The odds of being dealt four reyes (kings)

The probability of being dealt all four kings in a four-card hand from a standard 40-card pack is 1 in 91,390. In eight-king Mus, where treses (threes) also count as kings, it rises to 70 in 91,390, or around 0.077%: roughly 70 times more likely.

Why 91,390?

That is the number of different four-card hands you can deal from a 40-card pack. We explain it in how many different hands can be dealt.

And why 70?

In eight-king Mus, eight cards count as kings (the four kings and the four threes). There are 70 ways to choose four of those eight cards. That is where the figure comes from.

To put it into perspective

If you play around 100 hands an afternoon, with eight kings you would see four kings about once every 13 afternoons. With four kings, you would need to play for around 900 afternoons. That is why it is worth celebrating when they turn up. And it is why muslaris (Mus players) value duples (two pairs) so highly, as we explain in why threes count as kings.

A curious fact

Four kings are just as likely as any other specific four-card hand. It is just that this one catches our attention. We explain it in why some hands seem impossible.