CRIBBAGE
Overview:
Cribbage is a classic, two-player game of card strategy that has become loved by millions
around the world. Your objective in Cribbage is to become the first player to score 121 points,
or twice around the cribbage board plus one. Players must select their cards carefully to
maximize their scores during both a pegging phase and a scoring phase of each round.
The game is easy to learn but lends itself to complex strategies, making the game a challenge
to master. This mobile version of the game provides an intelligent computer player for plenty
of challenging gameplay.
Formats and Devices:
BREW:
Motorola T720, LG VX4400, LG VX6000, CDM/Audiovox 8600, 8900, 9500, Samsung A530, Samsung A610.
J2ME: All Nokia Series 40, and 60 phones,
Motorola T720 and i95cl.
Languages: English, Chinese
Game Play:
The objective in Cribbage is to be the first player to reach 121 points, or twice around the
track (plus 1) on the Cribbage board. Play proceeds in rounds, where each round consists
of a pegging phase and a card scoring phase. One player is randomly selected as the dealer
for the first round, and the players take turns being the dealer in subsequent rounds.
At the start of each round, each player is dealt 6 cards. Each player must select 4 cards to
keep and 2 cards to place in the Crib, which will be scored as a second hand for the dealer.
Both players should try to keep "good" cards in their hands, but the dealer should also try to
put "good" cards in the Crib and the opponent should try to avoid putting
"good" cards in the
Crib. See the help section on Hand Scoring for details. After both players have selected
their hands, a card (called the starter) is cut from the deck. If the starter is a Jack,
the dealer scores 2 points. Now the pegging phase begins. The object of this phase is to
lay down cards to get a count of 31 or as close to 31 as possible. Players can also score
points by bringing the count to 15 or by making pairs, runs, etc. When both players have played all of their cards, the card scoring
phase begins. The opponent scores his hand first. The dealer then scores his hand and his Crib.
Note that the opponent can win the game by reaching 121 points before the dealer has a chance
to score his hand. If neither player has won the game this round, then the opponent becomes
the dealer for the next round and play continues.
If one player reaches 121 points before the other player reaches 91 points, then the first
player is said to have "skunked" the second player. Each "skunk" win counts as 2 games won
in the game totals. Each regular win counts as 1 game in the game totals.
The opponent plays the first card, and players subsequently take turns
laying down cards. A player who makes the count exactly 31 earns 2 points.
If one player brings the count to a value less than 31 and the other player cannot play a
card without bringing the count to more than 31, this player must say "Go".
The first player must continue playing any cards that increase the count without going over 31.
When the first player cannot play any more cards, he scores 1 point and the count is reset
to 0. Players can also score points during the pegging phase as follows:
- When a player makes the count 15, he scores 2 points.
- When the player makes a pair with the card the other player just played, he scores two points. A triple (3 of a kind) scores 6 points and a quadruple (4 of a kind) scores 12 points.
- When a player forms a run of 3 or more cards, he scores one point for each
card in the run. The cards in the run can be any order.
The 4 cards in the hand (or the Crib) plus the starter card are considered for scoring.
Points are earned for each unique combination of cards as follows:
- Any sum of 15 scores 2.
- Any pair scores 2. Any triple scores 6. Any quadruple scores 12.
- A run of 3 or 4 or 5 scores (respectively) 3 or 4 or 5.
- A flush using all 4 cards in the hand scores 4. If the starter card is also of the same suit, then the score is 5. In the Crib, a flush is only counted if all 5 cards have the same suit.
- A Jack that is the same suit as the starter scores 1.
Example hand: 3-3-4-5 with Q starter. This hand has two runs of 3-4-5,
4 points from 15s (Q-5 and 3-3-4-5) and one pair (3-3) for a total score of 12.
There are numerous websites that present the rules of Cribbage in more detail. For example
see http://www.cribbage.org/rules, or simply search the internet with the search
term "Cribbage".
The game starts automatically when you select New Game from the Main Menu.
Once all the cards are dealt, select the two cards to discard (send to the Crib) by using
the arrow keys and the Select or Enter key. You can deselect a card by using this key again.
When 2 cards are selected, the Discard box will appear. Use the up arrow key to select this box,
and use the Select or Enter key to execute the discard. During the pegging phase,
use the arrow keys and Select or Enter keys to select a card to play.
Once both players have played their cards during the pegging phase, the hands and Crib are
counted automatically. Press the Select or Enter key after each hand or Crib score is
displayed to continue.
At any time during the game, press either of the softkeys to return to the main menu.
A User's Guide in MS Word format can be found here.
Availability
Cribbage is currently deployed under BREW on Verizon for all the BREW handsets listed above.
It is also available on VIVO in Brazil for a subset of these BREW handsets. The J2ME version is available
on Cingular and AT&T as well. On Cingular, see http://cingular.cellmania.com.
It will be available soon on several other carriers in several countries including the US, Canada, China, and South Korea.
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