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What Is The Cribbage Stink Hole?
In order to win at Cribbage, you must be the first player to reach the 121-hole, or in other words, get 121 points in the game.
There are various techniques to reach that point quicker than your opponents, and there are also misfortunes and mistakes that prevent you from getting to the 121-hole.
One way that will most likely prevent you from winning is pegging into the stink hole, so in this article, we’ll be clarifying what the stink hole is.
Cribbage Stink Hole
What Is The Stink Hole In The Game Of Cribbage?
If you have just ventured into cribbage, you might have heard of the term stink hole, and it has definitely sparked your curiosity.
The stink hole is the 120th hole on the cribbage board, and the only way you can be unfortunate enough to peg your way into it is to score 120 points. You definitely do not want to find yourself in a stink hole–that’s 1 point short of winning!
The American Cribbage Congress (ACC) Rulebook does state that a stink hole is the 90th hole on the board, which is one point saved from getting skunked, which makes sense, but if you ask around, especially those who are very familiar with cribbage, they will acknowledge that the stink hole is the hole number 120.
Besides, the ACC Rulebook also named the number 120 hole as the dead hole.
What Happens When You Peg Into The Stink Hole?
While there are official cribbage rules, the rules that are played around the stink hole are mainly invented from creative ideas among friends or a four-generation family rule.
They are optional but can undeniably elevate a classic game of cribbage, so you should definitely give them a try. These rules include:
- If you peg into a stink hole, you can’t peg out using a Jack (two for his heels) or a Go.
- If you peg into a stink hole, you can’t peg out using a Jack (two for his heels), but you can win on a Go.
- If you peg into a stink hole, you cannot peg at all after that.
Our Verdict
Cribbage has been loved and played for centuries, and you will surely be introduced to rules that are foreign to you if you play with people out of your close circles.
So it is important to ask your opponents what rules they are playing by, and you, too, need to let them know beforehand if you are planning to play by your rules.
Come to an agreement with the rules so that the game does not end in a broken relationship.
