Setup and opening position
Sixteen grid cells begin empty, seventeen selected cards form the stock, and thirty-five cards are set aside; the final unplaced stock card is hidden as the future starter.
Cribbage Square
Score at least sixty-one points across the four rows and four columns after the starter is revealed.
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How to play
Score at least sixty-one points across the four rows and four columns after the starter is revealed.
- Sixteen grid cells begin empty, seventeen selected cards form the stock, and thirty-five cards are set aside; the final unplaced stock card is hidden as the future starter.
- Place each of the first sixteen draws permanently into an empty cell. After the grid fills, reveal the seventeenth card as a shared starter and score every row and column for fifteens, pairs, longest runs with multiplicity, four- or five-card flushes, and nobs; a Jack starter also awards two.
- Score at least sixty-one points across the four rows and four columns after the starter is revealed.
Strategy tips
- Build overlapping fifteens and paired runs at central intersections, while leaving several hands flexible because the unknown starter can extend runs, flushes, or nobs.
- The starter is not a grid placement and cannot be chosen; committing every line to a narrow starter rank makes the final reveal disproportionately damaging.
- Place the last draws where they complete two viable four-card hands, then evaluate every line with the same revealed starter before judging the result.
Complete guide
Rules, scoring, and strategy
Cribbage Square is a complete browser implementation with its own versioned rules profile. Place sixteen drawn cards into a four-by-four grid, then score eight Cribbage hands against one delayed shared starter.
Legal moves and game flow
Place each of the first sixteen draws permanently into an empty cell. After the grid fills, reveal the seventeenth card as a shared starter and score every row and column for fifteens, pairs, longest runs with multiplicity, four- or five-card flushes, and nobs; a Jack starter also awards two.
Winning and terminal positions
Score at least sixty-one points across the four rows and four columns after the starter is revealed. Place the last draws where they complete two viable four-card hands, then evaluate every line with the same revealed starter before judging the result.
Practical strategy
Build overlapping fifteens and paired runs at central intersections, while leaving several hands flexible because the unknown starter can extend runs, flushes, or nobs. The starter is not a grid placement and cannot be chosen; committing every line to a narrow starter rank makes the final reveal disproportionately damaging.
Questions players ask
What is the objective in Cribbage Square?
Score at least sixty-one points across the four rows and four columns after the starter is revealed.
Which moves are legal in Cribbage Square?
Place each of the first sixteen draws permanently into an empty cell. After the grid fills, reveal the seventeenth card as a shared starter and score every row and column for fifteens, pairs, longest runs with multiplicity, four- or five-card flushes, and nobs; a Jack starter also awards two.
What should I plan first in Cribbage Square?
Build overlapping fifteens and paired runs at central intersections, while leaving several hands flexible because the unknown starter can extend runs, flushes, or nobs.