2107. Five-Card Cribbage

It is unnecessary to describe cribbageboards; the sixty-one points or holes marked thereon make the game. We have before said, that the party cutting the lowest card deals; after which, each player is first to lay out two of the five cards for the crib, which always belongs to the dealer; next, the adversary is to cut the remainder of the pack, and the dealer to turn up and lay upon the crib the uppermost card, for which, if a knave, he is to mark two points. The card turned up is to be reckoned by both parties, whether in showing their hands or crib. After laying-out and cutting as above-mentioned, the eldest hand is to play a card, which the other should endeavour to pair, or find one, the pips of which, reckoned with the first, will make fifteen; then the non-dealer must play another card, and try to make a pair, pair-royal, sequence, flush, (where allowed of) or fifteen, provided the cards already played have not exceeded that number; and so on alternately, until the pips on the cards played make thirty-one, or, the nearest possible number under that.

When the party whose turn it may be to play, cannot produce a card that will make thirty-one, or come under that number he is then to say Go to his antagonist, who, thereupon, will be entitled to score one, or must play any card or cards he may have that will make thirty-one, or under; and if he can make exactly thirty-one, he is to take two points; if not, one; the last player has often opportunity this way to make pairs or sequences. Such cards as remain after this are not to be played; but each party having, during the play, scored his points gained, in the manner before directed, must proceed; the non-dealer first to count and take for his hand, then the dealer for his hand, and also for his crib, reckoning the cards every way they can possibly be varied, and always including the turned-up-card. Points

For every fifteen.....2

Pair, or two of a sort .... 2 Pair-royal, or three of a sort . 6 Double pairroyal, or four ditto 12

Knave of the turned-up suit . 1 Sequences and flushes whatever number.

2108. Maxims For Laying Out The Crib Cards

It is always requisite in laying out cards for the crib, that every player should consider not only his own hand, but also to whom the crib belongs, as well as the state of the game; for what might be proper in one situation would be highly imprudent in another. When any player possesses a pair-royal, it is generally advisable to lay out the other cards, for crib, unless it belongs to the adversary, and they consist of two fives, a deuce, and a trois, five and six, seven and eight, five and any other tenth card, or that the game be almost finished. A player, when he does not thereby materially injure his hand, should for his own crib, lay out close cards, in hope of making a sequence, or two of a suit, in expectation of a flush; or any that of themselves amount to fifteen, or such as reckoned with others will make that number, except when the antagonist be nearly up, and it may be expedient to keep such cards that probably may prevent him from gaining at play. The direct contrary method should be pursued in respect to the adversary's crib, which each person should endeavour to baulk, by laying out those cards that are not likely to prove to advantage, unless at such a stage of the game, when it may be of consequence to keep in hand cards likely to tell in play, or when the non-dealer would be either out by his hand, or has reason for judging the crib of little moment. A king is the best card to baulk a crib, as none can form a sequence beyond it, except in some companies, where king, queen, ace, are allowed as a sequence; and either a king or queen, with an ace, six, seven, eight, or nine, are good ones to put out. Low cards are generally the most likely to gain at play; the flushes and sequences, particularly if the latter be also flushes, are, the most part, eligible hands, as thereby the player will often be enabled either to assist his own crib, or baulk that of the opponent, to whom a knave should never be given, if with propriety it can be retained.

2109. Three or Four hand Cribbage, - Differs only from the preceding, as the parties put out but one card each to the crib, and when thirty-one, or near as can be, has been made, then the next eldest hand leads, and the players go on again in rotation, with any remaining cards, till all are played out before they proceed to show. For three-hand cribbage triangular boards are used.

A sort of three-hand cribbage is sometimes played, wherein one person sits out, not each game, but each deal in rotation. In this the first dealer generally wins.

The chances in this game are often so great that even between skilful gamesters, it is possible, at five-card cribbage, when the adversary is fifty-six, for a lucky player who had not previously made a single hole, to be more than up in two deals, his opponent getting no further than sixty in that time; and in four-hand cribbage a case may occur, wherein none of the parties hold a single point in hand, and yet the dealer and his friend, with the assistance of a knave turned up, may make sixty-one by play in one deal, while the adversary only gets twenty-four; and although this may not happen for many years, yet similar games may now and then be met with.

2110. Six-Card Cribbage, varies from that played with five, as the players (always only two) commence on an equality without scoring any points for the last, retain four cards in hand and all the cards are to be played out, as in three and four-hand cribbage, with five cards. At this game it is of advantage to the last player to keep as close as possible, in hopes of coming in for fifteen, a sequence, or pair, besides the end-hole, or thirty-one. The first dealer is reckoned to have some trifling advantage, and each player may, on the average, expect to make twenty-five points in every two deals- The first 11* non-dealer is considered to have the preference, when he gains ten or more the first hand, the dealer not making more than his average number.

Twenty-nine is the greatest possible number that can be gained by the show of any hand or crib, either in five or six-card cribbage; it is composed of three fives and a knave, with a fourth five, of the same suit as the knave turned up; this very seldom happens; but twenty-four is an uncommon number, and may be formed of four threes and a nine, or two fours, one five, and two sixes; and some other combinations that experience will point out.

2111. Eight-Card Cribbage, is sometimes played, but very seldom.

Some ingenious people, invented a game of chance, they styled playing at cribbage by hackney-coaches; that is, two persons placed themselves at a window in some great thoroughfare street, one would take all the coaches from the right, the other from the left; the figures on the doors of the carriages were reckoned as cards in show, and every person that happened to sit, stand, or hold at the back of any of them, was called a noddy, and scored one. 2112. Odds of the Game.

The average number estimated to be held from the cards in hand is rather more than four, and under five; to be gained in play; two for, the dealer, and one for the adversary, making in all an average of six throughout the game; the probability of the crib is five; so that each player ought to make sixteen in two deals; by which it will appear the dealer has somewhat the advantage, supposing the cards to run equal, and the players well atched. By attending to this calculation, any person may judge whether h be at home or not, and thereby play his game accordingly: either making a grand push when he is behind and holds good cards, or endeavouring to baulk his adversary when his hand proves indifferent.