- BGG rating
- 1.0
Wild: Cribbage Expansion
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #758
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Cribbage
1630
Rules assistance for Cribbage
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cribbage
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cribbage is a board game released in 1630 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Sir John Suckling and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Turn Order: Progressive.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Mastermind Ultimate Cribbage
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 2009
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About the game
Cribbage is a card game invented in the early 17th century, based on the earlier game Noddy. It is played with a deck of standard playing cards and a signature piece of equipment called the cribbage board. Cribbage is traditionally played as a 2 player game. In the version usually played today, each player is dealt a hand of 6 cards, from which they discard 2 into a special pile called the Crib. One card is then cut from the draw pile and turned face up - it is considered part of each player's hand and of the Crib. The players then play cards in turn, scoring points for hitting certain totals, or for making sets or sequences. Score is kept by moving pegs along tracks on the cribbage board. This is repeated until both players have exhausted their hand of cards. Next, each player picks up their hand and determines all possible scoring combinations, pegging points again on the cribbage board. The dealer then picks up the Crib and scores it for all possible points. Then the cards are shuffled and the deal alternates. The winner is the first to reach 121 points. The origin date listed for this game is approximate.
Designers
Publishers
- (Unknown)
- (Self-Published)
- Waddingtons
- John Waddington Ltd.
- Milton Bradley
- Piatnik
- Fundex
- Gibsons
- E. S. Lowe Company Inc.
- (Public Domain)
- Brimtoy
- Chad Valley Co Ltd.
- Pavilion
- John Jaques of London
- Woodstock Spiele
- Creative Crafthouse
- Whitman
- House of Marbles
- CHH Games
- Nu-Bef
- Pressman Toy Corp.
- Sterling Games
- Crisloid
- Cardinal
- House Martin
- Halsall
- Bello Games New York, Inc.
- Coca-Cola
- Horn
- John Player & Sons
- Fame Products
- Double Diamond
- Skor-Mor
- Queensell
- Amerous Games
- The United States Playing Card Company
- Hoyle Products
- Wm F. Drueke & Sons, Inc.
- Wood Expressions
- Chronicle Books
- John N. Hansen Co., Inc.
- Decipher
- Playtoy Industries
- Pacific Game Company
- Are-Jay Game Company
- WorldWise Imports, LLC
- MacGregor Historic Games
- Pleasantime Games
- EnumeroCribbageBoards
- JK Games
- Frameworth Sports Marketing
- Man-indo
- Acme Ruler Company
- C.R. Gibson
- W. D. & H. O. Wills
- Schweppes
- Lash's Bitters
- Field Mfg. Co.
- Montrose Games LLC
- 5th Peg
- Gapple
Questions and answers
Cribbage supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Cribbage is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Cribbage for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Cribbage has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Cribbage belongs to these categories: Card Game and Number. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Turn Order: Progressive. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Cribbage are: Sir John Suckling. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Cribbage as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.