Cribbage: When to throw points to your opponent's crib?
- Jon Mullett
- Feb 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 16
Every cribbage player eventually faces the same painful decision:
Do I throw points into my opponent's crib? Or do I break up a good hand and play defense?
It seems counterintuitive to give points to your opponent's crib, but sometimes the best play is to do just that. The key is knowing when and why. Let’s break it down.
The Crib Is Powerful
Over an entire game, those seemingly insignificant extra points can be the difference between winning and losing. The player who deals first has a 3 to 5 percent increased chance of winning the game.
In general, it's not a good idea to give your opponent points. Your opponent wants to throw cards that are likely to give them points, such as connector cards or pairs. As a pone, your job is to reduce the dealer's crib point potential. However, there are times when the benefits of throwing points are worth the risk.
Most of the time, throwing points (or potential points) to your opponent's crib seems foolish. Cards like 5 or combinations of 15 (8 and 7, 9 and 6, etc.), or connector cards (6 and 7, 9 and 10, etc.) come to mind. However, success in cribbage is about maximizing expected value. If the potential for points gained outweighs the potential for points lost, then it's the right play.
When It’s Correct to Throw Points in Cribbage?
Here are the situations where giving up points makes sense. NOTE: For demonstration purposes, I am not factoring the card suits in these scenarios.
Example 1
You’re dealt: 4, 5, 5, 6, 10, 10.
THROW: 10, 10
KEEP: 4, 5, 5, 6
Keeping both 10s, 5s, and 4, 5, 5, 6 gives you the same amount of points prior to the cut—12 points each. Throwing 10, 10 gives your opponent 2 points, but the upside makes it worth it.
In this example, a cut card of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, J, Q, K, or Ace will give you extra points. If the cut card is anything except a 2 or an 8, you benefit. Conversely, by keeping 10, 10, 5, 5, there are only two cut cards that will enhance your hand (10 or 5).
Here is the breakdown of all the possible cut cards and the points possible in each of these hands.
👉 Keep: 4, 5, 5, 6
👉 Throw: 10, 10
If the cut card is:
A = 14 points (plus 2)
2 = 12 points (plus 0)
3 = 14 points (plus 2)
4 = 24 points (plus 12)
5 = 23 points (plus 11)
6 = 24 points (plus 12)
7 = 14 points (plus 2)
8 = 12 points (plus 0)
9 = 14 points (plus 2)
10, J, Q, or K = 16 points (plus 4)
Now, let’s do the same thing but with you keeping 10, 10, 5, 5:
👉 KEEP: 10, 10, 5, 5
👉 THROW: 4, 6
If the cut card is:
A = 12 points (plus 0)
2 = 12 points (plus 0)
3 = 12 points (plus 0)
4 = 12 points (plus 0)
5 = 22 points (plus 10)
6 = 12 points (plus 0)
7 = 12 points (plus 0)
8 = 12 points (plus 0)
9 = 12 points (plus 0)
10 = 20 points (plus 8)
J, Q, or K = 16 points (plus 4)
As you can see, keeping 4, 5, 5, 6 has a higher point potential even when weighing in the two points you gave your opponent.
Example 2: RISK Versus REWARD
Sometimes all your discard options are risky.
Example:
Hand: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
👉 AGGRESSIVE PLAY
KEEP: 6, 7, 8, 9
THROW: 5, 10
If you want to be aggressive, throw the 5, 10, which will give you the highest point potential. It gives you 6 net points (8 - 2 = 6).
It is rarely wise to throw a 5. Remember, 5 and 10 are not connected, so you are minimizing the dealer's chance at the dreaded double run while preserving yours. You have to ask if the risk is worth the reward. This option gives you the most potential for a big hand, with a 25% probability to score 16 or higher. It also gives you the most average point potential.
Example 3: SAFE PLAY
👉 KEEP: 5, 6, 7, 8
THROW: 9, 10
The other option is to throw 9, 10. You keep the run intact, hold onto the 5, and prevent your opponent from getting two points. Keeping a 4-card run is usually worth more than preventing 2 crib points. Keeping these cards gives you 6 points before the cut card, but the highest net hand possible is 14 points. So compare that to the aggressive play—a 25% chance of 16 or higher.
These are just two examples of situations where throwing points to your opponent's crib may produce the best results. The ultimate decision is yours.
GAME AWARENESS
There are other factors to consider when throwing cards to the dealer, such as pegging point potential. If your hand pegs well (lots of 5s, flexible cards, traps), you can afford slight crib risk because you’ll earn points during play.
Also, cribbage is a board game as well as a card game. Your position on the board should influence the decisions you make. Are you ahead or behind? Who's crib is it, and who counts first? Are you nearing the end of the game?
Sometimes you win by maximizing your hand. Sometimes you win by minimizing theirs. And that's what makes cribbage the awesome strategic game that it is. But there are times when it is perfectly acceptable to throw your opponent points in their crib. Good luck!
If you love cribbage, explore Cribbage King's unique, handcrafted resin and wood cribbage boards at CribbageKing.com—built for players who appreciate both the art and the tactics of the game.
Jon Mullett
Cribbage King
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