Skip to content
Meldhouse

Cribbage Hand Counter

Pick your four cards and the starter, and the counter scores the hand and lists every combination: each fifteen, pair and run, any flush, and his nobs. Switch on "This is the crib" when you count the dealer's crib, because flushes count differently there.

Your cards

Pick cards

29 points

Fifteens
16
Pairs
12
Runs
0
Flush
0
His nobs
1

Every combination

  1. Fifteen: 5♣ + 5♦ + 5♥ (2)
  2. Fifteen: 5♣ + J♠ (2)
  3. Fifteen: 5♦ + J♠ (2)
  4. Fifteen: 5♥ + J♠ (2)
  5. Fifteen: 5♣ + 5♦ + 5♠ (2)
  6. Fifteen: 5♣ + 5♥ + 5♠ (2)
  7. Fifteen: 5♦ + 5♥ + 5♠ (2)
  8. Fifteen: J♠ + 5♠ (2)
  9. Pair: 5♣ and 5♦ (2)
  10. Pair: 5♣ and 5♥ (2)
  11. Pair: 5♣ and 5♠ (2)
  12. Pair: 5♦ and 5♥ (2)
  13. Pair: 5♦ and 5♠ (2)
  14. Pair: 5♥ and 5♠ (2)
  15. His nobs: J♠ matches the starter's suit (1)

How the counter scores a hand

  • Fifteens: 2 points for every different group of cards that adds up to 15. Aces count 1 and face cards 10.
  • Pairs: 2 for each pair. Three of a kind makes three pairs (6) and four of a kind six pairs (12).
  • Runs: 1 point per card in a run of three or more, counted again for every different way to make it. Aces are low, so Q-K-A isn't a run.
  • Flush: 4 if all four cards in your hand share a suit, 5 if the starter matches too. In the crib, only a five-card flush counts.
  • His nobs: 1 for the jack in your hand of the same suit as the starter.

Example: the perfect hand

29 points

5 of Clubs5 of Diamonds5 of HeartsJack of Spades5 of Spades
Three 5s and the jack of spades in hand, with the 5 of spades as the starter.

Every 5 pairs with the jack for a fifteen (4 fifteens, 8 points), and any three of the four 5s make another fifteen (4 more, 8 points). The four 5s make six pairs (12 points), and the jack matches the starter's suit for his nobs (1). Total: 29, the highest hand in cribbage.

FAQ

What is the highest possible cribbage hand?

29: three 5s and the jack of the starter's suit, with the fourth 5 cut as the starter.

Why does my crib flush score zero?

In the crib, a flush only counts when all five cards, including the starter, are the same suit.

Which scores are impossible in cribbage?

No hand can score 19, 25, 26 or 27. That's why some players call a zero hand "nineteen".

New to the game? Read our guide to cribbage scoring, or see all our free tools.