Before beginning to play two of the four players are chosen to have the management of the score, and between them the board is placed, because upon them only devolves the duty of moving the pegs. The other two players may not even assist in counting.
After cutting and dealing five cards to each player, the dealer places the remainder of the pack on his left hand. One card is then given by each person to form the crib, which, when complete, belongs to the dealer.
In contributing to the crib, the choice of the card given depends upon whether the crib belongs to the player and his partner or to their opponents. Fives are the best cards to give to one's own crib, therefore they should never be given to the antagonists. Aces and kings should be avoided; low cards are the best for the purpose.
The play then begins until all the sixteen cards are played out. Fifteens, sequences, pairs, &c., are reckoned in the usual way. Should either player be unable to come in under thirty-one, he declares it to be a "go," and the play belongs to his left-hand neighbour. No small cards must be kept up which would come in under a penalty.
Great care is required in playing this game of Four-handed Cribbage, as the learner will soon discover.
In leading, threes and fours are the best cards to select. Five is a bad lead, as also are ones and nines. The second player must be careful as to pairing, also he must try to avoid playing too closely on: though in some cases by doing so the adversary is tempted to form the sequence. He will learn in time to discriminate when it is wise to play on. If he can make fifteen it is generally better play than pairing the card led.
The object of the third player should be to make the number below twenty-one, in order to help his partner to gain the end hole for the "go" or the two for thirty-one.
The fourth man who in the first round is the last player will do wisely to hold aces or low cards for the purpose, especially when it is necessary to score a few holes in play, or when the only chance of securing game is to play out.
The hand being played out the different amounts are pegged, crib included, the one who led off scoring first.