |
| Pairs (8-8) | 2 |
| Runs (double run of 4) | 8 |
| Flush | 0 |
| Nobs | 0 |
| Total | 14 |
Announced at the table as: “Fifteen two, fifteen four, and a pair is six, and a double run of four is fourteen.”
A Second Worked Example: Simpler Hand
Hand: A♣ 2♦ 3♠ 9♥ + starter: 5♣
Fifteens:
- A+5+9 = 15 ✓ (2 pts)
- 2+3+5+5? — only one 5
- Check all: no other combinations total 15
Pairs: No matching ranks. 0 pts
Runs:
- A-2-3 = run of 3 ✓ (3 pts)
- No extension to 4 or 5
Flush: A♣, 2♦, 3♠, 9♥ — all different suits. 0 pts
Nobs: No Jack. 0 pts
Total: 2 + 3 = 5 points
Common Beginner Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Counting face cards as 11/12/13 for fifteens | J/Q/K = 10 always |
| Forgetting the starter card | Always count all 5 cards |
| Missing multi-card fifteens | Check 3, 4, and 5-card combos |
| Double-counting runs and pairs | Score pairs in Step 3, run total in Step 4 |
| Counting a 4-card flush in the crib | Crib needs all 5 cards to match suit |
| Forgetting to check nobs | Make it the last thing you check every time |
Practice Makes Accurate
Use the Cribbage Score Calculator to get random hands, count them yourself, then check your answer. Even five minutes of daily practice builds the accuracy and speed you need for competitive play.
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, the Cribbage Scoring Cheat Sheet is a quick-reference for every combination type, and Counting Cribbage Fast covers the mental shortcuts experienced players use to count in seconds.