$kards = -99;
	$bad="AKQJT98765432KKKK";
	$card='K';
	# this next bit works. xtr is just so I can print what eval is eval ing.
	$xtr = "$bad =~ tr/$card//;" ;
	$kards = eval "$bad =~ tr/$card//;";    #<====== Note the ; " ; at the end. This seems required.
        print "xtr kards = $kards from eval cmd : $xtr\n";
	#output: xtr kards = 5 from eval cmd : AKQJT98765432KKKK =~ tr/K//;