cribbage

Card game, invented in the 17th century by the English poet John Suckling, which is played with a holed board for keeping score. It can be played as singles or in pairs, the number of cards per player depending upon the number of players. There is always a spare hand, or ‘crib’, which each player takes in turn to possess. Cards are discarded one at a time until the face values of discarded cards total 31. When all players have discarded their cards, the total of each player's hand is calculated according to the cards held, whether they be in pairs, runs of three or more, or in groups totalling 15.