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29... A PERFECT HAND in Cribbage
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If you're on Facebook, please join the "29PerfectCribbageHand" group.
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January 27, 1985 My dad (age 69 at the time) was playing cribbage with my Uncle Jack, when my dad had this Perfect Hand. Some years later, I found the cards in my dad's drawer, and framed them as a gift for him. My dad never told me who dealt (and I never thought to ask because I didn't learn to play the game for many years later), but judging from the way he signed the cards, I think he dealt and my Uncle Jack cut the deck to reveal the 5 of Hearts. |
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December 22, 1998 Our son Alex (age 13 at the time) dealt this Perfect Hand to my wife Joanie (45). At first, she didn't realize what she had. "Gosh, Alex," she said. "I think this is a pretty good hand!" She then looked up and saw the framed cards of my dad's Perfect Hand (see above story). She jumped to the phone and called me at work. "Bob, you are NOT going to believe what just happened!" |
- Why 29? There are four Perfect Hands, one of each suit. It renders 29 points, the most of any cribbage hand. Your hand would consist of three 5's and a Jack. The card turned up must be the fourth 5, and must be the same suit as the Jack in your hand. If it is not the same suit as the Jack in your hand, you do not get Nobs, and would therefore be a 28 hand... a dash less than Perfect! Here's how the hand is scored: 8 combinations of "15" (for 16 points) + 4-of-a-kind (for 12 points) + Nobs (for 1 point) = 29 points.
- What are the Odds? Clearly, you can play for a lifetime and never see a Perfect Hand, much less hold one. According to the American Cribbage Congress, the odds of being dealt a Perfect Hand while playing against a single opponent are 1 in 216,580... 1 in 649,740 if you are playing against two or three opponents (because you are dealt five cards, not six--- thus, fewer cards from which to choose). Considering these ungodly odds, one might think the rules would declare the holder to be the instant winner of the game... perhaps even the match! But not so. It's "just" 29 points. Unlike golf, there is no requirement that it be witnessed by anyone other than your opponent. I had a 28 hand on 11/1/05 (555K with a 5 turned up), but never a 29. I continue to play several times each week, so maybe my day is coming. Maybe.
Note: When playing cribbage with more than four players, each player is dealt five cards... only the Dealer and the first three players to his/her left contribute to the Kitty. All other players discard one card.
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