576 CRIB P> A G E from his hand he pleases ; the dealer then does the same on his side of the board, and so on alternately. When more than two play, the player to the leader s left plays the second card, and so on round to the dealer. As soon as the first card is laid down the player calls out the number of pips on it ; if a picture card, ten. When the second card is laid down, the player calls out the sum of the pips on the two cards played, and so on until all the cards are played, or until neither player has a card which will come in, i.e., which can be played without passing the number thirty-one. If one player has a card or cards that will come in and the other has not, he is at liberty to play them ; at the six-card game he is bound to play as long as they can come in. When more than two play, the player next in rotation is bound to play, and so on until no one can come in. At the two-handed five-card game, when neither can come in the play is at an end; but at the other games the cards already played are turned face down, and the remainder of the hands are played in rotation, and so on until all the cards are played out. The object of the play is to make pairs, fifteens, sequences, or the go, or to prevent the adversary from scoring. Flashes formerly counted in play ; but now they do not. Pairs. If a card is put down of the same denomination as the one last played, the player pairing is entitled to score two holes. If a third card of the same denomination is next played a pair royal is made, and the maker of the pair royal is entitled to score six holes. If a fourth card of the same denomination is next played, twelve holes are similarly scored for the double pair royal. Kings pair only with kings, queens with queens, and so on with knaves and tens, notwithstanding that they are all tenth cards in play, i.e., that the number called when playing any of them is ten. Fifteens. It either player during the play reaches fifteen exactly, by reckoning the pips and tens of all the played cards, he is entitled to mark two. Sequences. If during the play of the hand three or more cards are consecutively played which make an ascending or descending sequence, the maker of the sequence marks one hole for each card forming the sequence or run. King, queen, knave, and ten reckon in sequence in this order, notwithstanding that they are all tenth cards in play. The other cards reckon in sequence according to the number of their pips. The ace is not in sequence with king, queen. If one player obtains a run of three, and his adversary puts down a card that is in sequence, he marks four, and so on. And, be it observed, if there is a break in the sequence, and the break is filled up during the play, without the intervention of a card not in sequence, the player of the card that fills the break scores a run. An example will render this clear. The cards are played in this order ( A playing the first card, B the second, and so on alternately}, 432 ice ^ e ^ s a nm ^ * nree B a rua f f ur - H a( l ^ s ^ as * ; card been a five he would similarly have scored a run of four, as there is no break. Had IVs last card been a four, he would have scored a run of three. The cards need not be played in order ; it is sufficient that the card last played completes a sequence, although it may be an intermediate card. Thus the cards being played in this order, 42536^ marks a run of four for his last card played, A a run of five. But suppose the cards played thus, 4 ^ A ? A ? 4-, . Oj Oj Dj O . B takes a run of four for the fourth card played, but there is no run for any one else, as the second five (which forms no part of the sequence) intervenes. Again, if the cards at six-card cribbage arc thus played, A | ^A | ^ A takes a run-of three, B a run of four, A a run of five. B then playing the deuce has no run, as the deuce he previously played intervenes. A then makes a run of five, and lastly B has no fun, the ace previously plaved blocking the three. The go, end hole, or last card is scored by the player who approaches most nearly to thirty-one during the play, and entitles to a score of one. If thirty-one is reached exactly, it is a go of two instead of one. Compound Scores. If often happens that more than one of the above scores are made at the same time, when the player reckons both. Thus a player pairing with the last card that will come in scores both pair and go. Similarly a pair and a fifteen, or a sequence and a fifteen, can be reckoned together. When the play is over, the hands are shown and counted aloud. The non-dealer has first show, and scores first ; the dealer afterwards counts and scores what he has in hand and then what he has in crib. In counting the hands and crib, the start is made use of by both players to assist in forming combinations. The combinations in hand or crib which entitle to a score are fifteens, pairs or pairs royal, sequences, flushes, and his nob. Fifteens. All the different cards that, taken together, make fifteen exactly, without counting all the same cards twice over in one fif teen, entitle the holder to a score of two. Tenth cards count ten towards a fifteen. For example a tenth card and a five reckon two, or fifteen-two as it is often called. Another five in the hand or turned up, would again combine with the tenth card, and entitle to another fifteen, or fifteen -four, if the other cards were a two and a three, two other fifteens would be counted, one for the combina tion of the three and two with the tenth card, and one for the combination ot the two fives with the three and two. Similaily, two tenth cards and two fives reckon fifteen-eight ; a nine and three threes give three different combinations, and reckon fifteen - six ; and so on for other cards. Pairs. Pairs are reckoned as in play. Sequences. Three or more cards in sequence count, as in play one for each card. If one sequence card can be substituted for an other of the same denomination, the sequence reckons again. For example 3, 4, 5, and a 3 turned up, reckon two sequences of three. At the six-card game or in crib, with another 3 there would be thice sequences of three, and so on for all cards that can make a fresh combination. Flushes. If all the cards in hand are of the same suit, one is reckoned for each card. If the start is also of the same suit, one is reckoned for that also. In crib, no flush is reckoned, unless the start is of the same suit as the cards in crib. His nob. If a player holds the knave of the suit turned up he counts one for his nob. A couple of examples will render the counting clear. Say the crib consists of 6, 7, 7, 8, 8. The score would be four fif teens (eight), two pairs (four), four sequences of three (twelve) ; total twenty-four. Again, a hand of 4, 5, 6 (same suit) and a 5 turned up counts two fifteens (four), a pair (two), two sequences of three (six), and a flush (three) ; total fifteen. The points accrue in the following order : two for his heels ; points made in play as soon as declared ; non- dealer s show ; dealer s show (hand and crib). After the points in hand and crib are reckoned, the cards are put together and shuffled, and the opponent of the last dealer deals, and so en alternately nntil the game is won. HINTS TO PLAYERS. In laying cut, the non-dealer should discard such cards as are not likely to score in crib ; the dealer should put out good cards for his own crib. It is so important to baulk the crib that the non-dealer should often sacrifice scores in his own hand. Thus with queen, knave, ten, four, ace, the dealer should put out the four and the ace ; the non-dealer the queen and ten. But towards the end of the game, if the non-dealer has cards that will probably take him out, the consideration of baulking the crib need not influence him. The best baulks are a king or an ace, as those cards only reckon one wa} ii. sequences. King with ten, nine (best baulk), eight, seven, six, or ace, are good baulks ; so is queen, with any of these cards except the ten. Next to these wide even cards are good baulks (even cards being less likely to score in fifteens than odd ones) ; and lastly cards that are not in sequence. Two cards of the same suit should not be put out by the non-dealer if there is as good a discard of cards of different suits. The best cards for the dealer to put out (and therefore those to be avoided by the non-dealer), are fives, five and six, five and a tenth card, three and two, seven and eight, four and one, nine and six, pairs (especially low pairs), and close cards. It is generally right to keep a sequence in hand, as if the start is of the same denomina tion as one of those kept, the dealer reckons eight at least. A pair royal is a good hand to keep. In playing, the best card to begin with is ace, two, three,
or four, as the only chance of an adverse score is by pairing,