Wicked Cribbage
Wicked Cribbage Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 32 Core Cards
- 16 Luck Lovers Expansion Cards
- 16 Strategy Lovers Expansion Cards
- Wicked Cribbage Gameboard
- Rule Book with a Totally True History of Cribbage
Original Cribbage Rules: Overview
Playing cribbage involves a succession of increasingly repetitive HANDS, each round consisting of three phases: the DEAL, the PLAY, and the SHOW. Success in this game is determined by having:
a) enough time to devote to frivolous pursuits, b) at least one friend who enjoys games involving constant arithmetic, and c) the right mix of luck, conviction, and finger dexterity required to perform 121 tiny jumps with a peg the size of a metal toothpick.
Play ends immediately when the target score is reached, which is the number of holes in a cribbage board. Winners and losers alike celebrate that the game is over. And then, with fingers itching for more, shuffle the cards to begin again.
Phase 1: The Deal
Players cut to see who deals first, and the person who cuts the lowest card is the dealer.
Dealing for Two Players: Deal six cards to both players. Each player then chooses four cards to keep, placing the other TWO face down in the CRIB.
Dealing for Three or Four Players: Deal five cards to each of the three or four players. Each player chooses four cards to keep, placing the other ONE face down in the CRIB. If there are exactly three players, a single card must also be dealt face down to start the CRIB.
Lifelong cribbage players apply a complex system when selecting cards to keep versus cards to CRIB that is based on pseudo-mathematics, superstition, and close-your-eyes-and-just-pick-for-the-love-of-man guesswork.
At this point, each player's HAND and the CRIB contain exactly four cards. The player on the dealer's left cuts the deck, and the dealer reveals the top card and places it face up on top of the deck. This card is reasonably named the STARTER. If this card is a Jack, the dealer scores two points. This is called getting HIS HEELS.
Phase 2: The Play
Starting with the person to the dealer's left, each player takes a turn laying one card face up on the table in front of them, while reciting out loud the COUNT. This is the cumulative value of the cards that have been laid so far.
Face cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) count as ten and aces count as one. The COUNT cannot go above 31. Cards are not laid in the center of the table as, at the end of the PLAY, each player needs to pick up their own HAND before the next phase. The game is now truly underway. Owners of the carefully stacked pile will be looking nervously at others' happy-go-lucky piles, card corners messy and diagonals misaligned. Happy-go-lucky pile owners will be looking at those tidy piles with similar disdain. Suppress the almost painful desire to adjust the other player's cards. Remember: they aren't your cards, must be left as they are, and we need to tend our own gardens. CRIBBAGE LIFE LESSON #1.
Players score points and peg forward during the PLAY when the COUNT reflects the following:
- 15: Nailing the COUNT at 15 scores two points.
- 31: Nailing the COUNT at 31 also scores two points. (How original.)
- Run of three or more cards: Scores the number of cards in the run. Cards must be consecutively played, but not necessarily in numerical order, because.
- Pairs: Two of a kind gets (you guessed it) two points.
- Three of a kind: Essentially the same as three pairs, so 2 + 2 + 2 = 6 points.
- Four of a kind: Essentially six pairs, so 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12.
If a player cannot play any of their cards without pushing the COUNT over 31, they scream "GO!" with a combination of altruism and impatience.
The next player then attempts to play a card meeting the same equation: current COUNT + card value ≤ 31 (but hopefully exactly 31). If no card can be played, this player must also shout "GO!" with the same exaltation but twice the impatience. Once no one is able to play and 31 has not been reached, whoever played the last card takes their GO and pegs forward one. Note that a player is obliged to play a card unless there is no card in their HAND that can be played. Players cannot voluntarily pass, and one player may end up playing two or even three cards in a row, scoring just one measly point for their efforts.
The COUNT is then reset to zero and those players with cards remaining in their HAND repeat the process starting with the player to the left of the player who played the last card. Remember to choose the order in which you play your cards to maximize your score. Experienced players refer to this as either good or poor "pegsmanship."
Phase 3: The Show
Although it isn't gibberish (e.g., a muggins), the SHOW is a redundancy in naming to say the least. What have we been doing for the last few minutes if not methodically showing each other our cards, one by one? Now that the PLAY is complete, each player lays their HAND on the table and either a) brags at their impeccable skill or b) claims the universe is conspiring against them. During this process, points are scored based on the HAND in conjunction with the STARTER. Remember that card named STARTER? Hopefully someone hasn't accidentally placed it in their pile or shuffled it back into the deck, which statistically happens 83% of the time.
Here's how points are scored during the SHOW:
- Combinations of cards totaling 15 get two points.
- Runs get one point per card in said run.
- Pairs, three of a kind, and four of a kind get scored same as the PLAY: two, six, and twelve.
- A four-card flush scores four. Five-card flush scores five.
- Having a Jack of the same suit as the STARTER gets you one point. This can be fondly referred to as the RIGHT JACK or less fondly as ONE FOR HIS NOBS.
Note that the odds of obtaining a five-card flush are 32:1. Three of a kind odds are 20:1, and scores more points. This reinforces a hard truth and CRIBBAGE LIFE LESSON #2: working hard to achieve something grand is not rewarded as highly as finishing something quick and easy.
The dealer scores their HAND last and then turns the cards in the CRIB face up. These cards are then scored by the dealer as an additional HAND, also in conjunction with the STARTER. An additional HAND that leaves the dealer feeling miserable. Either the CRIB was packed with points and the dealer must suffer the guilt of luck undeserved, or there are no points at all and the unfairness of life will never be so crushing as this (at least until the next HAND).
Fun fact! All scores from 0 to 29 are possible in regular cribbage, with the exception of 19, 25, 26, and 27. Players have been heard to laughingly refer to their own HAND that scores zero points as a "NINETEEN HAND." When they say this, nod in agreement, ignore the hollowness in their laughter, and assure them that things will turn their way soon.
A Final Note: Cribbage rules tend to vary (slightly) from country to country, region to region, and even family to family. Don't sweat it! Only Then Studios encourages newcomers to the game to watch a video play-through or two on YouTube. Wicked Cribbage is designed to play well with all variations.
Wicked Cribbage Rules
All of the rules of regular cribbage apply to Wicked Cribbage. All of the delightfully ludicrous terminology is still in place. All of the joy and frustration, highs and lows, ill-conceived life lessons. Same standard 52-card deck and hole-riddled piece of wood. What has been added are two new types of cards intended to a) provide a touch more strategy and b) enhance the existing elements of chance that epitomize why we still play this soul-crushingly fun game 400 years after it was conceived.
These two new types of cards consist of those that you play immediately when drawn and those that you hold until you decide to use them. The Wicked Cribbage cards have been given fittingly descriptive cribbage names.
- TWINKLERS: These cards must be played immediately, and are drawn when nailing a 15 or 31 during the PLAY.
- LUGGERS: These cards are held until ready to play, and are drawn during the SHOW by pegging to an exact multiple of 5. That is, when your peg lands directly on a 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc. Note that counting the CRIB provides the dealer a second chance to earn a LUGGER.
So, the rules:
- Place TWINKLER and LUGGER stacks face down on the gameboard and begin playing cribbage.
- Draw a Wicked Cribbage card when appropriate and obey its instructions.
- Place used Wicked Cribbage cards in discard piles next to the gameboard.
That's it! Because Wicked Cribbage cards may be drawn during countless scenarios, here are two additional rules about the timing of playing these cards:
- If a TWINKLER is drawn and cannot be played, this is called a FIZZLE. Maybe it references your next card played and you no longer have any cards in your HAND. Maybe you have to peg backward, but are still at 0. Simply discard the FIZZLED TWINKLER and draw another.
- LUGGERS may be played during the DEAL, the PLAY, or the SHOW as indicated on the bottom of the card. Certain cards include additional specificity for when it can be played, such as "before placing cards in the CRIB" or "after the STARTER CARD is revealed."
Sample Card Text (as shown in the rulebook)
- Twinkler fronts: "Peg forward 5 spaces." and "Swap the STARTER CARD with a card in your HAND."
- Lugger fronts: "If your HAND scores 0, peg forward 19 spaces." (The Show) and "Players keep their entire HAND, and play continues without a CRIB." (The Deal)
- Core Game sample: "Look at the cards in the CRIB before adding your own." (The Deal)
- Luck Lovers sample: "Play a game of rock-paper-scissors. Winner draws an extra card and completes the rest of this Turn with five cards."
- Strategy Lovers sample: "Negate the effect of any Twinkler." (The Play)
A Few Final Notes
Tailoring the Deck
Wicked Cribbage has two expansions: Strategy Lovers and Luck Lovers. These expansion cards, which are denoted by a snake or a beetle in the lower right corner, take Wicked Cribbage to the max. One or both expansions can be removed to temper the game to your liking. Further tailoring of the decks is also encouraged to ensure your favorite cards are drawn more often. No card is reliant on any other card, giving you complete control of each deck's composition!
3- or 4-Player Cribbage
Wicked Cribbage is fully compatible with 3- and 4-player cribbage. If a card targets "your opponent," choose which opponent is targeted (rather than both).
Pegging Backward
Although it might seem logically easy to peg backward, it is quite tricky. Begin by using your back peg (no matter where it is) to count backward from your front peg. And (here's the tricky part) do not forget to move your front peg behind your newly pegged back peg.
Harnessing the Chaos!
If resolution of a Wicked Cribbage card is ever uncertain because of timing, peg placement, or card configuration, players decide together on a happy resolution. (Extra kudos if you can bestow this resolution with a fitting cribbage name!) If you still have questions, check out our website (www.onlythenstudios.com) for explanations that aren't confined to card and rule book paper size.
Glossary of Cribbage Terms
- COUNT: Cumulative value of cards played during the PLAY.
- CRIB: 4 cards formed by player discards. Owned by dealer.
- GO: When no card can be played during the PLAY.
- HAND: The 4 cards dealt to and retained by a player.
- HIS HEELS: When a Jack is drawn as the STARTER CARD.
- RIGHT JACK: A Jack that matches the STARTER CARD'S suit.
- STARTER: Cut card to be shared when scoring during SHOW.
- THE DEAL: First phase of cribbage. Players are dealt cards.
- THE PLAY: Second phase of cribbage. Cards are COUNTED.
- THE SHOW: Third phase of cribbage. HANDS are scored.
- TURN: One round of cribbage comprising 3 phases.