Cribbage variants offer different ways to play the game, each with unique rules, strategies, and player counts. Here are the most popular variations and what makes each one distinct.

Standard six-card cribbage — two players, six cards each, first to 121 — is the most widely played form of the game. But cribbage has a rich family of variants, from the original five-card game to team formats and strategic inversions. Each variant preserves cribbage’s core mechanics while changing the experience in interesting ways.

Five-Card Cribbage (The Original)

Five-Card Cribbage is the oldest form of the game, predating the now-standard six-card version. It was the form invented by Sir John Suckling in the 1630s and remained the dominant version for centuries.

Rules

Feature Five-Card Six-Card (Standard)
Cards dealt 5 6
Cards kept in hand 3 4
Cards to crib 2 2
Game target 61 points 121 points
Board holes 60 120
Non-dealer bonus 3 points (“three for last”) 0

Key Differences in Strategy

  • Every card matters more. With only three cards in hand, each card has a larger impact on your score. Discard decisions are agonizing because you’re giving up 40% of your hand.
  • Lower scoring. Three-card hands produce fewer combinations, so typical hand scores are lower. A 12-point hand is excellent in five-card cribbage.
  • Crib is more valuable relatively. The crib still gets four cards (two discards plus two from each player in a two-player game), making it proportionally more important compared to the smaller hand.
  • Non-dealer advantage. The 3-point “three for last” bonus compensates the non-dealer for not having the crib. This bonus doesn’t exist in six-card cribbage.

Captain’s Cribbage

Captain’s Cribbage is a team variant for four or six players. Players sit alternating so opponents are always adjacent. One “Captain” per team per round makes discard decisions and calls pegging strategy. The Captain role rotates each round. Teams share a single peg track, and all members’ hand scores contribute to the team total.

Communication about specific cards is not allowed during the hand — teammates must trust the Captain’s decisions and build shared strategic understanding over multiple rounds.

Three-Player Cribbage

Three-player cribbage is the most common variant after standard two-player. Each player is dealt 5 cards, keeps 4, discards 1 to the crib. The dealer adds 1 card from the deck to complete the crib. Game is to 121 points.

Aspect Two-player Three-player
Crib composition Both players contribute 2 cards Three players contribute 1 each + 1 from deck
Crib control You know half the crib You know only 1 of 4 crib cards
Pegging dynamics One opponent to track Two opponents creating more combinations

For detailed rules, see our Three-Player Cribbage Rules guide.

Lowball (Backwards) Cribbage

Lowball Cribbage flips the game’s objective entirely: instead of racing to 121, you try to avoid reaching 121. The first player forced past the target loses.

Rules Modifications

  • Standard dealing and play procedures apply
  • All scoring is mandatory — you must count every point you earn
  • The goal is to score as few points as possible
  • The first player to reach 121 loses

Strategy Inversion

Everything you know about cribbage strategy reverses:

Standard cribbage Lowball cribbage
Keep your best cards Keep your worst cards
Throw good cards to your crib Throw good cards to opponent’s crib
Peg aggressively when behind Avoid pegging points at all costs
Maximize hand value Minimize hand value
The cut card is exciting The cut card is terrifying

Lowball is an excellent exercise for experienced players. It forces you to re-evaluate every assumption and deepens your understanding of cribbage’s scoring mechanics. If you know which cards score well enough to avoid them, you truly understand the game.

Team Cribbage (Partners)

Team Cribbage adapts the game for four players in two teams of two. Partners sit across from each other, are each dealt 5 cards, keep 4, and discard 1 to the crib. Partners share a peg on the board and both hand scores count toward the team total.

Communication about cards is not allowed during the hand. The best teams develop unspoken conventions over time — for example, always leading a specific card type to signal hand composition.

Three-Track Cribbage

Three-Track Cribbage adds secondary scoring tracks to the standard board. The most popular version adds a “games” track alongside the standard 121-point track. Skunks (winning before the opponent reaches 91) count as bonus wins. This format is popular in league play and tournaments where cumulative performance across many games matters.

Other Notable Variants

Muggins (Optional Rule)

Not a separate variant but a rule that fundamentally changes the game. Under muggins, if you miscount your hand, your opponent can say “muggins” and claim the uncounted points for themselves. See our Muggins Rule guide.

Crash (Speed Cribbage)

A fast-paced variant where only the pegging phase is played (no hand counting), cards are played rapidly, and the game target is 61 points. Popular as a warm-up or tiebreaker in tournaments.

Choosing a Variant

Variant Best for Player count Complexity
Five-Card Purists, strategic depth 2 Medium
Captain’s Teams, social play 4–6 Medium-high
Three-Player Three friends, competitive 3 Medium
Lowball Experienced players, novelty 2–3 Medium
Team/Partners Four players, cooperative 4 Medium
Three-Track Leagues, tournaments 2 Low (added layer)

No matter which variant you choose, the core of cribbage — counting, discarding, pegging — remains the same. Mastering the standard game gives you the foundation to enjoy any variant right away.

Explore different ways to play — try Cribbage for free on Rare Pike.