Pay-the-Piper: Instructions for a Complete Cribbage Solitaire and More
Description
What does “play board position first and odds secondâ€, or pegging “offensively†versus “defensively†mean? How can one practice these advanced skills with real cards, boards, and pegs?
Pay-the-Piper is both a game and a tool for developing skills that may not be well known or used by the casual player. Consequently, it is more complex than the standard game and not as quick to play. It is intended for the player that knows cribbage fairly well and has reached a skill level where they seek to expand their available options during the pegging game by reading books on cribbage strategy. This game does not replace those books, but provides a means of creating and practicing many of the advanced techniques and the situations in which they are needed.
Three years ago I set out on a quest to develop a solitaire variation of the standard six-card, two-handed game of cribbage. The primary objective was to fill a hole in the available solitaire choices and hopefully contribute something in the process.
The focus from the beginning was on the elusive head-to-head pegging phase between the two opposing hands. I wanted a game that was playable for those who enjoy games of patience and also help cribbage enthusiasts refine their pegging skills. All three phases of the game are included along with your favorite cards, board and pegs. Positional strategy and scoring odds are integrated directly into the rules.
If you collect or just enjoy manipulating cribbage game pieces, you will experience a more complete solitaire card and board game. Practice handling the shuffles, cuts, counts, moves, and pegs with real equipment as you prepare for a live over-the-table tournament.
The student of cribbage benefits from analyzing a variety of opponent hand compositions. We can practice identifying opportunities for pegging traps, running coups, or defensive blocks while passing the time with a self-paced solitaire game.
Standard two-player cribbage rules are found on the American Cribbage Congress web site. A simplified version of the standard rules is included as an appendix in this book for ease of reference. Additional rules for Pay-the-Piper solitaire are employed, but every effort is made to build around the essential core. The new handicap rule is aptly termed "Pay-the-Piper" and is based on actual offensive and defensive risks with their associated odds after each card is put down on the table.
Enjoy playing and paying…the piper!
Pay-the-Piper is both a game and a tool for developing skills that may not be well known or used by the casual player. Consequently, it is more complex than the standard game and not as quick to play. It is intended for the player that knows cribbage fairly well and has reached a skill level where they seek to expand their available options during the pegging game by reading books on cribbage strategy. This game does not replace those books, but provides a means of creating and practicing many of the advanced techniques and the situations in which they are needed.
Three years ago I set out on a quest to develop a solitaire variation of the standard six-card, two-handed game of cribbage. The primary objective was to fill a hole in the available solitaire choices and hopefully contribute something in the process.
The focus from the beginning was on the elusive head-to-head pegging phase between the two opposing hands. I wanted a game that was playable for those who enjoy games of patience and also help cribbage enthusiasts refine their pegging skills. All three phases of the game are included along with your favorite cards, board and pegs. Positional strategy and scoring odds are integrated directly into the rules.
If you collect or just enjoy manipulating cribbage game pieces, you will experience a more complete solitaire card and board game. Practice handling the shuffles, cuts, counts, moves, and pegs with real equipment as you prepare for a live over-the-table tournament.
The student of cribbage benefits from analyzing a variety of opponent hand compositions. We can practice identifying opportunities for pegging traps, running coups, or defensive blocks while passing the time with a self-paced solitaire game.
Standard two-player cribbage rules are found on the American Cribbage Congress web site. A simplified version of the standard rules is included as an appendix in this book for ease of reference. Additional rules for Pay-the-Piper solitaire are employed, but every effort is made to build around the essential core. The new handicap rule is aptly termed "Pay-the-Piper" and is based on actual offensive and defensive risks with their associated odds after each card is put down on the table.
Enjoy playing and paying…the piper!
