Why Do Submariners Play Cribbage?
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- In this episode we've got a new artifact to talk about, this one from SSN 796, and we're talking about why they would make a cribbage board for their submarine.
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My wild ass guess would be that it's because the pieces (being pegs) don't move or fall off the board when the boat is pitching and rolling and also it doesn't take up much space.
Subs don't pitch and roll once they dive. Very stable platform.
I thought the sane, but I thought the advantage of using pegs is that the pieces don't fall out and find their way underfoot if the game board gets bumped.
@@johnslaughter5475 The submarines of WW2 would do a lot of roll and pitch as they spent most of the time above the surface. Only a few of the German submarines had a snorkel and they only had them late in the war.
@@tomnewham1269 That's true. The "submarines" of WWII were actually surface ships that had the ability of submerging. I limited my reply to our nukes.
@@johnslaughter5475 you mean the ability of submerging and coming back up most of the time 😂. All ships can submerge at least once.
Love that ending "We have to talk about that, that's not legal anymore." lol
For now... In a few decades we might end it with yet and not anymore XP
@@KenrickDargoth Are you from China? Japan frieghters are allied to the USA.
@@angelarch5352 Stressing the decades part (not gonna happen in 2 generations I think). Allies now but sooner or later this will change. It always does.
"Hold my cribbage board". - USS George Washington (SSBN 598), maybe.
Doubly ironic to mention legality in the context of the US military. US doesn't recognize the International Criminal Court because as a nation it regularly commits war crimes and does awful things to whistleblowers who expose this truth.
Crib was always one of my favorites as well but I have never had a 28 or 29. My grandfather had two 29's in a week and he glued both the hands to a piece of cardboard and mounted them in a picture frame.
If it was me, I'd also nail that hand to the board it was played on.
I've had a single 28 hand dealt to me in tens of thousands of hands in my life. Used to play threes every single day at lunch with a couple coworkers. When I saw that cut card land a 5 but already knew its suit can't match the Jack in my hand, I actually felt upset. We were playing threes in that game too and that one hand let me go on to double-skunk both of my coworkers, so I wasn't too upset. 🙂 That was 30 years ago and I've still never hit it again, let alone a 29. Some day.
Sixty years myself and the best I've ever managed is a 24 hand. My mother finally got a a 29 hand when she was in her 90's.
My grandfather had a trophy for a 28 or 29, I forget which. It was much smaller than it shouldve been lol. Not a whole lot of people can claim that
@@paddington1670 The odds for a 28 hand are 1/171000 and it's 1/217000 for a 29. Actually a lot closer than I imagined. I've never seen a trophy/award for a 28 though.
In 45 years of playing I've had 28 point hands twice and have witnessed only one 29 hand.
Dick O'Kane had another perfect hand on one of the Tang's war patrols, a tough one with little contact at first. He took it as a good sign, and moved in close, sinking several ships the next few days. If I remember right, it was also somewhat near where Mush Morton dealt him the 29.
O'Kane's book "Clear the Bridge" is an excellent read and I highly recommend it.
I believe his name is properly written as "Da Cocaine."
Just to clarify Admiral O'kane's board goes to the oldest attack boat in commission. It should be on USS Chicago (SSN-721) at the moment. The oldest sub in commission is USS Ohio (SSGN-726). The first 4 Ohio subs have been converted to guided missile subs. The last 14 Ohio subs are still ballistic missile subs.
I was just thinking too that it will be sad when USS Cheyenne transfers the board to USS Virginia. It will be the end of an era. I hope the kids will take good care of it forever.
Oldest pacific fleet SSN…
I was on Chicago in '95 - '96.
@@mdb831 there will be a complication in the near future though, when USS Virginia holds that crib board, since there will be a new USS Tang. Will Virginia hold that crib board or it would be transferred to Tang?
I once met Dick O'Kane at the NEX in Groton back when they let him sell signed copies of his book there.
If you don't know, a 29 point hand is a Jack and three 5's and a 5 for the cut card (communal card). You get 8 points for 15's (5 and each J), then another 8 points in 15's with the various combinations of three 5's. A four-of a kind is 12 points, for each pair of 5's (1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3, 2-4 and 3-4), then having the Jack have the same suit as the cut card is worth 1 point, making 29.
thx
played for yr w/dad never saw it or figured out how
those are certainly words
The only 29 hands I've ever seen were mounted and framed. I did have a 28 once. 4 5's with a 10 cut.
@@lelonfurr1200
If you want a card game that you can watch had have a really hard time understanding try sheepshead. Fun game and fast.
Yes, what takes the game beyond the Luck of the Deal, is the strategy of pegging and the decision of what cards to put in the crib depending on who crib belongs to.
The 3-colour, 120 hole board is (relatively) new. A traditional board has 60 holes in 2 rows of 30 for each player. A game is usually 'twice round the board' to give 120 points but a quick game of once-round can be played.
To not achieve 90 points before your opponent finishes (i.e. not doing the final turn) is known as 'being skunked'.
I learned from my dad soon after starting school, as did my kids - we're all pretty good at mental arithmetic!
New Jersey - SSN 796 is a Virginia class submarine.
New Jersey - BB-16 was a Virginia class battleship.
There was a Virginia Class Cruisers also ( 4 in class again like the Iowas) they served from 1978 to 1998
Very fascinating!
I understand why the names repeat, but I always though having ship classes repeating the name of another ship's class was a bad idea.
Though as I understand it, the UK/British Empire was much worse than the US, with 2 ship classes with the same name ~5 years apart.
@@cp1cupcake that's where hull numbers help out. My boat the Houston was the fourth to bear that name. The first USS Houston (AK-1) was a captured freighter, second was a heavy cruiser (CA-30), third a light cruiser (CL-81), and last my boat a fast attack sub (SSN-713). By using hull numbers any sailor can tell they're different ships and at least know what kind of platform it is.
@@cp1cupcake As long as they don't co-exist, what is the issue? Many (likely most in the US Navy) ship names have spanned several class names. For Example, the USS *Enterprise* was twice a sloop, twice a schooner, once a motorboat, once a diesel carrier, and twice a nuclear carrier.
The US Navy doesn't build battleships anymore, but it still wants to honor the different states, so the fact that the USS *New Jersey* is now a submarine is not surprising.
We played spades, for the most part. Pinochle was our real favorite. These games could go on endlessly. When a player had to go on watch, someone else would sit down. Yes, there was also cribbage.
Had a game of spades last 4 years of high school. Every week when we had homeroom, we would play some more. One notebook with long list of running points.
I was an Airwing Marine. Spades was maybe our main game but it might also have been Bull S**t. We also played Hearts quite a bit, but we called it "Who's got the B***h". We played a lot of cards while waiting for the jets to get back and waiting for the dailies to be done so we could go home.
@@Mishn0 amazing how much fun you can have with some friends and a deck of cards.
Yup, SSN-773 it was spades and poker but, you had cribbage. My buddy's boat opposite.
On Kentucky (SSBN 737 gold) we had lots of spades, eucher, and poker, being our most popular games, we didnt play much cribbage but we had a couple nice boards aboard lol
Cribbage is my absolute favorite game, I learned how to play in rehab. There's a huge Cribbage tournament every year in Reno, NV where I live. Hi Mr. Ryan Szymanski, love the videos, greetings from Sparks, NV.
What's great about cribbage is that so few play, when two players find each other it can be really fun! I ran into someone I knew casually from work while waiting for a flight at JFK. I had my board with me. Out of the blue I asked her if she played. She did, so we took out the board and started playing to kill the time before our flight. Just one of those nice random moments in life :)
Finally somebody is making some content about this! I love cribbage (I play far too much of it for my own good), and the fact that there is nothing online except a couple of how-to videos has been painful. Once you factor in that it is coming from one of my favorite CZcams channels blows my mind.
there's a couple of games on line but cant remember
look 8it up
The pass down cribbage board is called the O’Kane Cribbage Board and it’s currently on the USS Chicago.
I actually had the privilege of playing on it. I got 24 points on that one.
Also, the odds of getting 29 points is less than one in 3 million!
I had that hand once only because the cut matched my Jokers suit. Still Losed LOL
True story. I was in Japan for Yama Sekura exercise years ago. We were the last to fly out on pour return. So, we spent 9 hours the last day in an auditorium on a Japanese base. There were 3 of us who played, so we played cutthroat (2 against 1). we played all day, and 1 of the guys just had terrible luck. He lost every game for 9 hours. When he was your partner, you lost. If he was alone, he lost. He took it pretty well, I gained a lot of respect for him that day.
Its cribbage so one of two things happen; you either get the cards or you don't.
@@davidcorriveau8615
Plus its understanding what to throw into the crib and what to lead. It kind of sucks when you have to lead into a 15 right of the bat.
@@mpetersen6 I prefer when the dealer has given the other guy the same cards I have...and I have to play first.
We played "Acey-Deucey" and as far as I know it is a universal naval traditional game, played by all branches of seafarers.
My dad taught me cribbage when I was a kid. He had been a "tin-can" sailor. Many years later, when I got to USS Alexander Hamilton (Gold), there were a few in the wardroom that played. Great fun. Never have gotten a 29. I've had plenty of 19 hands though . Dick O'Kane's books (mentioned by a few others) are great books. I would say they are a little on the technical side so if you're not a submariner and skilled at line-of-sight diagrams and bearing rates it may prove a little daunting. Another fantastic WWII submarine book is Adm Eugene Fluckey's "Thunder Below". Highly recommended (both O'Kane and Fluckey received the Medal of Honor).
When I arrived on Hamilton I was provided this quote (from "Clear the Bridge" I think) "Tenacity Dick, you have to stay with the bastard until he's on the bottom" Cdr Mush Morton.
I don't know about WW2 British submariners but my uncle played the game on HMCS Haida.
I was taught by my mum and dad at the age of 5, on a wet holiday in Wales......and my father was also a submariner in WWII (HMS Thrasher)........Btw that was 50 years ago
Is there any other holiday in Wales?
A perfect hand in cribbage occurs when the dealer's hand consists of three fives and a jack and the card that is cut is the fourth five which must be the same suit as the jack in the dealer's hand. The scoring is: (fifteens made with the jack) 15-2, 15-4, 15-6, 15-8; (fifteens made with just the fives) 15-10, 15-12, 15-14, 15-16; four of a kind (12 points)-28; the right jack (one point, also called the bob or the nob)-29.
I have never hit a 29, but I've hit a 28.
I've been playing cribbage for decades, it's really easy to learn how to play but it takes years to learn to play well. One of people I enjoy playing against most was a submariner, he was on the Robert E Lee.
I really get the 'easy to learn, hard to master.' I used to play bridge with my grandmother and other family members before she passed, and there were plenty of times where I got to a really rare situation and said to myself, "wtf do I do now."
I never could really figure out cribbage though; it has to be one of the few card games my family _didn't_ play
I own copies of both of Richard O'Kane's books ("Wahoo" and "Clear the Bridge", the latter about his command of USS Tang). Fascinating books, pretty much mandatory reading for someone interested in hearing what conditions were like on USN WW subs. I also have one by a famous U-boat commander, Peter "Ali" Cremer, about his command of U-333, which of course makes for some very interesting comparisons.
I seem to remember O'Kane's 29 hand aboard Wahoo was photographed and signed by the people present when it happened, or the cards were signed and later photographed. There's a copy of that reproduced in the book**.
Love the wooden board.
Thanks for a fun video.
Cheers
** I moved recently and "Wahoo" is in one of the boxes I've yet to empty, so I can't look it up ;-D
I have played cribbage before but it's been so long that I'd have to refresh on it to play again. It was one of my grandpa's games he liked to play but I didn't learn while he was still around, I was too young to really get it.
I did sink Japanese freighters last time I played back in 2014. Boy were those sailors surprised!
A very personal and well-made gift. I really love their teak name badges, too. Trench art, or Glowfish art? Haha. Thanks for sharing this with us
if I remember correctly from Richard o'kane's book clear the bridge, he was dealt the second perfect hand, a year or so later in the same area. and yeah they got some ships
excellent, really enjoyable video. thanks for posting it sir!
Grew up playing cribbage with my grandad. He once got a 29 and still talks about it to this day. It's a great game and super easy to learn! I play it with him still to this day
My grandfather fought in North Africa during WWII under Monty. He loved to play Cribbage. "15 two, 15 four...." good times.
When I was in it was endless games of Spades
Spades is a favorite of mine.
Learned it from my cousin, who served Navy.
Another great video from the battleship. Thanks
I was taught to play cribbage, or crib as us Brits call it, as a child of about 8 or 9. My father was a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy from 1942 to 1949 serving in Corvettes, then post war, survey ships. Maybe because I learned as a child the game is simple to me but I have heard many people say that it is too complicated/confusing/difficult. Many thanks to Ryan and his team for producing yet another informative and entertaining video. I look forward to each new one and am never disappointed when it comes along. Keep up the grand work guys. Much respect is due.
My grandfather was a shipyard electrician at Mare Island navy yard, building submarines from well before WWII. He was a cribbage player.
My grandfather was a welder at Mare Island, small world
I've been playing cribbage since I was about 6 years old. My grandparents taught it to me to help me learn to add. My grandfather also taught me to play backgammon and a variant called acey deucey. Cribbage and backgammon were always such common things in my childhood that I figured everyone knew how to play. It wasn't until I was older that I realized there was a strong naval connection with those games. My grandfather was in the navy and served on 9 patrols between 2 submarines in WWII. USS Halibut SS232 and USS Entemedor SS340
That's not a square Ryan, it's a rectangle. You're not wrong often so I had to take advantage of that one.
Dominoes was the big game when I was in in the late 70's, though I played a ton of cribbage too.
When a shape has 4 sides it is a square. A subsection of a square is a rectangle. We tend to think of squares as 4 equal sides but that is not the case.
@@dennisjay3277 -- You have that backwards. A square is a form of rectangle.
Rectangle: 4 sides, 4 right angles
Square: A rectangle with all 4 sides of equal length
Ultimately I feel there was probably a significant practical factor in why it caught on.
I mean it's relatively simple to play, it only needs a pack of cards and it's easy to store and transport. Further any parts can often be substituted for pins or tooth picks etc.
It was like a game you played on your phone before you phones were a thing.
My grandfather taught me how to play cribbage when I was a little boy staying over summers with him out in farm country (I'm a city boy). He must have learned it as a Marine aboard USS Ranger CV-4, though at the time he taught me I don't recall him mentioning learning it in the service. Anyway, though I haven't played in decades now, this makes me want to make a board and learn it again - maybe teach my kids. Thanks for sharing that bit of naval history.
As far as I know my dad made a board for every boat he was on. La hammerhead and batonrouge were the ones I remember
Cribbage is my favourite card game. Best I have ever gotten was a 28 point hand. I've yet to get 29. Maybe one day.
Also an easy game to play. Just need to be able to count to 31 and 15.
I've gotten PLENTY of 19 hands.
I would say that while cribbage is a very easy game to play, it's a very hard game to learn. I've found especially after trying to explain the concept of Nibs and Nobs people start to think you're just making up rules.
And watch your nibs and nobs... and don't miss count your hands for Muggins 😂😂😂
@@Mishn0 sure 😜
In my case I had four 5s in my hand and flipped a 10.
@@dougzellers9725 i get more tripped up by regional variants. For instance, is the ace high, low, or both?
Very good. The tale of the Wahoo cribbage board my first time hearing about that.
My dad taught me cribbage and he learned it while in college in the 1950s. I still play often with him, as well as playing a game or two online every day! It's my favorite card game.... and actually really easy to learn.
My grandfather taught me to play. Some of my fondest memories of childhood are the many hours we played cribbage together.
My husband and I play everyday. He got a twenty eight. Just once! We've been playing for almost 2 years. Just love it. So much fun!
My great-great-aunt was in the WAVES during World War 2. We would always play cribbage whenever my family went to visit her. She said If you were in the navy, you played cribbage. It's what you did to pass the time. The reasons I suspect it was so popular are because A: it was easy to learn, B: it doesn't take much skill, you just have to know how to play your cards right, and C: the pieces don't move around when you're in rough seas, making it ideal for playing on ships.
D- Also a deck of cards and a cribbage board do not take up much of your very limited space for personal items. Down to zero if they are ships property.
In the wardroom of the USS Randolph on their 1967 Med Cruise, I learned to play Acey Duecy from a W4 (Electricians Mate)who hated carriers. I was a JG on my first cruise as an Aviator with an ASW squadron. He had started in the Navy on Destroyers and then Cruisers. As he stated, unfortunately the only billets in the Cruiser/Destroyer fleet for a W4 were on Battleships, and as he stated - we no longer have any. (I guess he was born too early or too late). But he ran a good shop. Many of the JO bunkroom occupants really disliked him for many had gotten conversion plugs so they could plug their stereos (2 open prong plugs) in one end and then the salt water plug on the other. If they went off and left them connected and he prowled thought, he would clip the cords off real close.
He pointed out all they had to do was take their equipment down to the electricians shop and have them converted by the shop and they would be legal. I think he retired shortly after we returned at the end of December, for on subsequent cruises, I never saw him again. Unfortunately, after leaving the Navy when my commitment was up (1970) I could never find anyone to play Acey Duecy with again.
Former boat sailor (submariner to you surface pukes) in the fifties and sixties, we played constantly while on patrol. Learned from parents and grandparents, had one perfect hand in roughly 65 - 70 years of playing. Didn’t think it was more popular with us than the less fortunate mentioned above.
My uncle was in the Navy in WW2, they played a lot of checkers and pinocle as well as cribbage. A perfect hand is to have in your hand (3) 5's, and a jack of the fourth suit. The deck is cut, and the card turned up is used by each player to add to his/her hand. The cut would be the last 5. If the fourth card in the hand is a 10, Q, K, or a jack that does not match the cut card's suit, then the hand is 28. Explaining the rest would take a bit more time and space.
Ryan! Cribbage is a great naval tradition! You should learn to play!!
I was dealt a 29 point hand only once and I play fairly often with my grandpa and family. Our family loves to play cribbage!
I used to play cribbage daily with my Dad, and he learned it in the Navy. He joined in 67, and was on carriers for three Vietnam cruises. In his words, it was very much a big game at that time, and that even if you didn't have a partner you could sit down with a board and cards and wait. He said it would never be long and somebody would sit down to play. In all of our years of daily games, I saw 28 one time, and never a 29. Now I play on my phone because nobody else knows how, but I'm going to teach some friends.
I'm from New Jersey, born in Clifton and raised down the shore. Spent 27 years on 6 different subs and played quite a few games of cribbage in my time. Along with playing Acey-Deucey, pinochle, hearts, spades and poker.
I was taught it by my dad, who was taught it by his dad.
It's easy to transport, since the board folds up and has the stuff in it. It can also be played in any conditions, set up easily, and eats up time. Perfect for sailors.
My late father retired from the US Coast Guard in 1974 and taught me how to play cribbage at an early age. It is one of my fondest memories of him. As he explained it to me, cribbage dates back to the age of sail and helped teach seamen of that era how to count and add, and the board (which is merely a scoreboard) was devised as a way to pause the game and keep the score when all hands were called to make or trim the sails. Fun Fact: While the highest hand you can be dealt in cribbage is 29, the only hand you CAN'T get is 19!
My dad would always claim that cribbage scoring was "A penny a point and a nickel a game", which for someone who grew up during the Great Depression was a lot of money!
Another popular sailors' game my father was also fond of was Acey-Deucey, but that is a simple betting game (much simpler to play than cribbage, for certain) and didn't require elaborate counting or score-keeping - and was frowned upon by the US military because while it was easy to win, it was also easy to lose (sometimes a lot!).
If anyone is interested the 29 point and 28 point cribbage hands are on display at the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. The cards are signed by members of the crew of the Wahoo and are on a map of the area where the famous hands were dealt to XO Richard H. O'Kane.
I learned to play Cribbage in 1978.
A 29 point hand is three fives and a Jack, with the fourth five (matching suit to the Jack) as the starter card. Sixteen for 15s (four sets with the Jack, four without), 12 for pairs, and one for Nobs.
I think the best single hand I've ever had (not including the crib) in more than forty years of sporadic play, was 26 points.
I wonder about the other traditional Navy game, Acey-Deucey -- a variation on Backgammon that requires bearing on all your men at the start (instead of having them all on the board in a set layout), and rolling an ace-deuce before you can bear on your first man. Other than that, any ace-deuce thrown allows moving the ace and deuce, plus any chosen double (which moves *four* of the chosen number) *and* rolling again. My dad had an Acey-Deucey board made with holes and pegs like a Cribbage board when I was a kid (he was never in the Navy, don't know where he got it). The slot in the back would hold all 30 pegs (15 of each color) plus a pair of small dice. Seems like the peg-style Acey-Deucey board would fit well aboard a sub... Sixteen for 15s, 12 for pairs, and one for Nobs.
If you can count to 15, you can play cribbage. An old bloke who was a public servant at a unit I was posted to when I was in the Army taught me how to play cribbage. To give you an idea of how hard he was to beat, I think I beat him twice in the two years I was posted to that unit. Winning was like winning a a footie World Cup or Grand Final. Then it was words to the effect ' sit down, shut up and deal. We are going again.'
You can play two, three or four handed.
Best two handed card game ever.
I didn't know this was a thing. I've met very few people outside of Minnesota who have even heard of cribbage.
I love every time Ryan does his best to sneak in a joke! It reminds me of my nieces when I try to make a funny!
Not just Cribbage, but Acey-Ducey which is a form of Backgammon. My old man was a machinist and he made several dice rolling gizmos to aid in the game. What an interesting, nice topic sir. Well played. :D
Great game!
It’s a tradition in my family. My Dad taught it to me when I was in Junior High School. I played cribbage with former Submariners when I worked offshore. Playing the game has many facets which makes it challenging and somewhat confusing. There are clubs online and videos that show techniques. But personally the best way to learn is from someone who knows how to play and go from there. The game is similar to gun rummy, and draw poker. The board is just used to keep score. The first one to 120 wins or “pegs out”. Actually it’s 121 if you’re stuck in the last hole 120 it’s called the “stink hole”.
I learned to play cribbage when I served on Subs. Later in life, when I was a Infantry Company Commander during Desert Storm. I introduced it to my men.
Cribbage is played by each player being dealt a number of cards, they choose 4 to keep based upon what will give them the best score (or if they are the dealer, what might give them the best "crib"); in a 2-player game each player is dealt 6 cards, while in a 3- or 4-player game each is dealt 5 cards (and in a 3-player game one last card is dealt directly to the crib). Then the player to dealer's right cuts the deck, and the top card is turned up. If it is a jack, then the dealer immediately scores 2 points for "His Heels." Then starting with the player on dealer's left, rounds of play begin by laying cards down in front of you (your cards are not mixed with any other player's) while announcing the card value and the total value in play. Points are awarded for pairs (2 points), 3-of-a-kind (6 points, rare), 4-of-a-kind (12 points, extremely rare), runs of 3 or more (points equal to how long the run is), and reaching a total value of 15 or 31 (2 points). The highest allowable total value in play is 31, and you have to play a card if you can play a card, even if it ends up hurting you. If all your available cards would put you over 31, you pass by saying "Go," at which point you are out of play for the round. Play continues until the total reaches 31, or no one can legally play a card which scores 1 point for the last player to play a card. The next round of pegging begins with the player to the left of the last player to play, and play continues until all players have legally played all their cards. After play, each player collects their cards and, starting with the player to dealer's left, "shows" their hands scoring 2 points for each possible combination totaling 15, the length of any combination of runs or 3 or more, 2 points for each possible pair (3-of-a-kind has 3 possible pairs for 6 points, 4-of-a-kind has 6 possible pairs for 12 points), 4 points for your hand (not including the cut card) being a 4-card flush, 5 points for your hand and the cut card being a 5-card flush, and 1 point for having the jack of the same suit as the cut card ("His Nobs"). The highest possible hand is 29 points (5-5-5-J hand, 5 of the same suit as the jack as the cut card), and scores of 19, 25, 26, or 27 are impossible to attain (someone who scored 0 points will sometimes say "19"). After showing their hand, dealer shows the crib as an extra hand (but cannot score for a 4-card flush) and pegs the score. Optional play is to call "muggins," where an opponent can point out points not claimed by a player and claim them for themselves. The highest hand I've ever been dealt was 28 - I had the wrong jack to get 29.
There are only 4 possible hands which can total 29 points, since the jack in hand must match suit with the 5 as the cut card, and there are 12,994,800 possible hands in cribbage (270,725 possible 4-card hands multiplied by 48 possible cut cards), so the odds of being dealt a 29-point hand are actually 1:3,248,700 (much lower than the 1:216,000 estimated by the crew).
There are some common expressions to simplify scoring during the show: "double run of 3" means a run of 3 with one of the cards having a pair (8 points for 2 runs of 3 [6 points] plus a pair [2 points]); "triple run of 3" means a run of 3 with one of the cards having a 3-of-a-kind (15 points for 3 runs of 3 [9 points] plus 3-of-a-kind [6 points]); "double-double run of 3" means a run of 3 with two of the cards having a pair (16 points for 4 runs of 3 [12 points] plus 2 pairs [4 points]). A double-double run of three using the cards 4, 5, and 6 in any combination also yields an additional 8 points for the 4 different combinations totaling 15.
In June 1997, I spent a 24-hour training session as a Midshipman Second Class onboard USS Phoenix (SSN-702) where I was one of three Midshipmen randomly selected to have dinner in the Officers' Mess. I felt over-dressed in my wash khakis since all the officers, including the CO, were wearing "poopy-suits," which was the colloquial name for their coveralls. After dinner, the CO asked if any of the Mids knew how to play cribbage. I've been playing since I was 12 or 13, so he selected me to be his partner against the XO and Weapons Officer. The CO and I beat the XO and Weaps 121-94, thanks in part to a sequence where I ended up scoring 14 points during play - I led with a 3, XO played a 7 to make a total of 10, CO played another 7 to score 2 points for the pair, then Weaps played another 7 to score 6 points for the 3-of-a-kind. I said, "Sir, I'm sorry, I have no choice but to play this," and laid down the last 7 to score 12 points for the 4-of-a-kind and another 2 points for a total point value of 31 on the table. Everyone was absolutely astounded at the play, because the odds of that were so low. XO said, "Who dealt this hand?" I said, very cheekily, "You did, sir!"
That is awesome how some of the teak is being repurposed for use in the new New Jersey. So is the teak cribbage board is to be used in the new NJ or is it for display purposes only for the museum.
I would assume they made a number of boards on of which they gave to the museum. They do not need to be as large as the one Ryan has and thus with the amount of teak decking on the BB you could make a near infinite number of boards. A score or two could be gotten out of a comparatively small section of decking.
I served in the US Navy for 20 years and two days. I served in or on 6 ships, 1 CVA, 2 DD, 1 DE and TDY to 2 DD's. On every one of them sailors played either Cribbage or Acey Deucy (Backgamon), more often in the CPO Mess. SMC,USN, Ret.
My grandpa served in the korea, where he took his cribbage board. Then when my dad joined the navy, grandpa gave him his board to play while on the Carl Vinson. And afterwards the three of us played here at home.
Never had a 29 point hand, and I wasn't a bubble-head, but playing cribbage, spades, and hearts were three skills absolutely necessary for sailors on board the USS Inchon (LPH-12) during the late 80's. There's never much free time when one is underway; down time could become quite tedious...quite quickly... Cribbage even became a spectator sport.
First time I heard of cribbage, was on my first boat (USS Wasp) in 1991. And while I haven’t played since probably 2000 I loved playing the game
My Dad learned how to play cribbage from one of his uncles in the 1920s and 1930s. He and I used to play every weekend; it was our Saturday night ritual until I became a surly teen, and then we resumed playing when I was older. Each player gets dealt 6 cards. You discard 2 cards into a common "crib." A card is then turned up on the deck, and that is used at the end of each hand as a common counting card. Each player takes turns being able to score points with the crib. You deal the cards for each hand if it's your turn to have the crib. If the turn up card is a Jack, you give yourself 1 point on the board. The Jack is sometimes called "nobs" or "His Nibs."
You play by alternating putting down cards on the table, trying to score off each other, and trying not to let the other person score off your cards.
I might put down a 4 of spades. I say, "Four." If you have a 4 of hearts, you'd play that 4 and say, "And 4 for a pair." You then give yourself 2 points on the board. The card count is up to 8; 4+4 = 8. Let's say I have a 7 card. I put that down on the table and and say, "Fifteen [count] for 2 points," and I give myself 2 points on the board (a table count of 15 equals 2 points on the counting board). You keep laying down cards until you get as close as possible to 31 points; 31 points equals 2 counting points on the board.
You can score for runs, and they don't have to be in strict numerical order; a run is 3 cards or more that create a numerical sequence. Let's say there's a 2, a 4, and a 5 on the table. If I have a 3 card, I put that down, and get 4 points for a run of 4 (2-3-4-5). The count on the table is 14. Let's say you have an ace (equal to one point). You put that down and say, "15 for 2 points, and a run of 5." You then count 7 points on the peg board for yourself.
When both players have played all their cards on the table, you take back your cards, and figure out how many points you can score with your 4 cards, plus the common turn up card. You can score for having cards of all one suit, for runs, for counts of 15, etc.
I like to teach people by playing a few hands as open, where we can see each other's cards. I'll tell the person, "Don't start a hand buy playing a card worth 10 points, because if I have a 5 in my hand, I can get 2 points for a count of 15." It's such a fun game! You really need your wits about you!
Spades and tonk seemed to be the games of choice when I was in.
I've played cribbage for years. While stationed aboard the Kitty Hawk we had a standing tournament whenever we left port. For the duration of any deployment, we would play as long as we were underway. We had to make it worthwhile, so we played for a beer per point. I don't remember it ever getting over a case at any time. I've got three or four boards. From a beautiful presentation board to my folding pocket board which is showing many years of use. Since my father died, I don't have anyone who plays.
Love the game, sadly my old card partners have all passed on. They were WW2 sailors and their wives. I was the only grandkid that loved to play
Cribbage was bit in my family. Learned it from my dad, but he was Army. Mother's father had been Navy, but he passed before I was born. Don't recall ever getting a 29, but I have scored 28. Some chance I may have played the old Silent Service video game after, so I might have sunk some digital Japanese shipping!
On the two boats I was on, we played cribbage and spades. Over in the corner of the crew's mess was an on-going poker game that never stopped 7/24 (drills excepted) while we were submerged.
I was in the Air Force not the Navy. In my Computer Repair Shop at night we would play mostly card games. Rummy, Hearts, Spades. We also played Sports Illustrated Football and Baseball. A co-worker introduced me to APBA Baseball. I still play this game and have played in both online and in person tourneys. It is a great game for baseball fans of all ages. (not a paid plug!)
I am also the 1979 Grissom AFB, IN Monopoly Champion. I still have the trophy!
When deployed to Iraq in 2003, at Camp Victory we played dominos in the team house.
I know even less than Ryan about Cribbage!
My old man loved cribbage. Navy chief that made his guys play games even if they weren't into it. If nothing more, it was constant mental stimulation that made doing quick math in their head a natural skill. I myself couldn't stand the game, but I understand the methods to his madness.
I was on a Tin Can going to the med. A few of the crew played and by the time we returned almost everybody played. It’s a fast card game …
I was on a Can in the pacific. We played all the time. We played for a dime a point, and used an 18-sided die from D&D as a doubling die. It could get expensive. I've had several 28s and I've seen more, but never a 29. A true perfect hand is if you have a 29 and you turn the jack for 31.
@@scottwyatt2614 I like the use of a 18d. That's creative.
We also used it for backgammon. Magnetic board, of course.
@@scottwyatt2614 IIRC in both the book and TV series M*A*S*H* Major Charles Emerson Winchester III gets exiled to the Korean (near) frontlines doing meatball surgery from the delights of Tokyo because he won a bundle beating his C.O. in cribbage.
I was on the USS McCaffery and it was the same. Two guys could play but it didn’t take long for all played. We had tournaments between departments. Made the time in the med go faster
That reminds me of a short story I read as a kid about a submarine having an emergency. Two of the characters were playing cribbage in the mess and that was the first time I had heard of the game.
i love cribbage and once you get the hang of it, its actually pretty easy to play. my best hand was 22 i think.
when i was in the Air Force everyone played Hearts or Spades. i never learned to play them. im from Michigan and know Eucre (U-ker)...
that's a beautiful piece of wood!
Cribbage is one of the best two-player card games, well worth learning. The board is just a handy score-keeping mechanism; you can keep score with pen and paper, but it's rather a nuisance.
RAF and RCAF pilots and flight crews played cribbage as well. My Dad taught me the game when I was a kid.
Awesome! That's almost I can say. I'm not an American, but I wept. The skippers, submarines and all onboard are legends. Long may they sail. I intend to visit the New jersey.
Used to play Cribbage with my father, WWII artillery officer in the Big Red One. Fifteen one, fifteen two etc. Occasionally beat him in Cribbage, couldn't beat him in Chess.
I learned from my grandfather, a retired Artillery NCO (1936-58). I never did beat him at cribbage, but got him a few times at chess. Also played one or the other almost daily for the better part of 3 years with my roommate in college, a former carrier sailor...we had some epic games! I play both with my teenagers now, some great bonding time.
Cribbage is a favorite of mine. I would play with my dad and grandfather. We could play for hours and never have to count out loud. I once scored a 29 and my grandpa went wild, he had served on a sub for a bit in WW2 (never saw combat); however we didn't sink any Japanese freighters that night but caught some trout the next day on the lake so that counts right? I still play cribbage with some of my friends at the pub weekly. (p.s. when I come out to visit, I'll teach you how to play)
My dad taught me how to play when I was 12 and my wife and I still love playing it
Never a 29 hand here mate and I’ve played many, many games. It’s probably the most underrated card/board game of all time. Once you learn all the rules, it’s very addicting. I strongly suggest everyone to play.
I had a small metal chessboard with magnetic chessmen that fit in an ammo pouch. When you're on radio watch, late at night, it helped keep you awake and alert
I've played Cribbage for over 50 years and have never gotten a 29 hand. I've gotten one playing online, but never in person. Extremely rare for someone to get one.
I am 54 years old...I learned cribbage so young I cannot tell you how old I was when I learned to play. I played with my father, his brother and about half a dozen or so great uncles. I have probably played tens of thousands of games of cribbage (or more). I have never had a 29 hand...or even seen one scored. I have however managed to perfect executing the 19 hand!
Lol
When I was a bubble head we had a couple games of cribbage, never played much while I was in the navy, but after when I was on the FV Concordia (scallop boat, Fairhaven MA) cribbage was a serious affair, whatever you did you did not disturb the board. And no I've never had a 29, I am usually happy when I'm able to play out on a 15 or so
Beautiful wood work to turn that into a Cribbage board. very nice
When I was in, at least on my boat, Crib was mainly a Chief's thing. Us Blue Shirts usually played Poker. Texas Hold 'Em since that was all the rage at the time.
i have seen a couple perfect hands in nearly 50 years of playing. Cribbage is a challenge to learn, but easy to play once you learn a seemingly senseless scoring system.
Anyway, I enjoy and wish to thank you for your content.
Early in my dad's career as an Liberty Ship Engineer they pulled into Halifax to assemble for a convoy. The school children of Halifax had made gift packages for sailors and dad got one. It included a hand made cribbage board and cards. Dad got one of the old mates to teach him the game. When he got back to NYC he gave the board to his parents who played with it the rest of their long lives. When I was in Junior High School and they were playing I asked them to teach me and they said it was too complicated! To simplify the cribbage board is to keep score . One could use paper and pen, but the boards are easier to use. Boards could easily be made on board ship.
My dad taught me cribbage when I was a kid. He and his Legion friends played it every Saturday at our house. Still enjoy the game. Even played it without having the board, just pencil and paper to record the points. The board just makes the scoring easier. Never had a "29" hand, but had several "20" hands. And of course had many, many "19" hands.
hey Ryan- dont know if you know about the very popular call of duty vangard video game but the new game board takes place on the battleship Texas!!! next game play board- battleship NJ!!
...great game...my Dad,Navy WWII and Korea, and Uncles played very loud games...I played aboard the USS Sam Houston SSBN 609 (Gold) and the USS Blueback 581... when you cheat by moving an extra hole it's called "hauling wood"...
I got 30 points and proceeded to drop nice depth charges in the American Standard. Some say the waste treatment facility was never the same after.
Cribbage is a very social game, and can be played one on one or two on two. The board makes it easy to keep score, but I've played with a pencil and paper before - it's first to 121 points. The 120th point, or 120th peg hole in the board, is called the bung hole in some parts. Because if you lose while your peg is in that hole, it means you fell one point short. The bung hole.
I have cribbage board that I think was designed for use on a sailing ship. It has a peg in every hole and when you pull the peg up, it stays until you push it down. It has date on the back which I believe is 1859. I have played for 50 years and never had a 29.
Cribbage has long had a history of being one of the few card games that stands the greatest chance of being exempt from a commanding officer’s ban on gambling. That is because their isn’t a very clear way of placing wagers on it, beyond a bartering of menial tasks depending on who is the winner. Cribbage is also a game that can be played by 2,3,4, 6 and 8 players depending on if your board has 2,3, or four tracks. In theory it is possible to play 5&7 handed cribbage, but you need either a absurdly rare 5 (we had a coffee table made with 5 tracks) or 7 track board…. Or use multiple board, but in those cases it just made more sense to break out a second (or third) deck…. Cribbage is also a game that is good entertainment, with spectators becoming participants on regular order, so it was a handy game to allow sailors and troops to play while settling down and dosing personal tasks like eating, cleaning, or servicing their personal gear.
I remember being like 9-10 when i played it with my grandfather, a retired SCPO (SS), but I couldn't begin to tell u how to play it now.
My Dad taught me cribbage. He was a “Tin-Can” sailor. Although his favorite card game was Pitch.
In the summers, Dad, my uncles, neighbors, friends, and old shipmates would set out a huge cribbage horse and some torches and a cooler at night. Best time was after an hour or two when all the good sea stories started.
-Played a lot of acey-deucey, backgammon and pinochle on USS Dewey (DDG-45).