How to play Cribbage with Jokers
The deck grows to 56 cards: the standard 52 plus four wild jokers.
Pegging: play a joker and you set its value right then and there — whatever the count needs. That opens the door to sacrificing hand points to hold a joker for the pegging: land the 15s and 31s on demand, or pile onto a pair for 5-, 6-, 7-, even 8-of-a-kind pegging points regular cribbage can never see. Choose carefully, though — a joker pegged is a joker locked: the value you set is the value it keeps when your hand is counted.
The crib: you can toss jokers to the crib too — they stay wild, and get assigned later when the crib is scored.
The cut: if a joker turns up as the starter, everyone picks what it is — you name it for your own hand at scoring time, and the dealer names it again for the crib.
Everything else plays like traditional cribbage to 121.
Cribbage with Jokers strategy tips
- A joker pegged is a joker locked — the value you give it in the pegging is the value it keeps when your hand is counted. Decide which matters more before you play it.
- Holding a joker for the pegging lets you hit 15 and 31 on demand, or keep a pair going well past four of a kind.
- A joker tossed to the crib stays wild until the crib is scored, so on your own deal it is rarely a wasted card.
Common questions
What happens if a joker is cut as the starter?
Everyone names it for themselves. You choose what it is for your own hand when it is scored, and the dealer names it again for the crib.
How many jokers are in the deck?
Four, added to the standard 52 for a 56-card deck.
Play Cribbage with Jokers online
You can play Cribbage with Jokers 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.
