Horse Race is for two, three or four individuals, or four players in fixed partnerships. Score multiples of five at the layout's ends and keep playing after a double or scoring tile from your hand. Five pip points make one game point; reach at least 61 to win immediately.
Players, tiles and score
Use a complete double-six set of 28 different tiles. Choose individual play for two, three or four players, or four-player partnership play. Partners sit opposite one another and stay together throughout the match. Individuals keep separate scores; partners share one score.
Mix the tiles face down before each deal. Deal 7 tiles each with two players, 6 each with three, or 5 each with four. The remaining 14, 10 or 8 tiles form the face-down boneyard. All of them can be drawn; none is reserved. Keep each hand private until remaining tiles must be shown for round settlement.
Throughout this guide, points mean displayed game points: five raw pip points equal one displayed point. The target is at least 61 displayed points, equivalent to 305 raw points.
Start the round
Choose the first leader by a fair lot, repeating it among tied candidates if necessary. Dealt tiles and the order of taking them do not give a right to lead. The leader may open with any tile; the opening scores normally. Play proceeds clockwise, unless the current player keeps the turn as explained below.
The player who plays the last tile of their hand leads the next round. After a blocked round, choose the next leader by a new fair lot.
Place a tile and continue your turn
Match one half of a tile to an available connection with the same pip value. The unmatched half normally becomes a new end.
A tile played from your hand lets you continue if it is a double or scores points. A double that also scores gives the same continuation, not two saved turns. Keep placing tiles while either condition applies. An ordinary non-scoring tile ends your turn. A round or match ending takes priority: there is no further placement after it.
Drawn-tile exception: a newly drawn playable tile must be placed immediately and always ends your turn, even if it is a double or scores.
Every double can branch
Place doubles crosswise. Every double is a spinner, including the opening double and doubles played on existing branches. Fill its two long sides, continuing the line, before using either lateral branch. Once those two sides are filled, choose either available lateral branch freely.
Count both halves of the double while at least one long side remains free. Once both long sides are filled, the double itself contributes zero; unused lateral branches also contribute zero. Count the outward ends of the lines or branches that have actually been started.
Doubles at an end and inside the layout
A terminal double contributes both halves. The following position shows what changes when its line is continued. The orange outline identifies a spinner, not an automatic scoring end. Every double is a spinner, including an opening double.
Filled number: counted contributionHollow dot: legal continuation not counted here
Placed [4|4]
Counted contributions: 2 + 8 = 10. Placement award: 10 raw points (2 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 2 + 8 = 10. Placement award: 10 raw points (2 displayed points). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A). Legal continuation ports: [1|1] (line B, 1); [4|4] (line B, 4). Counted contributions: [1|1]: 2; [4|4]: 8.
Placed [3|4]
Counted contributions: 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point).
Counted contributions: 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4], [3|4]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A); [4|4] (line B) – [3|4] (high end). Legal continuation ports: [1|1] (line B, 1); [3|4] (low end, 3); [4|4] (branch A, 4); [4|4] (branch B, 4). Counted contributions: [1|1]: 2; [3|4]: 3.
Placed [2|2]
Counted contributions: 4 = 4. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 4 = 4. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points). Tiles: [2|2]. Spinners: [2|2]. Connections: none. Legal continuation ports: [2|2] (line A, 2); [2|2] (line B, 2). Counted contributions: [2|2]: 4.
For example, an opening [5|5] has an end total of 10. Add [5|2] to one long side and the total becomes 12. Add [5|3] to the other long side and the total becomes 5; the lateral branches are now available. Adding [5|4] to a lateral branch makes the total 9.
Opening spinner branches
Both line continuations must be filled before a side branch can open. An open continuation port and a counted scoring end are different things. An unopened side branch adds nothing once the spinner's two line continuations are filled.
Filled number: counted contributionHollow dot: legal continuation not counted here
Placed [1|2]
Counted contributions: 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point).
Counted contributions: 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4], [3|4], [1|2]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A); [4|4] (line B) – [3|4] (high end); [1|1] (line B) – [1|2] (low end). Legal continuation ports: [1|1] (branch A, 1); [1|1] (branch B, 1); [1|2] (high end, 2); [3|4] (low end, 3); [4|4] (branch A, 4); [4|4] (branch B, 4). Counted contributions: [1|2]: 2; [3|4]: 3.
Placed [1|5]
Counted contributions: 2 + 5 + 3 = 10. Placement award: 10 raw points (2 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 2 + 5 + 3 = 10. Placement award: 10 raw points (2 displayed points). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4], [3|4], [1|2], [1|5]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A); [4|4] (line B) – [3|4] (high end); [1|1] (line B) – [1|2] (low end); [1|1] (branch A) – [1|5] (low end). Legal continuation ports: [1|1] (branch B, 1); [1|2] (high end, 2); [1|5] (high end, 5); [3|4] (low end, 3); [4|4] (branch A, 4); [4|4] (branch B, 4). Counted contributions: [1|2]: 2; [1|5]: 5; [3|4]: 3.
Placed [0|5]
Counted contributions: 0 + 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point).
Counted contributions: 0 + 2 + 3 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4], [3|4], [1|2], [1|5], [5|5], [0|5]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4], [5|5]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A); [4|4] (line B) – [3|4] (high end); [1|1] (line B) – [1|2] (low end); [1|1] (branch A) – [1|5] (low end); [1|5] (high end) – [5|5] (line A); [5|5] (line B) – [0|5] (high end). Legal continuation ports: [0|5] (low end, 0); [1|1] (branch B, 1); [1|2] (high end, 2); [3|4] (low end, 3); [4|4] (branch A, 4); [4|4] (branch B, 4); [5|5] (branch A, 5); [5|5] (branch B, 5). Counted contributions: [0|5]: 0; [1|2]: 2; [3|4]: 3.
Placed [1|3]
Counted contributions: 0 + 2 + 3 + 3 = 8. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 0 + 2 + 3 + 3 = 8. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1], [4|4], [3|4], [1|2], [1|5], [5|5], [0|5], [1|3]. Spinners: [1|1], [4|4], [5|5]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A); [1|4] (high end) – [4|4] (line A); [4|4] (line B) – [3|4] (high end); [1|1] (line B) – [1|2] (low end); [1|1] (branch A) – [1|5] (low end); [1|5] (high end) – [5|5] (line A); [5|5] (line B) – [0|5] (high end); [1|1] (branch B) – [1|3] (low end). Legal continuation ports: [0|5] (low end, 0); [1|2] (high end, 2); [1|3] (high end, 3); [3|4] (low end, 3); [4|4] (branch A, 4); [4|4] (branch B, 4); [5|5] (branch A, 5); [5|5] (branch B, 5). Counted contributions: [0|5]: 0; [1|2]: 2; [1|3]: 3; [3|4]: 3.
Score after every placement
Add the contributions of all scoring ends, not all available connections. If the total is a positive multiple of five, score that total divided by five: 5 gives 1 point, 10 gives 2, and 15 gives 3. A total of zero or a non-multiple of five scores nothing. Apply this rule to the opening and to the last tile as well.
From end total to points
Count only the marked scoring ends, including zero-valued ends. The award below is the exact placement award, not the end total or a whole-round result. A positive multiple of five scores that many raw points. Other totals, including zero, score nothing. The displayed award is the raw award divided by 5.
Filled number: counted contributionHollow dot: legal continuation not counted here
Placed [1|4]
Counted contributions: 4 + 1 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point).
Counted contributions: 4 + 1 = 5. Placement award: 5 raw points (1 displayed point). Tiles: [1|4]. Spinners: none. Connections: none. Legal continuation ports: [1|4] (high end, 4); [1|4] (low end, 1). Counted contributions: [1|4]: 4; [1|4]: 1.
Placed [1|1]
Counted contributions: 2 + 4 = 6. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 2 + 4 = 6. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points). Tiles: [1|4], [1|1]. Spinners: [1|1]. Connections: [1|4] (low end) – [1|1] (line A). Legal continuation ports: [1|1] (line B, 1); [1|4] (high end, 4). Counted contributions: [1|1]: 2; [1|4]: 4.
Placed [6|6]
Counted contributions: 3 + 12 = 15. Placement award: 15 raw points (3 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 3 + 12 = 15. Placement award: 15 raw points (3 displayed points). Tiles: [3|6], [6|6]. Spinners: [6|6]. Connections: [3|6] (high end) – [6|6] (line A). Legal continuation ports: [3|6] (low end, 3); [6|6] (line B, 6). Counted contributions: [3|6]: 3; [6|6]: 12.
Placed [0|0]
Counted contributions: 0 = 0. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points).
Counted contributions: 0 = 0. Placement award: 0 raw points (0 displayed points). Tiles: [0|0]. Spinners: [0|0]. Connections: none. Legal continuation ports: [0|0] (line A, 0); [0|0] (line B, 0). Counted contributions: [0|0]: 0.
Draw or pass
If you have a legal placement, play; you cannot draw instead. Otherwise draw one tile at a time until you find the first playable tile or the boneyard is empty. Place that first playable tile immediately; you cannot substitute another tile from your hand. This placement ends your turn.
Pass only when you have no legal placement and the boneyard is empty. The round is blocked when the boneyard is empty and no player can place a tile.
Settle the round
Playing your last tile ends the round and wins it for you or your partnership, unless its placement has already ended the match. In a blocked individual round, the smallest remaining pip total wins. In a blocked partnership round, compare the combined totals of the two partners, not the lightest single hand.
The round winner receives points for the opponents' remaining tiles. Add all applicable opponents' pip totals first, round that single sum to the nearest multiple of five, then divide by five. Remainders of 1 or 2 round down; 3 or 4 round up. Do not subtract the winner's own remainder. No player's score is debited, and losing players receive no separate award.
For example, 17 opponent pips become 15, worth 3 points. In partnerships, exclude the winner's partner: if that partner has 7 pips and the opponents have 9 and 8, the shared award is still 3. In a block with partnership totals 1 + 17 = 18 and 5 + 6 = 11, the second partnership wins and receives 4 points from the opponents' 18 pips, rounded to 20.
Tied smallest totals
Every tied lowest player receives one full award from all other players' hands, including other tied winners. Do not split it or subtract their own hand. With four individual hand totals of 4, 4, 4 and 14, each of the three lowest players gets 4 points: the other hands total 22, rounded to 20.
Apply the same rule once per partnership. If both partnerships have 12 pips, each receives 2 points from the other partnership's 12, rounded to 10. There is not a separate award for each partner.
Win the match and record points
Record points immediately on a cribbage board or an arithmetically equivalent score record. A placement that takes a player or partnership to at least 61 points ends the match immediately, before another placement or round settlement. For example, 60 + 2 = 62 wins; exactly 61 is not required.
Apply all round-end awards together. Every player or partnership reaching the target in that same settlement shares the win, even if their final scores differ. Seat order does not break the tie. Thus two tied partnerships at 59 receiving 2 points each finish with a shared win at 61. The result is the winning player or partnership, or the simultaneous winners; there is no additional tournament margin award.
Source note
Horse Race is a Fives-family game recorded by Pagat.