In Cribbage, a hand scores as follows:

2 points for each set of cards that totals 15 (face cards count 10, aces count 1)

2 points for each pair (this means 3-of-a-kind is worth 6 points and 4-of-a-kind is worth 12 points)

n points for each maximal straight containing n cards

(i.e. a four card straight does not also count as two three card straights)

n points for each maximal flush containing n cards

(i.e. a four card flush does not also count as four three card flushes)

1 point for the jack of trumps

It's easy to show that the best five card hand is J5555, worth 29 points, and, although impossible in an actual game, the best six card hand would be 445566, worth 46 points.

If the entire deck of 52 cards was considered to be a single cribbage hand, what would be its value?

So I count:

    32536 points from 15s
      156 points from pairs
872415232 points from straights
       52 points from flushes
        1 point for 'his nobs' (if we're lucky?)
-------------------------------------------------
872447977 or 872447976 points total.

Incidentally, this hand scores enough points to win 7.2 million games of cribbage.

Posted by Eric on 2006-06-07 23:40:52