Cribbage, guts and a fundraiser

The impossible happened this week. I skunked my dad at cribbage.

 

Two times.

 

On the week, I tallied seven wins to his six. Dad took the first two bouts of the week before I rattled off four straight wins on round two (the next day) including a skunk. We started round two intending to play a “World Series,” meaning best of seven games. As a youth, we would often play these matchups, and following my losses, we would play an old fashioned World Series, which meant best of 11. And if I lost again, then we would start over from the beginning. This was the first time I had ever won four straight to start a “series” with my dad. I insisted we play more, which resulted in Dad winning one more that night. 

 

Up 4-3 in games, I skunked Dad and won game seven, before he won the final three games, Monday night. 

 

Much discussion was had regarding cards to keep or throw in various situations. I only ever use actual math to back up my decisions. This year I have tried a slightly different strategy, courtesy of Dad, which is the concept of “explosive hands.” Throwing two cards together in a row, or keeping a pair of cards with another card higher or lower than it, giving the player a chance at a double run if the cut comes their way. Adapting this method, I sometimes keep slightly different and even sometimes lesser points, just for the chance at an “explosive hand.” 

 

Dad and I have discussions about these types of choices whenever they come up. Although rarely, Dad does once in a while ask for my opinion. I usually ask for his about a single hand, twice per three games played. 

 

Frequently, if it is the end of the game, I will ask Dad to allow us to replay the hand to see what the outcome would have been if I had made other choices. Despite the two decades we have been playing cards together, I am always trying to learn.

 

Along with the strategy of “explosive hands,”  I have become somewhat more aggressive in the ways I “peg” points. I have also strengthened my skills at identifying which cards my dad has played in sequence, both so I can peg more points while also decreasing his count. As an example, if he has played a six and seven, it is likely he has an eight, five, or ace. 

 

To play off of the strategy my dad explained this year, I intentionally deposit “less explosive” cards in the crib. I employ this strategy based on how many hands are likely to be left in the game and whether I need to be aggressive to win. Most of the time, the correct play is to be conservative, unless I am keeping a really good hand. Even then, if the situation calls for it, those hands must be “busted up.”

 

We were playing Monday evening and were tied, exactly halfway down third street. Meaning that, in order to win, we each needed to be the first to score 46 more points . I was about to deal, which meant I had my dad “6-6” in terms of hands to count, with me counting last in that scenario. Dealer essentially get to count two hands because they get the points from the crib–that is, the cards deposited there by both players. So, when going down fourth street in cribbage, it is often said in our household, that the dealer has a three-to-one advantage in the hand–that is, the dealer will count three hands in the time the non-dealer counts one. 

 

So, because of this advantage, I know I only have to average about six points a hand over the final six hands. Since six is lower than a typical hand would yield, that meant I had a good chance of winning, even with only average cards.  In my calculations, that meant I needed to allow my dad some large scoring opportunities. If I did, he could win in four hands. 

 

My dad plays loosely, following his gut, which is not often wrong due to his nearly six decades of card playing. But I play with my gut AND my head. Which, I might add, is not always the fun way to play. 

 

I won that game, by the way.

 

The next game we were in a similar situation. Except I was a little further back than 46 points and Dad was a little ahead. I was dealing, but needed to average about eight points per hand to win. This is slightly above average in terms of typical point yields. It also meant Dad needed to come up a little lame. I had to play a little more aggressively to come from behind. But I also had to do it in a way that didn’t just hand my dad the game. I lost that game, but it was closer than Dad expected and he didn’t skunk me. 

 

It was during that game Dad shared an adage he once heard: “Never think too far ahead in a cribbage game.”

 

“That is terrible advice,” I said. “I have won so many more games this year because I do just that. Who gave you that advice?”

 

”Terry,” my dad growled. “He always was a…”

 

My dad actually trailed off and I did not hear how he ended that sentence. 

 

Our family friend Terry would admit to having lost more games than he has won playing with my dad and me. 

 

We agreed we owe Terry a call.

 

Aside from cribbage, I had a medical appointment this week. After extensive note taking, my doctor, well not doctor, but Ken from Heartland Healthcare in Janesville, helped me come up with some theories regarding my side pains. Ken recommended peppermint oil and said if that doesn’t work, he has a prescription he can give me. It appears my pain comes later in the digestive process. I have learned far more than I ever wanted to about digestion. Avoiding too much detail, I get a large amount of pain about four hours after eating. The solution I tried this week was to take peppermint oil about 2.5 hours after eating. It takes the oil tablets 60 to 90 minutes to reach the corner of my colon where the sharp bend and pain are. Today, it helped. I pray, and hope, it continues to help. Three and a half years of pain, tests, and very few answers have been utterly miserable. 

 

Oh, and we ran a large fundraiser at the game store. We raised a couple thousand dollars for cancer research. My friend and store regular, Wade, lost his wife to cancer this year. He asked that we do an event in her honor to raise money for cancer research. We organized a silent auction, collected items, donations and ran events (games) all day long. Food was grilled. Many items were given away in raffles and door prizes. It was incredibly rewarding to have organized this even; the plan has become to hold it each year. This was my first time organizing something like this and I am very grateful for all those who helped make it possible. And, I didn’t get to say this over the weekend, but I’m really grateful for the locale we serve with the newspaper. I drew on the knowledge of having written about so many similar events that it made organizing this one rather seamless. 

 

This week’s cribbage tallies updated from last week:

Dad 472 wins, 70 skunks

Eli 424 wins, 43 skunks, 1 double skunk

2026 totals, Eli 87 wins, 4 skunks, Dad 59 wins, 9 skunks