either, plays the ten of hearts, making eighteen. This prevents all possibility of B's making fifteen; and should B play a tenth card, A's three will make thirty-one. There is a possibility of B's playing a nine, and so making three for the run, but this risk must be taken. Should he do so, A will in all probability score one for last card; but B, having only a seven and an eight, plays the latter, making twenty-six. This is a shade the better card, inasmuch as it brings the score one point nearer thirty-one. As it happens, the choice was unfortunate, for A, having a five, is able to make thirty-one exactly, scoring two points accordingly.

The cards are shown: B scores fifteen four, a pair, and a run of three twice over—twelve in all. A has in hand fifteen two only; but in crib he has fifteen six and a pair, making eight in all.

The game now stands—A 20, B 27. Both have made their full average in the two deals; but B's seven points ahead give him a decided advantage, and, on the principle already explained he will do well to "play off" during the remainder of the hand.[[20]]

Six-card Cribbage.

In this form of the game six cards are dealt to each player. Two being laid out for crib, four are still left in hand, and the scores accordingly average very much higher than in the five-card game. The only material difference of procedure is

that in the six-card game the scoring of three extra points by the non-dealer is omitted, both players being considered to start on an equal footing; and secondly, that the cards, instead of being thrown down as soon as thirty-one or the nearest possible approach to it, is reached, are played out to the end. The player who failed to score for the "go" leads again, giving the adversary the opportunity to make fifteen, or pair him if he can. Each plays alternately as before, the player of the "last card" scoring "one" for so doing. If there is only one card left after the "go," the leader still scores it as "last card." The general principles laid down as to five-card cribbage apply equally to the six-card game, save that in the latter, as hand and crib consist of the same number of cards, the non-dealer is no longer under the same compulsion to baulk the crib, even to the destruction of his own hand. The two objects—preserving the hand and baulking the opponent's crib—are in this case on the same level, and either may legitimately be preferred, as the nature of the hand may render desirable.

In consequence of the greater facility of scoring, it is customary to play six-card cribbage twice round the board, i.e. to make the game 121 points.

Seven-card Cribbage.

Seven-card cribbage is played in the same manner as the six-card game, save that seven cards are dealt to each player, two being thrown out for crib, and five left in hand, or, with the start, six. With such a largely increased number of possible combinations, very high scores are frequent, and for this reason it

is customary to make the game three times round the board, i.e. 181 points.