5♠ 6♣ 7♦ J♦ + 8♥ cut = 8 points

What the 8 of hearts contributes

Holding 5 of spades, 6 of clubs, 7 of diamonds, jack of diamonds with the 8 of hearts as the cut scores 8 points in the hand.

Scoring combinations involving the 8 of hearts contribute 6 points. The remaining 2 points come from combinations entirely within the four held cards.

• fifteen: 7 of diamonds, 8 of hearts — 2 points.
• run of four: 5 of spades, 6 of clubs, 7 of diamonds, 8 of hearts — 4 points.

Other available cuts of this rank: 8 of clubs (8 points); 8 of diamonds (9 points); 8 of spades (8 points). The cut suit changes the score here because of a flush or nobs.

How this cut compares

For these four held cards, 22 possible cuts score less than 8, 12 score the same (including the 8 of hearts), and 14 score more.

Across all 48 possible cut cards, the score ranges from 5 to 13 points, averaging 8.04 points. This comparison treats every card outside the four-card hand as equally likely; it does not exclude known discards or other seen cards.