3♦ 4♦ 7♥ J♠ + 5♠ cut = 8 points

What the 5 of spades contributes

Holding 3 of diamonds, 4 of diamonds, 7 of hearts, jack of spades with the 5 of spades as the cut scores 8 points in the hand.

Scoring combinations involving the 5 of spades contribute 8 points. The remaining 0 points come from combinations entirely within the four held cards.

• fifteen: 5 of spades, jack of spades — 2 points.
• fifteen: 3 of diamonds, 5 of spades, 7 of hearts — 2 points.
• run of three: 3 of diamonds, 4 of diamonds, 5 of spades — 3 points.
• his nob: jack of spades, 5 of spades — 1 point.

Other available cuts of this rank: 5 of clubs (7 points); 5 of diamonds (7 points); 5 of hearts (7 points). The cut suit changes the score here because of a flush or nobs.

How this cut compares

For these four held cards, 47 possible cuts score less than 8, 1 score the same (including the 5 of spades), and 0 score more.

Across all 48 possible cut cards, the score ranges from 0 to 8 points, averaging 2.54 points. This comparison treats every card outside the four-card hand as equally likely; it does not exclude known discards or other seen cards.