Wild: Cribbage Expansion
Wild: Cribbage Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Basic Wild Crib Rules
Draw a card and follow the instructions.
When do I draw a WILD card?
There are two ways to play.
a) You can draw a card when your peg lands on a multiple of five.
b) You can draw a card every time you count any multiple of five during play. (If player one puts down a 7 and you play a 3 the count is 10, you draw a card.)
What is the Stink Hole?
The stink is usually hole #120 on the crib board, but not when you're playing WILD. If you draw a Stink Hole card, you are stuck where you are. Do not move your peg to hole #120. The Stink Hole is where you are.
Stink Hole History
The term "Stink Hole" in cribbage refers to the last hole on the board before the finish. The name likely originated in the early 20th century. According to a story from the American Cribbage Congress, a player who frequently got stuck at 120 points, just one point away from victory, would be teased by opponents who called it the "stink hole" to rattle him. The only way to get out of it was to score one single point. The name stuck and became part of cribbage terminology.
What is a WILD crib?
A wild crib is just like a regular crib. It's four cards from the top of the deck. They are to be counted after all primary hands have been counted. The "real or original" crib is still counted last.
Rules Card
The rules card is one of the printed cards in the deck. Its text is transcribed below as printed.
I. 2 or 3 players; Every time you count a multiple of 5 (3-2, 4-5-6 or 10 etc.), Draw a Wild Card! 3 or 4 players; every time you land on a multiple of 5, draw a card.
II. Stink Hole! If you're in the stink hole you cannot count any points. The only way out is to count 1 single point. (IE: a go, Jack matches, or a Wild Card).
III. Some rules are slack, as you play you'll see what we mean. As the owner of the pack, your decision on a rule is final. Once a rule has been made, it should be kept. New pack, new rules!
Wild Cribbage Q&A
Publisher's reference Q&A, reproduced as printed.
1. When do I draw a WILD card?
There are two ways to play.
a) You can draw a card when your peg lands on a multiple of five.
b) You can draw a card every time you count any multiple of five during play. (If player one puts down a 7 and you play a 3 the count is 10, you draw a card.)
2. What is the Stink Hole?
The stink is usually hole #120 on the crib board, but not when you're playing WILD. If you draw a Stink Hole card, you are stuck where you are. Do not move your peg to hole #120. The Stink Hole is where you are.
How do I get out of the Stink Hole?
The only way to get out of the Stink Hole is with one single point. (a go, Jack Matches or a WILD card that tells you have a Go or you're out of the Stink Hole.) This means that you cannot count any points until you get out. So if you get a count of 15 or 31 for 2, you can't count those points and you can't count your crib hand either.
The flexibility of WILD's Stink Hole rule!
If you're playing with 4 people there are two ways of playing the Stink Hole rule.
a) The player who gets stuck in the Stink Hole must obey the Stink Hole, but his/her partner is not stuck and can count his/her points.
b) No matter which player gets stuck in the Stink Hole, both players must obey the Stink Hole rule.
3. What is a WILD Crib?
We think you can guess... when you're told you get a WILD crib... take four cards from the bottom of the deck and voila you have a Wild crib. The WILD crib is counted before the dealer counts the natural crib.
4. A very important reminder!
Please note that some of the rules are slack, as you play you'll see what we mean. As the owner of the pack, your decision on a rule is final. Once a rule has been made, it should be law. New pack, new rules!
5. What are some of the new laws you can apply?
Well, let's say you're in the Stink Hole and a WILD card tells you to move 2 points, do you obey the WILD card or do you stay stuck? Do you allow the count of the WILD crib while in the Stink Hole? There are so many ways the game will twist and turn when card is played on top of card... can you handle it? Go ahead, make it your game!
Wild Cards
The 31 WILD cards are numbered as printed on the card faces. Each card's text is the rule. Line breaks on the card faces are shown as sentence breaks.
Card 1. Re-cut the deck, have all other players use the new cut! Only you use the original cut!
Card 2. You're in the stink hole!
Card 3. If you drew this card because you counted 15 (for 2), or 30 go back 3 points! Otherwise all other players go back 3 points
Card 4. If you drew this card because you counted 15 (for 2) or 30 take 3 points! Otherwise, all other players take 3 points!
Card 5. Lose 1 point for every Jack played! If no Jacks have been played you get a go!
Card 6. If it's your Crib, deal everyone else a Wild Crib! Otherwise, have the dealer give you a Wild Crib!
Card 7. If you drew because you counted 30, go back 4 points! Otherwise, everyone else gets a go!
Card 8. Take 2 points!
Card 9. If it's your Crib, double that score! Otherwise, all other players get 3 points!
Card 10. Go back 2 points!
Card 11. If you drew because of a run, double that score! Otherwise, everyone else gets a go!
Card 12. Have everyone else draw a Wild Card! Starting clockwise from you! Play cards one at a time!
Card 13. If you drew because of a pair or three of a kind, take 3 points! Otherwise, You're in the Stink Hole!
Card 14. Have everyone pick up their cards. Now pass them to the left, and start hand over! Dealer keeps Crib, but all Wild Cribs must be passed!
Card 15. If a Jack has been cut, everyone gets a go! Otherwise, everyone but you gets a go!
Card 16. Discard your un-played cards, and replace them from the bottom of the deck! If you have no cards, deal everyone else a Wild Crib!
Card 17. Re-cut the deck and you use the new cut! All other players use the original cut!
Card 18. Discard one of your remaining cards and replace with the cut! Re-cut the deck! If you have no cards, you're in the Stink Hole!
Card 19. If the dealer's Crib has Zero points, You get 19! Hold on to this card until the crib has been counted!
Card 20. You're in the Stink Hole!
Card 21. Take 1 point for every 5 played! If no fives have been played, everyone is in the Stink Hole!
Card 22. If a 7 or 8 has been cut, everyone but you disregards the cut! Otherwise, everyone but you gets a go!
Card 23. Go back the number of points in the dealer's Crib! Hold on to this card until the dealer counts Crib!
Card 24. Everyone who's played a Jack is in the Stink Hole! Everyone who hasn't gets a go!
Card 25. Everyone in the Stink Hole gets a go! Everyone not in the Stink Hole is now!
Card 26. If you have a Wild Crib, pass it to the person on your left! Otherwise deal yourself a Wild Crib!
Card 27. Take 2 points for every 9 played! Lose 2 points for every 6 played!
Card 28. If you're in the Stink Hole you get a go! If you're not go back 2 points!
Card 29. If you have a Wild Crib, move back the number of points in it! Otherwise, take the dealer's Crib, it's yours! Hold this card until you count a Crib!
Card 30. Lose your next deal! Hold this card until you deal again!
Card 31. Aces are Wild, during the count only! Hold this card until everyone has counted!
Source Notes
The publisher's texts disagree in two places. These are transcribed as printed and not reconciled.
(1) The Basic Wild Crib Rules say the WILD crib is four cards "from the top of the deck"; Q&A question 3 says "take four cards from the bottom of the deck."
(2) The rules card gives the draw rule for "2 or 3 players" and, separately, for "3 or 4 players," so 3 players appears in both.