Danielle emailed with the following question:

If I have 8,8,9,10 in my hand; and an 8 shows on board (on deck), what are the total points for my hand when scoring? Have you ever heard of the term "double run"? if so, can you explain it to me?

This is something often asked, so Cribbage Corner's resident rules expert Ezra replies:

Danielle,

As you know, you can score for a run of 3 more cards in sequence in your hand. But if you can make such a run in different ways, you score multiple times for each way you can make the run.

Taking your example, you have a run of 3 cards 8-9-10 which scores 3 points (one for each card in the sequence). But there are three different ways to make this run (using each of the 8s with the 9-10). So you get to score the run 3 times! That's 9 points, plus the 6 points for the pair royal of 8s, making 15 in all.

To recap, a single run is any sequence of 3 or more cards (Ace is low, so Q-K-A is not a run, but A-2-3 is). A double run is any such run where one of the cards is part of a pair: for example, 4-5-5-6, and it scores double. A triple run is one where you have three-of-a-kind of one of the cards, for example 7-8-8-8-9. It scores triple!