Rules of Russian Preferans (1) General Rules and the Major Variants

Since there do not seem to be any descriptions of way-too-many variations in the game in English (it's a Russian game, anyway), I am tempted to roll my own...

Players and cards

Preferans (преферанс, sometimes préférence) is a game for three or four players. Dealer sits out in a hand he/she deals when four play. Everything in the game is done clockwise. A pack of 32 cards common in the continental Europe is used. There are eight cards in each of the four suits: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 and 7 from high to low.

Seating

Each player draws or cuts a card. One who draws or cuts the lowest card picks a seat first, followed by the next lowest, and so on. An ace ranks low below 7 only in this case. Suits are compared when there is a tie. Order of the suits are hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades from high to low, the same as in the bid ladder.

Deal

Dealer of the first hand is chosen by any means. A player to the left of the dealer deals in the next hand. The dealer shuffles cards, and after having them cut by his/her right hand neighbour, deals ten cards to each player and a widow of two cards in a batch of two, starting from the player to his/her left. The widow can be dealt at any time so long as they are not the first or the last cards.

The dealer deals again in case of a misdeal. If it is a misdeal again, he/she writes one undertrick of a six-trick game on his/her hill and the next player deals.

Auction

Bidding starts from the eldest hand, that is the left hand neighbour of the dealer, and continues until only one player is left or all players pass. A bid is a combination of a trump suit and number of tricks to be taken, for example "6 (in) clubs". A bid with larger number of tricks outbids one with less, and among bids with same number of tricks, spades ranks lowest, followed by clubs, diamonds, hearts and no trump in this order from low to high. The suits are also known by their numbers: spades as one, clubs as two, diamonds as three, hearts as four, and, less often than the others, no trump as five. The lowest number of tricks one can bid is usually six, that is always omitted when suits are called by their numbers and often still when they are called by their names. Therefore, one can bid, from low to high: "(6) spades" or "one," "(6) clubs" or "two," "(6) diamonds" or "three," "(6) hearts" or "four," "(6) no trump," "7 spades" or "7 in one," "7 clubs" or "7 in two," ..., "10 hearts" or "10 in four," and "10 no trump."

When a player cannot make a bid, he/she says "pass" and drops out from the auction. Once a player passes, he/she may not bid again in that hand.

In order to remain in an auction, one has to make a next higher bid in the ladder if the previous bid was made by an elder hand, and repeat the last bid by a younger hand. Some allow bids higher than these, although it is advantageous to make lowest possible bid even in this case so that these two options are effectively the same.

Here are some examples of bidding:
 - A: Pass, B: Spades, C: Pass
 - A: Spades, B: Pass, C: Clubs, A: Clubs too, C: Diamonds, A: Pass.
 - A: Pass, B: One, C: Two, B: Also Two, C: Pass

One can also call misere, that is a bid to lose all ten tricks. It should be called at one's first chance in an auction. One who called anything cannot call it, and one who called misere cannot call anything else either. A bid of 9 spades overbids misere. Some allows a special bid of "misere hand" (misere without the widow) by a caller of misere when it's overbid. Some say that 10 spades overbids misere hand, others say that it is "9 spades hand."

When all three players pass, a game called "raspasovka" or "raspasy" in Russian, or "all-pass" is played. Some raise minimum bid, points of all-pass games, or both after an all-pass game ("St. Petersburg" convention).

Exchange of widow and soloist's declaration

The last player to remain in the auction becomes the soloist. The other two players try to spoil the soloist's game as temporary partners. The soloist turns the widow open for everyone to see, add them to his/her hand, and discards two cards face down. Then, if he/she did not bid misere, names a game he/she is going to play. It must be equal to or higher than his/her bid in the ladder. For example, if the soloist won an auction by "(6) diamonds", he/she can name 6 diamonds, 6 hearts, 6 no trump, or any games at 7 or higher but he/she cannot say 6 spades or 6 clubs. One cannot play misere unless he/she called it, and who called misere cannot play anything else.

Some players score points for quick tricks in the widow or for refusing it ("Rostov" convention).

Some allow the soloist to invite the dealer in high risk games like misere when four play. If dealer accepts the invitation, he/she shares profit or losses equally with the soloist.

Some players allow the soloist to resign without playing the hand after looking at the widow. He/she writes points for three undertricks, that are number of tricks in short of the stated goal, on the hill to do so.

Partners' declarations

Starting from the one sitting left to the soloist, the partners say "whist" if he/she is willing to take required number of tricks and "pass" otherwise. Whisting player(s) have to take 4 tricks if the game is at six, 2 tricks if seven, and 1 trick if it's eight or nine. There are no requirements for ten-trick games or misere. The partners do not say "whist" or "pass" in these games. They are played in special ways because there are no whisters. Some players set 1 trick requirement for games at ten tricks and play them like the others.

If two players whist, they try to take the required number of tricks together. When they fail to do so, one who failed to reach one half of the requirement is deemed responsible and scores penalty. When the requirement is one, some players make the second whister, or who said "whist" after, solely responsible; and some make both equally responsible and share penalty points equally.

If only one player whists and the other passes, tricks taken by the passing partner belong to the whister and he/she is solely responsible for taking the required number of tricks. The whister has an option of playing "up" or "closed", and "down" or "open". In a "closed" game, three players play holding their cards in their hands. In an "open" game, the partners reveal their hands face up on the table and the whister plays hands of the passing partner as well as his/her own.

If the two partners pass, the soloist is assumed to have won 10 tricks.

When a game is at six or seven tricks and the first partner passes, the second partner can say "half-whist" in addition to "whist" and "pass". When this occurs the first partner has to say if he/she whists or passes again. If he/she whists, the half-whisting player is assumed to have passed; if he/she passes, the half-whisting player is assumed to have won a half of the required number of tricks and the soloist the rest. When four play and there is a half-whist-pass, the dealer has a chance to say whist or pass after looking at the hand of one of the partners. Some allows the first partner to say "half-whist" after he/she said "whist" and the second partner said "pass".

When four play, a game is at eight or nine tricks (or ten if it is to be whisted), and the two partners pass, the dealer has a chance to say whist or pass after looking at the hand of one of the partners.

Play of the cards

If the game is to be played "open" or misere and the soloist is not the eldest hand, the two partners reveal their hands before the play of a hand begins. If the soloist *is* the eldest hand in an "open" game or misere, the partners reveal their hands before the opening lead if the game is not misere and after the opening lead in  misere. Some players choose different set of rules regarding when -- before or after the opening lead -- to open partners' hands if the soloist has the opening lead, for games other than misere and for misere.

In misere, the partners can take notes and discuss their moves. These actions are strictly forbidden in the other types of games.

If the game is at ten tricks and it does not require the partners to take a trick, the three players reveal their hands and play them to check if the soloist can lose some tricks, or it is played by the rules of misere, by prior agreement. There are nothing special in ten trick games if they are to be whisted.

The eldest hand leads a card to the first trick and the other players, in turn, must play a card of the suit led if he/she has one, or a card of the trump suit if he/she has one and does not have any card of the suit led, or any card otherwise. The highest card of the suit led wins a trick unless trumps are played, in which case the highest trump wins. The winner of a trick leads to the next trick.

Though not a rule, there is implicit assumption that the partners should cooperate, putting his/her own personal gains aside; he/she should not take a trick that is already his/her partner's, he/she leads low against the soloist and high against the other partner, shows his/her strong suit by first discard and weak one second, should not whist without a trick in hand but always whists with four trumps, and so on.

An all-pass game is played either with ("Sochi" or "St Petersburg" conventions) or without ("Rostov" convention) the widow, upon agreement. Players try to avoid taking tricks and there are no trumps. In an all-pass game with the widow, the first two tricks are led by turning the top card of the widow, and the eldest hand plays next. The third trick is led by the eldest hand. The fourth trick and onwards are led by the winner of previous trick. The widow just shows the suit of a trick and cannot win in three player games, while it can win tricks and belongs to the dealer when four play. An all-pass without the widow plays like the other games.

If a player failed to play a card of the suit led or trump when he/she can, there's no penalty if it is corrected within the same trick. If this is discovered in a later trick, the offending player gives at least one trick to the opponent. Any problems arising from the offence is solved to the detriment of the offending player. It is more usual to have the offender write three undertricks in his/her hill.

General rules of scoring

A score sheet is a rectangular piece of paper divided into four areas by two diagonals, with each area corresponding to a cardinal direction of a player. There's a small circle at the center, where pool size, stakes (per whist point) and other agreed upon terms are written down. A triangular area is further divided into three layers by two horizontal lines. The top section is called 'hill' and penalties are recorded. The middle one is called 'pool' and successful games are recorded. The bottom is called 'whists' and divided equally by vertical line(s) into number of other players, where tricks taken from him/her as a whister are recorded. Any points written are added to previous value. It is done by writing a new value after a previous one, separated by a period.

Size of the pool, that determines duration of a game, is usually 10, 20 or 30 points.

Game point of a six-trick game is 2, seven 4, eight 6, nine 8, and ten and misere 10.

The outcome of a game is calculated this way:
- Each player subtracts points of the smallest hill from his/her own hill, so that the smallest hill becomes zero.
- Each player multiply his/her hill by 10 and divide the result by number of players.
- Each player pay the resulting points to each opponents as points in the whists.
- The net score is (sum of points in one's own whists) minus (sum of points in the other players' whists against him/her).

Sochi's

Born in 1960's and had become the most popular form the game by early 1970's, it is regarded as the basic or the classical form of the game even today when Piter is by far the most played variant. It favours soloist more than Piter.

Some say that one must whist against a game of 6 spades. This is called "Stalingrad" because there is no way out, and some use it even when they are not playing Sochi.

The soloist writes the game points in the pool for a successfully played game.

The soloist writes the game points for each undertrick on the hill if the game is not misere, and everyone else including passing partner and the dealer of a four player game write the same amount in the whists against him/her as a prize. The soloist writes the game points for each trick taken on the hill if the game is misere and the others score nothing.

The whister writes the game points for each trick taken by him/her in the whists against the soloist. Number of tricks includes the tricks taken by a passing partner. The whister does not share these points with the passing partner when the soloist fails (greedy whist). Note that only whisting players score these points therefore no one writes them in misere or a 10 trick game without partners' responsibility.

When the partners fail to take required number of tricks, responsible whister writes the game points for each undertrick on the hill (responsible whist). Undertricks are counted against his/her personal quota and not the partnership one.

All-pass games are played with the widow, and each one writes one point on the hill for each trick taken. One who does not take any tricks writes one point in the pool. There is, or, was usually no increase in minimum bid or points for all-pass tricks after an all-pass hand. Some introduce Piter-like increase of points for all-pass, although the raised state usually ends automatically after playing fixed number of hands like three.

When the pool of a player becomes full, he/she writes points of his/her successful game in the pool of a player with smallest room, and 10 times the pool points given to him/her in his/her own whists against that player in return. When all the pools become full, remaining pool points are subtracted from player's own hill.

A game ends when every player's pool becomes full. A game can also be finished when everyone agrees. In that case pool size minus pool points are added to each player's hill before the calculation of outcome.

St Petersburg's (Piter)

Its distinctive feature is progressive all-pass and tightening of exit from that condition, that can result in big win and loss. Compared with Sochi, it also favours whisters who are more difficult to play well than soloist, therefore it is easier for beginners.

The soloist writes the game points in the pool for a successfully played game. Pool points are not doubled unlike the rest to make size of the pool consistent with other conventions, but it's doubled before the calculation of outcome.

The soloist writes twice the game points for each undertrick on the hill if the game is not misere, and everyone else including passing partner and the dealer of a four player game write the same amount in the whists against him/her as a prize. The soloist writes twice the game points for each trick taken on the hill if the game is misere and the others score nothing.

The whister writes twice the game points for each trick taken by him/her in the whists against the soloist. Number of tricks includes the tricks taken by a passing partner. The whister shares a half of these points with the passing partner when the soloist fails (gentlemen's whist).

When the partners fail to take required number of tricks, responsible whister writes the game points for each undertrick on the hill (half-responsible whist -- it is not doubled). Undertricks are counted against his/her personal quota and not the partnership one.

All-pass games are played with the widow, and under the normal conditions, each one writes two points on the hill for each trick taken. One who does not take any tricks writes one point in the pool.

After an all-pass game, the minimum biddable number of tricks is raised to 7 and points for all-pass games are doubled. A whisted and successfully played game brings this back to the normal -- six tricks and no doubles for all-pass.

If there is an all-pass game when the seven tricks and double rule is in effect, following games are played with the minimum bid of 7 and triple points for all-pass games in ordinary Piter. Some make it minimum of 8 and triple (hard Piter), and some 8 and quadruple. A whisted and successfully played game brings things normal again.

The game ends when the total points in the pools exceed the pool size times number of players, or agreed upon time passes. Pool points in excess of the pool size are doubled and subtracted from his/her hill, and pool points in short of the pool size are doubled and added to his/her hill before calculating the outcome.

Rostov's or Moscow's

Though much less number of games are played in some online gaming sites than the previous conventions, it is regarded as one of three major forms of the game along with Sochi and Piter. It has some distinctive features like rules and scoring of all-pass and heavy penalties for undertricks of soloists, and seen as a game for cautious and technical players.

Some score points for the widow. They counter-balance the chance factor of widow. Dealer of four player games or each partner of three player games writes the following points (in half in three player games) in his/her whists against the soloists if the widow contains: an Ace - 10 points, a King and a Queen of one suit - 10 points, an Ace and a King of one suit - 20 points, and two Aces - 30 points. Soloist writes 10 points in his/her whists against dealer in four player games and 5 against each partner when three play if he/she refuses to take the widow after turning them up and leaves them on the table.

The soloist writes game points in the pool for a successfully played game.

The soloist writes the game points for each undertrick on the hill if the game is not misere, and everyone else including a passing partner and the dealer of a four player game writes 10 points for each undertrick in the whists against him/her as a prize.  The soloist writes the game points for each trick taken on the hill if the game is misere and the others score nothing.

The whister writes the game points for each trick taken by him/her in the whists against the soloist. Number of tricks includes the tricks taken by a passing partner. The whister shares a half of these points with the passing partner when the soloist fails (gentlemen's whist).

When the partners fail to take required number of tricks, responsible whister writes a half of the game points for each undertrick on the hill (half-responsible whist). Undertricks are counted against his/her personal quota and not the partnership one.

All-pass games are played without the widow, and a player taking the least number of tricks writes 5 points for each trick taken by an opponent in each of his/her whists against that player. If there are two such players, tricks taken by the other player is equally divided between them. One who does not take any tricks writes one point in the pool unless he/she is the dealer of a four player game who scores nothing. Some allow the dealer to write one point in the pool.

The minimum bid and points of all-pass hands remain unchanged throughout the game.

Pool points in excess of the pool size are treated just like in Sochi.