The Perfect Hand

A Cribbage Enthusiast’s Dream

Cribbage is a classic card game enjoyed by millions around the world, known for its strategic depth and quick-paced nature. While a good understanding of the game’s rules and strategies can make you a formidable opponent, every cribbage player dreams of achieving the perfect hand—a rare and exciting feat. But what exactly makes a "perfect hand" in cribbage? It’s a combination of cards that generates the maximum possible points, and it can be the difference between victory and defeat in close games. In this blog post, we’ll explore what constitutes the perfect cribbage hand and how to maximize your chances of achieving it.

In cribbage, a hand consists of four cards dealt to each player, and one card from the "starter" deck is flipped over after the deal. The goal is to combine these five cards (four of your hand and the starter card) to form pairs, runs, and combinations that yield the highest possible point total. The perfect hand, known as a “29” hand, is the pinnacle of success in cribbage. This hand is worth an incredible 29 points.

Achieving a 29-point hand requires both luck and the right combination of cards. To break it down, the best combination for a perfect hand includes: three 5s, and a Jack of the same suit as the starter card, and the starter card being a 5. The four 5’s give you 12 points for the 6 pairs (2 points for each pair), the starter 5 and the other 3 5’s in the hand plus the Jack provides a combination of 8 15’s - ( a combination of 2 or more cards adding to 15 - 2 points for each 15) for 16 points, and the "His Nobs" rule—where a Jack of the same suit as the starter card adds one point. This brings the total to an astonishing 29 points (12 points for 6 pairs plus 16 points for 8 15s plus 1 for “His Nobs” = 29 points). Statistically, a 29-hand is extremely rare, occurring only about once every 216,000 hands dealt.

Cribbage is a game of strategy, calculation, and a bit of luck. While landing the perfect hand is a rare and exciting occurrence, it’s important to stay focused on playing each hand as skillfully as possible. Knowing which cards to keep, which to discard, and how to maximize your score with each hand will make you a better player in the long run. And even though a 29-point hand may be elusive, striving for it adds to the thrill and excitement of every cribbage game.

Total - 14 combinations at 2 points each = 28 points plus “His Nobbs” for 1 point = 29 Points

Combinations	Hand				Starter Card
Pairs	5	5	5	J	5
1	X	X
2	X		X
3	X				X
4		X	X
5		X			X
6			X		X
15s
7	X	X	X
8	X	X			X
9	X		X		X
10		X	X		X
11	X			X
12		X		X
13			X	X
14				X	X
15 "His Nobbs"				X