Cribbage and scoring 31 plus go

Question

Recognizing that I am arguing against pretty clear rules, but my buddy and I got in an argument regarding the logic behind only getting two pegs/points (Vs. 3) when you get a "go" from your partner and then place one or more cards down to eventually get to 31.

My logic (working against the rules) is that I should get 1 peg/point for my partners "go" and 2 pegs/points for reaching 31 (total of 3 points for the flurry of activity). My argument is based on the fact that at any other time during the game when my partner says "go" I get 1 point......the only exception to this is when I place my cards down after the go and they result in a 31. I argued with him last night that if the inventor of cribbage was alive today and I pointed out that I should get 3 points (1 for the go and 2 for hitting 31 directly) that they would say "hmmm....you are right....I missed that".

His rationale, is that when scoring 31, you are getting one point for hitting 31 exactly and 1 bonus point representing your partners' inability to play an additional card (his "go"). Hey says "whether a "go" is said or not, the go is implied when you place the last card at the end of the round to make 31....thus giving you two points when you reach 31 even when a "go" is communicated".

Any insight into how to argue either side of this scoring mess?

Answer 1

The official cribbage rules make this incredibly clear:

Rule 1.5e - Definitions
...
go: When a player cannot play a card without the cumulative total exceeding 31, that player calls "go," and the opponent continues to play all cards possible (not exceeding a 31 count). The player who calls "go" plays first in the following 31-count sequence.

In this, calling a 31 is just a special case of a go, since no other player could possibly play a legal card. Because this is a special, desireable, and harder to achieve condition, it is awarded an additional point. This is clarified in the office rules in rule 1.7, the scoring chart

reaching a 31-count exactly: 2 points
final card played (without reaching 31-count): 1 point

only one of these scores can be earned with the play of a single card.

Answer 2

31 played with the last card scores two points. This is because there is no score for "last card" - it's just that the last card is always a "go"; just because people say "one for last card" doesn't mean that that's why they're getting a point - they're really getting a point for the final "go".

Also note that the "go" isn't scored until all possible cards have been placed. If player A calls 25, and player B says "go", player A doesn't score until they have placed any further cards not passing 31. Once all such cards, if any, have been played, player A scores 2 points if they reached 31 (essentially go=1 + bonus for 31=1), otherwise one point is scored for the "normal" go.

Of course pairs or sequences may also be scored while finishing the journey to 31, and those are officially scored before the "go".

Answer 3

I think you are thinking about it wrong. Go and hitting 31 are not two events. It's ONE event: you're the last one to play. You can do that one of two ways. Either you hit 31, or you don't hit 31. You get two points for hitting 31. If you play last but cannot hit 31, then you just get one. Your opponent saying "go" isn't really an event; the event is you playing the last card. Your opponent is saying she can't play the last card, so you get to. (And by the way, if you also can't play again, you don't get the point for last play either.)

Answer 4

My logic is that I should get 1 peg/point for my partners "go" and ...

This is where your logic goes wrong -- you do NOT get a point for your opponent saying go. You get a point when your opponent says go AND NO MORE CARDS CAN BE PLAYED. If you can still play cards, you play them (and score them), but you don't get a point for the "go".

As another example, if your opponent has only 10-cards, and you have smaller ones, you may end up playing multiple cards, with your opponent saying "go" after each one. You do not score a point for each "go" -- only for the final one if/when you too cannot play a card. If you eventually play a card that makes 31, that ends it there -- there is no subsequent "go" and no one point for go.

Answer 5

I used to agree with your buddy, but now I agree with you. I play an online game of cribbage. The game gives me one point when my partner says ‘go’ and two more points if I get 31 exactly after the go.

Answer 6

When you have a pair which will put you @31 IE 2 pairs of 2 that is 2 points for the pair and two points for the 31 obtained. A total of four points.