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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N |
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A technique for finding the optimal discard as dealer. Essentially you add the points retained in your hand to the average crib. In most cases the holding with the highest total will return the highest expected average |
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American Cribbage Congress (ACC) |
Sanctioning body for organized cribbage in North
America and on the Internet |
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ACC Internet Cribbage |
One of the three components of sanctioned play in North
America (the Tournament Trail and
Grass Roots being the others). Consists of an
annual season of Internet tournaments. Internet Rating
Points earned at these events determine national rankings, Internet
Championships and titles such as eMaster, eGrand Master and eLife
Master. Administered by the American Cribbage Congress |
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Anderson average |
The average value (after the cut) of the four cards in
your hand assuming no knowledge of the two discarded cards |
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anti-cribbage |
See cribbage to lose |
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average crib |
The average value of the crib based on the two cards
you discard |
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average hand |
The average value of a four-card hand after the cut |
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bad eleven |
The opposite of a magic eleven.
For the player on lead, a two-card combination with a
pip value of eleven. Such a combination is weak
because it will give up a 31-2 to two ten-cards |
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bad sixteen |
The opposite of a magic sixteen.
For the player on lead, a two-card combination with a
pip value of sixteen. Such a combination is weak
because it will give up a 31-2 to 5-x |
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balanced |
Strategy in which you try to outscore your opponent.
Same as cautious offense |
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Barlow's rule |
As pone, when you need a certain cut to put you out,
toss dealer cards that are helped by that cut. When you need a
certain cut to get close to going out, toss dealer cards that are not
helped by that cut |
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board position |
Cribbage parlance for the score and identity of the
current dealer. At Cribbage Forum, scores are rendered from the
perspective of the player in question, with an asterisk denoting the
dealer. Thus 14-17* would indicate that you have 14 points and are
pone, while your opponent has 17 points and is
dealer. Use of the term board position, as opposed to score,
suggests an emphasis on board strategy and
the alignment of the two players relative to each other and to the
positional holes |
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board strategy |
A strategy that uses board
position to determine how to balance offensive and defensive play |
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break card |
An out card |
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Bronze Award |
An award given to Grass Roots
players who accumulate 1,000 lifetime Grass
Roots rating points |
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bust hand/
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A hand or crib worth no points. Also called a 19 or rock | ||
Canadian doubles |
A high-scoring variant of doubles cribbage. Ten cards
are dealt to the dealer and the opponent to his left (and none to the
other two players), and those two players select four cards to keep,
four cards to give to their partner, and two cards to discard to the
crib. All other rules are the same as in regular doubles |
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case |
As in "case 5", "case Q",
etc. Slang used to refer to the fourth card of a particular suit when
the first three have already been seen. E.g., "I got a 29 hand by
cutting the case 5 to 5-5-5-J"
or "He had the case 3 in his hand end ended up
quadrupling me" |
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cat |
North American slang for crib. The
expression derives from the use of the word kitty to denote a pot
in other card games |
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cautious offense |
Normal play strategy in which you are trying to
outscore your opponent. Offense and defense are evenly balanced in this
strategy. Compare with playing on,
playing off,
desperation offense and desperation
defense. Sometimes called optimal or
balanced play |
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Chambers average |
For dealer, the average hand
plus the average value of the two cards you discarded to your crib. For
pone, the average hand minus the average
value of the two cards you discarded to opponent's crib. Also called
minimal average |
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close cuts |
The number of individual starters that move you to
within a few holes (typically three) of victory on your
first count. Used as a measure to help find
the optimal discard for pone in specific count
situations |
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close ranks |
The number of cut ranks (A through
K) that move you to within a few holes (typically three)
of victory on your first count. Used as a
measure to help find the optimal discard for pone in
specific count situations |
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Colvert average |
Expected average calculated
using DeLynn Colvert's published discarding statistics |
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Colvert exception |
In desperation defense
situations in the endgame, lead a
low card unless you have a
mid-card with only one more loser than the low
card. In that case lead the mid-card instead |
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Colvert's rule |
If you must lead from 5-x, and dealer is
holding two cards, lead the 5 if dealer is not showing
any ten-cards |
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consolation event |
A one-day event at a sanctioned
tournament, typically open to players who have been eliminated from
the main event. The most common format is a
nine-game qualifying round followed by
best-of-three single elimination playoffs |
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count |
1. The value of a hand 2. To score a hand or crib (also called showing) 3. The cumulative pip value of cards played during a single play series. This cannot exceed 31 |
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crib |
The four cards formed by each player's discard, counted
by the dealer as an "extra" hand at the end of the deal. It is for the
crib that the game of cribbage is named |
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cribbage to lose |
A cribbage variant in which the object is to lose
instead of win. All other rules of normal cribbage, including
His Heels, apply. Also called anti-cribbage,
reverse cribbage, loser's cribbage, lowball,
Polish cribbage, etc. |
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cut |
1. The starter 2. The act of cutting the deck for the starter 3. The act of cutting the deck before dealer distributes the cards (required in tournament play but often skipped in informal play) 4. The act of cutting the deck to determine first dealer (the lower card deals first) |
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cut jack |
See His Heels |
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dead hole |
See stinkhole |
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delta |
The amount by which the average crib will vary from its
normal value due to the statistical effect of the four cards retained in
your hand |
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desperation defense |
Strategy in which offense is disregarded entirely in an
effort to prevent opponent from scoring any points or a specific number
of points. May entail risking a large score in order to reduce the
chances of giving up any score. Typically employed on the last
deal as dealer. Compare with cautious offense,
playing on, playing off,
prevent defense and
desperation offense |
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desperation offense |
Strategy in which defense is disregarded entirely in an
effort to score a large or specific number of points. Typically employed
on the last deal as pone (see specific count),
or when way behind. Compare with cautious
offense, playing on,
playing off and desperation defense |
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double pairs royal |
Archaic term for four-of-a-kind |
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doubles |
Four-player partnership cribbage |
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edge cards |
The A-2 and Q-K
combinations |
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endgame |
The final stages of a game, especially the last or
next-to-last deal |
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endgame count |
A point count system used to find the optimal discard
for pone in specific count situations |
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expected average |
For dealer, the average hand
plus the average crib. For pone, the
average hand minus the
average crib |
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first count |
Pone's hand count, so named because pone counts her
hand before dealer. This is a significant advantage late on
Fourth Street, and forms the basis for
board strategy |
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first dealer |
The player who was dealer on the first deal of the game |
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first pone |
The player who was pone on the first deal of the game |
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First Street |
Holes 1 through 30 |
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Fourth Street |
Holes 91 through 120 |
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game hole |
The 121st hole in a cribbage board. The first player to
reach it wins |
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game points |
Points awarded for winning a cribbage game. The most
common method is: two game points for a simple win, three game points
for a skunk and zero game points for a loss. This
system is used in Grass Roots play, in the
qualifying rounds of
sanctioned tournaments, and for most Internet
match play |
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go |
1. What you are required to say during the
pegging if you have no cards remaining that would
keep the count within 31 2. The point your opponent is awarded if you are forced to say go |
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go out |
To reach the game hole. To win |
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Gold Award |
An award given to players who accumulate 4,000 lifetime
Grass Roots rating points. No player has
yet earned this distinction |
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Grand Master |
A title given to players who accumulate 4,000 lifetime
MRPs |
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grand slam |
Winning every game of a sanctioned
tournament qualifying round or a
nine-game Grass Roots tournament |
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Grass Roots |
One of the three components of sanctioned play in North
America (the Tournament Trail and
ACC Internet Cribbage being the
others). Features weekly tournaments at local clubs in a nine-game round
robin format with no playoffs. Administered by the
American Cribbage Congress |
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Grass Roots rating points |
Rating points earned through
Grass Roots play, used to determine club and division champions (on
an annual basis) and Bronze,
Silver and Gold Awards
(on a lifetime basis). See under qualify. Note
that Grass Roots rating points are tabulated separately from
Master Rating Points |
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hauling wood |
Overpegging |
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helper card |
A card that creates a score in combination with other
known cards |
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Hessel average |
Expected average calculated
using Craig Hessel's published discarding statistics |
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high card |
10, J, Q
or K |
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His Heels/His Nibs |
A J cut as the
starter, worth two points for the dealer |
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His Nobs |
The right J |
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Internet Cribbage Program (ICP) |
See ACC Internet
cribbage |
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Internet Rating Points (IRPs) |
Rating points earned through play in ACC-sanctioned
Internet cribbage tournaments (see ACC
Internet cribbage). Used to determine the Internet Champion and
all-Internet team (on an annual basis) and eMaster, eGrand Master and
eLife Master titles (on a lifetime basis) |
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ladder |
A form of organized play, popular on the Internet, in
which players ascend in rank by defeating higher ranked players |
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last card |
A one-point score awarded for playing the last card of
the deal |
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lead |
1. The first card played in a
play series 2. To play the first card in a play series |
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Life Master |
A title given to players who accumulate 6,000 lifetime
MRPs |
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loser |
In pegging, any card that
opponent can play to score on your last played card. Compare with
winner |
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loser's cribbage |
See cribbage to lose |
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lowball |
See cribbage to lose |
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low card |
At Cribbage Forum, used to refer to an A,
2, 3 or 4 |
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mid-card |
6, 7, 8 or
9 |
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magic five |
A two-card combination with a pip
value of five (i.e., A-4 or 2-3).
Valued because if led from, it scores a 15-2 against a
ten-card reply |
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magic eleven |
A combination of cards whose pip
value totals eleven. Such a combination of three cards (if leading)
or two cards (if defending a lead) is valued because it scores a 31-2
against ten-cards |
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magic sixteen |
A combination of cards whose pip
value totals sixteen. Such a combination of three cards (if leading)
or two cards (if defending a lead) is valued because it scores a 31-2
against 5-x |
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main event |
The primary event at a sanctioned
tournament. A main event typically takes place over one or two days,
and consists of a 22-game qualifying round
followed by best-of-five single elimination playoffs |
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Master |
A title given to players who accumulate 2,000 lifetime
MRPs |
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Master Rating Points (MRPs) |
Rating points earned through
Tournament Trail play, used to determine regional and national
champions (on an annual basis) and Master,
Grand Master and Life
Master titles (on a lifetime basis) |
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match |
A series of games played against the same opponent |
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Michaelis A-2-3-4 |
The ploy of discarding 2-3 to your crib
from A-2-3-4-x-x in order to maximize your expected
average. Named for Mick Michaelis |
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minimal average |
See Chambers average |
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Mueller average |
Expected average plus average
net pegging (assuming balanced play) |
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muggins |
Optional rule in which a player is entitled to claim
points missed by his/her opponent. Usually not used in tournament and
Internet play |
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near cards |
Cards separated by one rank, such as A-3,
5-7 or 9-J. Compare with
touching cards or edge
cards |
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19 |
A bust hand or crib. So named
because there are no cribbage hands worth exactly nineteen points |
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Old Faithful |
Joseph Wergin's term for the following
pegging trap as pone:
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opening lead |
The first card played in the first
play series. Also see lead |
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out card |
A card well separated in rank from the other three
(e.g., the 8 in 2-3-4-8 or the K
in 4-5-6-K). Such a card offers protection against
getting trapped into pegging runs. Also called
break card |
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pairs royal |
Archaic term for three-of-a-kind |
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par holes |
DeLynn Colvert's term for
positional holes |
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pegging |
Strictly speaking, the act of claiming a score by
moving your pegs on a cribbage board. In North American usage, however,
pegging usually refers to the play of the hands and the points
scored therein, in contrast to the points scored by counting the hands
and crib |
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pegout |
A situation where either player can win by
pegging |
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pip value |
The rank value of a card or combination of cards. In
cribbage, an A has a pip value of one, a 2
has a pip value of two, and so forth, but a 10 or
face card has a pip value of ten |
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pips |
Spots on a playing card, generally in the shape of its
suit, used to denote its rank |
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play |
The phase of each deal that occurs after cutting the
starter, in which players sequentially play their
cards face up in an attempt to form scoring combinations. This phase is
distinct from the counting of the hands and crib, which
immediately follows. To avoid confusion with other less-specialized
meanings of the word play, North American players have come to
prefer the term pegging |
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play series |
A sequence of played cards culminating in a
go, 31 or last card |
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playing off |
Strategy in which defense is primary and offense is
secondary. Typically employed to prevent your opponent from either
preserving a positional surplus or
overcoming a positional deficit. Also
see prevent defense. Compare with
cautious offense,
playing on, desperation defense
and desperation offense |
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playing on |
Strategy in which offense is primary and defense is
secondary. Typically employed to preserve a
positional surplus or overcome a
positional deficit. Compare with
cautious offense,
playing off, desperation defense
and desperation offense |
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playoffs |
A series of matches, usually single elimination, used
in sanctioned tournament events to determine a
winner. MRPs and prize money are awarded on a
graduated basis to players who compete in the playoffs |
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Polish cribbage |
See cribbage to lose |
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pone |
Non-dealer |
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positional advantage |
A theoretical propensity to win the game based on board
position. Typically determined by the score at the start of the deal.
Pone has the positional advantage if he has reached, or is within ten
points of reaching, a positional hole
that dealer has not yet reached. Otherwise dealer has the positional
advantage |
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positional deficit |
The amount by which the player with the
positional disadvantage lags the
next positional hole after counting his hand as pone. Also by extension,
the amount by which that player can be expected to lag the next
positional hole (assuming average scoring) after he next counts a hand
as pone. For example, the first pone starts the
game with an eight point positional deficit, since average scoring on
the first deal (ten points) will leave him eight points short of the
next positional hole (18) after he counts his hand. This would be
expressed numerically as -8. Also see
positional surplus |
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positional disadvantage |
The opposite of a
positional advantage |
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positional hole |
John Chamber's term for those holes on a cribbage board
that represent the minimum point of good position for winning with your
three counts. At Cribbage Forum, the
positional holes are considered to be 18, 44, 70 and 96. Put simply,
your strategic objective is to beat your opponent to each of the
positional holes |
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positional parity |
For the player with the
positional advantage, being exactly at (not past) a
positional hole. Also referred to
as being at par |
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positional standing |
A player's score in relation to the desired
positional hole, i.e. her
positional deficit,
positional parity or
positional surplus, as appropriate.
Typically expressed numerically as -3, 0, +12, etc. |
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positional surplus |
The amount by which the player with the
positional advantage exceeds the
positional hole after counting her hand as pone. Also by extension, the
amount by which that player can be expected to exceed the next
positional hole (assuming average scoring) after she next counts a hand
as pone. For example, the first dealer starts
the game with an eight point positional surplus, since average scoring
on the first two deals (26 points) will leave her eight points beyond
the positional hole (18) after she counts her hand as pone. This would
be expressed numerically as +8. Also see
positional deficit |
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prevent defense |
A special case of playing off
in which the objective is to not give up a large score. This may entail
giving up smaller scores in order to reduce the risk of a large score.
Typically employed when protecting a large lead late in the game.
Compare with cautious offense,
playing on, playing off,
desperation defense and
desperation offense |
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Q-pool |
Short for qualifying pool. A side pot used to
reward the top finishers in the qualifying
round of a sanctioned tournament |
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quadruple |
In pegging, to play the fourth
consecutive card of the same rank |
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qualify |
1. To reach the playoffs in a
sanctioned tournament event 2. To receive Grass Roots rating points by finishing in the top 20% of a Grass Roots tournament, or by finishing with the same number of game points as another player in the top 20% |
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qualifying round |
In sanctioned tournament
events, a series of round-robin games used to determine who advances to
the playoffs. Under ACC guidelines, the top 25% of
players in this round qualify, and the top 12.5%
receive extra MRPs based on the number of
game points won. Frequently, top qualifiers
also receive awards independent of their performance in the playoffs
(see Q-Pool, for example) |
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Raggedy Ann |
Slang for A-A-6-7-8, worth 13 points |
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Ras average |
Short for Rasmussen average.
Expected average calculated using George Rasmussen's discarding
statistics |
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renege |
Failure to play a card that you are legally required to
play (i.e., after a go is called). ACC rules
mandate a penalty for this infraction |
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reverse cribbage |
See cribbage to lose |
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right jack |
A J in the hand or crib that matches the
starter suit. Worth one point. Also called His
Nobs |
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rock |
Slang for a bust hand or crib |
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rule of eight |
If you lead a low card from a 3/1 lo-hi hand such as
A-A-4-x or 2-3-3-x, and dealer replies
with a pairable ten-card, take the pair if the pip
value of your low cards totals eight or less. Otherwise take the
15-2 |
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run |
Three or more cards in sequence by rank |
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sanctioned tournament |
A competition authorized by the ACC
in which winners are eligible for MRPs. Typically
sanctioned tournaments occur on weekends, and feature a
main event, a consolation event and
non-sanctioned satellite events |
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satellite event |
An auxiliary event at a
sanctioned tournament for which winners do not receive
MRPs. Doubles, High Rollers, Saturday Night Special
and Cry Baby events are examples of common satellite events |
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Schempp average |
The estimated pegging value of a four-card hand, based
on an algorithm written by Tim Schempp |
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Second Street |
Holes 31 through 60 |
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Silver Award |
An award given to Grass Roots
players who accumulate 2,500 lifetime Grass
Roots rating points |
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skunk |
A victory by 31 or more points |
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skunk line |
A line on a standard cribbage board separating the 90th
and 91st holes. To avoid being skunked, it is
necessary to cross this line before your opponent wins the game |
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skunk positional hole |
One of the three
positional holes (14, 40 and 66) that represent the minimum point of
good position for crossing the skunk line. To
avoid being skunked, your strategic objective is to reach each skunk
positional hole before your opponent reaches the corresponding normal
positional hole |
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specific count |
A common endgame situation
in which pone discards to maximize the chances of obtaining the precise
number of points needed to go out |
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starter |
A card cut from the deck by pone after each player has
discarded. This card is turned face-up and treated as a common fifth
card for purposes of scoring the hands and crib. Also called the cut
or (chiefly in the UK) the up-card |
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steal last card |
As pone, to win a point for last
card when dealer is forced to play an extra card after pone says
go |
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stinkhole |
Cribbage slang for the next to last (120th) hole. Also
called the dead hole |
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strategy |
Long-term planning. Compare with
tactics |
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street |
One of the four 30-hole divisions of a standard
cribbage board. See First Street,
Second Street, Third
Street and Fourth Street |
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supercuts |
A measure to help find the optimal discard for pone in
specific count situations. Consists of
winning cuts plus
close cuts |
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superranks |
A measure to help find the optimal discard for pone in
specific count situations. Consists of
winning ranks plus
close ranks |
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tactics |
Short-term devices and techniques. Compare with
strategy |
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ten-card |
Any card with a pip value of
ten. In cribbage this is a 10, J, Q
or K. Also called tenth card |
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Third Street |
Holes 61 through 90 |
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three counts |
The scoring of your hand and crib as dealer on one
deal, followed the scoring of your hand as pone on the following deal.
Since these three counts occur virtually in succession (only the
pegging on the second deal intervenes), your
objective in the endgame is to get close
enough to the game hole to win with your final
three counts. This concept is the basis for
board strategy in cribbage |
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three-on-one, two-on-one, two-on-none, etc. |
A situation at the end of the
pegging where the player to play next has more cards than his
opponent |
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21-24 rule |
A rule of thumb for assessing the safety of a low card
lead from a 1/3 lo-mid hand such as 2-6-7-8. In general,
the low card is safe to lead if the total pip value
of the hand is between 21 and 24 |
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26 theory |
Board strategy developed
by DeLynn Colvert, based on the assumption that the average combined
scoring for dealer and pone is 26 points per deal |
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toss |
Discard |
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touching cards |
Cards adjacent in rank, such as 2-3,
5-6 or 10-J. Compare with
near cards or edge cards |
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Tournament Trail |
One of the three components of sanctioned play in North
America (Grass Roots and
ACC Internet cribbage being the
others). Consists of an annual season of
sanctioned tournaments, generally held on weekends at various
locations throughout the year. Master Rating Points
earned at these events determine national rankings, National
Championships and titles such as Master,
Grand Master and Life
Master. Administered by the American Cribbage
Congress |
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triple |
In pegging, to play the third
consecutive card of a rank |
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valley cards |
Joseph Wergin's term for mid-cards |
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wide cards |
Two cards separated by several ranks, such as
3-Q. Compare with touching cards,
near cards and edge cards |
||
winner |
In pegging, any card your
opponent might play that will let you score with your next card. Compare
with loser |
||
winning cuts |
The number of individual starters that give you enough
points to win on your first count. Used as a
measure to help find the optimal discard for pone in
specific count situations |
||
winning ranks |
The number of cut ranks (A through
K) that give you enough points to win on your
first count. Used as a measure to help find
the optimal discard for pone in specific count
situations |
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| x | In cribbage, shorthand notation for an unspecified
ten-card. Note that this is the opposite of how
this symbol is used in bridge notation |
||
? |
1. A poor play 2. A decision point in a cribbage quiz |
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?? |
A blunder |
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! |
A good play |
||
!! |
A brilliant play |
||
* |
Denotes the dealer when a score is given. For example,
60-67* means you have 60 points, opponent has 67 and opponent is on deal |
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Cribbage Forum features articles on cribbage strategy and tactics by Michael Schell, ACC Bronze Award winner, 2001 Washington State Champion and winner of other accolades in Internet and over-the-board cribbage. Cribbage Forum is a project of schellsburg.com. Publisher: Michael Schell. Editorial Assistant: Lauren Marshall. Original Material and HTML Coding
Copyright © 2002–17 by
Michael Schell. All Rights Reserved. |
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