How to play Back Up 10 Crib
Standard cribbage with one twist: a hand or crib that counts exactly zero moves you BACKWARD 10 points.
Suddenly the throwaway hand matters — keep junk and you don’t just miss points, you give some back. First to 121 still wins, so guard your discards and mind the crib you’re building.
Back Up 10 Crib strategy tips
- Two points is worth twelve here. Hold on to a pair or a 15 even when the rest of the hand is going nowhere.
- The starter can rescue a hand but can’t be counted on. If your four cards score nothing by themselves, you are betting ten points on the cut.
- It works on the crib too. On your own deal, give the crib something that scores; on your opponent’s, two wide cards that can’t make 15 might send the dealer backwards.
Common questions
Does the starter count?
Yes. The hand is counted with the starter as usual, and it only backs you up if the full count, starter included, is exactly zero.
Does a zero crib count?
Yes. A crib that counts exactly zero backs the dealer up ten, the same as a zero hand.
Play Back Up 10 Crib online
You can play Back Up 10 Crib at eCribbage Plus in any browser, on a computer, tablet or phone, with nothing to download. Open a table in the lounge and another player can sit down with you, or look for one already waiting; a free account is all you need.
