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Cribbage Quizzer
CribQuiz.exe version 1.0
by John Knoderer

I have been writing this "shareware" program since early 1999. I released the first BETA version in March, 1999. I decided that it was ready for regular release in September, 1999.

Scroll down to see the details, but first a word from our sponsor:

Here's what I tried to design into the program:

• Tests your speed and accuracy at counting cribbage "hands"
• After you enter your count, it shows you exactly how it is counted, showing all the 15's, card by card, and shows you the other kinds of counts by name, then shows you the total count. If you make a mistake, it shows you the method, but still waits for you to enter your count.
• Uses actual mathematical analysis to recommend discards, shows how the discard can affect expected score for your crib and for Pone's crib.
• Recommends discards based on whether it's your crib or Pone's crib
• Runs in "automatic mode" until you press a key to start quizzing.
  This random display and score analysis is a nice attention getter, I think.
• Built-in timer rates you in "seconds per hand" while another routine grades you for accuracy.
• You can use this program to increase your speed and accuracy.
• This DOS program will run under DOS, Windows 3.1, 95 or 98.
  It will not work under Windows NT.
• This is the first public release of this program. There still may be errors, though I hope not. If you find any errors, or if you have any suggestions, e-mail me at (webmaster (at) mazes.com).

Download CribbageQuizzer.zip
(DOS version will run under DOS, Windows 3.1, 95 or 98, but not NT)
(This is the fifth beta version, but the first I'm publicly releasing,
so if you find any errors, or if you have any suggestions, e-mail me.)

If you like this program, please pay for it with
a new or used book about any worldwide religion of your choice,
a picture of your favorite pair of people playing cribbage,
a new or used Science Fiction or Fantasy book, or
send a donation (any amount, large or small).
Details included inside the program.

• Next: I plan to eventually write a Windows 95/98/NT version that will have all the bells and whistles that you suggest for the the DOS version and maybe a few more features that you suggest.
• Then: I need to decide whether a web page that double-checks your cribbage count for you is going to be used enough to warrant writing it. Let me know if you think I should write such a page. (It cannot have all the bells and whistles of the DOS or Windows programs because of speed considerations.)

E-mail your ideas and suggestions for improving this program to (webmaster (at) mazes.com). Thank you.

HOW TO RUN THIS PROGRAM

• Copy this program into the directory of your choice. May I suggest you put it into the
  • C:\MazeMan\ directory?
• If your files are in the recommended directory, this is your start path:
  • C:\MazeMan\CribQuiz.exe
• When you first run the program, it displays random hands and their scores. Press any key to cancel the demo mode.
  .
• At the bottom of the screen, the computer will ask:
  • As you use Cribbage Quizzer today, what skills do you wish to practice?
    Do want to study the six cards dealt to you before scoring?
• If you say YES, the program will allow you to look at the six cards and let you decide for yourself what two cards you would discard before you see what cards the computer chooses to discard. Also, if you say YES, you will be able to input six cards of your choice into the computer and see how the computer would discard from that hand mathematically.
• If you say NO, you will only be practicing counting scores for hands, and you will not be able to input your own six cards into the computer.
• However, either YES or NO will still allow you to ask to see the Discard Analysis, the screen showing the highest average hands given various ways that you might have discard.
  .
• Let's assume you said YES (#4): The computer will show you six cards on the bottom of the screen:
  • Cards Dealt: 2* 7* 9* 9* Q* K* (it will show the suits in graphic shape)
• and it will ask
  • Press <E> to enter 6 cards or <D> when you are ready to discard to PONE's crib
• If you wish to have the computer do its analysis on your six cards, press <E> then type the six cards of your choice, typing the rank first (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T, J, Q, K) and typing the suit second (H, S, C, D) for each card. Notice that I used "T" for ten. This part of the program does not clearly show what you are entering, but if you use the program a few times, you will get used to it.
• After you press <D>, the computer will go to the hand scoring screen.
  If you said NO for studying discards, the computer skips this particular step and goes directly to the hand scoring screen every time.
  .
• The computer picks two cards to discard, then it cuts the deck for you.
• The left side of your screen tells you what was dealt and discarded:
  • Cards dealt: 5* 6* 7* 10* 10* 10*
  • Discarded to crib: 6* 7* (suits displayed as graphic)
• The right side of the screen tells you what is in your hand and what was cut, then asks you to score that hand. Most of the time, I ignore the graphic image of the cards. I just like to see them in demo mode.
  • What is the score of this HAND?
  • 5* 10* 10* 10* cut 9*? (suits displayed as graphic)
• Between the graphic hand and the graphic deck you will now see the best 9 expected scores. These were mathematically analyzed BEFORE the cut card was chosen. This particular screen does not pay attention to the crib effect. It only looks at what it will do to the hand. I did this for a reason. By ignoring the "crib" effect, you see the best possible average, something you might be interested in near the end of the game, when you know that you won't get a chance to count the crib. Then, after you count the right score, you'll get a chance to press <C> to see the Crib Effect.
• Count "your hand" then type the score and press ENTER. If you get it right you will see your current score and your current rate.
• If you get it wrong, you will be asked to try again. At this point, you can look at the top of the screen and see how the computer counted the hand. Just type the correct score and press ENTER again.
• If you ask for the "Crib Effect" page, you will see an analysis based on both a mathematical analysis of the average expected hand, you will also see the scores adjusted up for your crib or down for Pone's crib, based on the expected average value to the crib for the particular two cards that were discarded. These numbers come from the book
  • 'Play Winning Cribbage' by DeLynn Colvert (a book I highly recommend)
• I think you can figure out most of how my program works by trial and error, so I'm going to post this to the web now. Let me know what you think.

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