7♠ 8♣ 8♠ 9♥ + 9♣ cut = 20 points

What the 9 of clubs contributes

Holding 7 of spades, 8 of clubs, 8 of spades, 9 of hearts with the 9 of clubs as the cut scores 20 points in the hand.

Scoring combinations involving the 9 of clubs contribute 8 points. The remaining 12 points come from combinations entirely within the four held cards.

• run of three: 7 of spades, 8 of clubs, 9 of clubs — 3 points.
• run of three: 7 of spades, 8 of spades, 9 of clubs — 3 points.
• Pair: 9 of hearts, 9 of clubs — 2 points.

Other available cuts of this rank: 9 of diamonds (20 points); 9 of spades (20 points). Changing only the cut suit leaves this score unchanged.

How this cut compares

For these four held cards, 40 possible cuts score less than 20, 3 score the same (including the 9 of clubs), and 5 score more.

Across all 48 possible cut cards, the score ranges from 12 to 24 points, averaging 14.13 points. This comparison treats every card outside the four-card hand as equally likely; it does not exclude known discards or other seen cards.