Preferans online

Preferans is a card game elevated to an art form, where calculation, strategy, reading your opponent, and a bit of luck are essential. Once considered an aristocratic pastime reserved for the elite, today anyone can play Preferans online anytime.

Many players know how hard it can be to find suitable opponents. This comes down both to understanding the rules and finding players of the right skill level. On our website, you can choose partners based on their experience and playing style, avoiding boring matches and mismatched skill levels. That way, you’ll compete with those who speak the same gaming “language.”

You no longer need to gather a group to sit at the card table - just an internet connection is enough. The online version lets you play Preferans, gain experience, train your thinking, study strategies, meet other players, and simply enjoy the process. Preferans remains a respected game thanks to its depth and well-thought-out rules, and the online format is an excellent way to explore it further.

Variants of Preferans

There are several popular versions of Preferans. Among them are the strict and logical Leningrad (Piter), the faster and riskier Rostov, and the balanced classic Sochi. You can choose the one that best matches your spirit and playstyle. Each variant offers unique rules and approaches, making Preferans multi-layered and fascinating.

Преф Ленинград

Преф Сочи

Преф Ростов

Preferans Sochi

Considered the main and most widespread version. These rules are used by most online platforms, tournaments, and beginner training materials. The variant is well-balanced: it includes a full set of contracts, including misères, the talon, and various bidding levels. Advantage of Sochi - versatility. Downside - relatively high complexity for newcomers, especially at the start when you need to memorize the game’s structure.

Preferans Leningrad (Piter)

Known for its strictness and simplicity. Fewer contracts, no misères with the talon, and more straightforward bidding. This variant appeals to fans of classic, distraction-free play. The game is calmer and focused on logic and precise calculation. Those seeking fast-paced action and risk might find it too quiet.

Preferans Rostov

For those who love thrill and unconventional moves. Here aggressive play is welcome: risky contracts and immediate play without the talon. The game becomes intense and unpredictable. Advantages of Rostov - faster pace, adrenaline, and engagement. Downside - tricky for beginners: bold decisions can lead to mistakes and penalties.

The constantly changing situation at the table requires flexibility, observation, and adaptability. The online format lets you play anytime, anywhere - perfect for those who value their time and don’t want to search for partners. On our platform, you can play for free, test the game before subscribing, and get comfortable without risk.

Playing Against the Computer

Playing Preferans with the computer is helpful for beginners: a calm way to learn the rules, get used to the pace, and master basic strategies without pressure or rush. Before tournaments or when testing new tactics, it’s also convenient to practice against a virtual opponent. The computer doesn’t distract with conversation, letting you analyze the game deeply.

This is a great way to develop logical thinking, improve memory, and boost focus. You can thoroughly study different Preferans variations and understand their nuances. Customize the game to your liking:

• Choose the length of the “bullet” - 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 points depending on available time.
• Adjust the format of whisting: “gentlemanly” - calmer, “harsh” - more competitive.
• Set penalties for whist to manage risks.
• Modify the misère exit threshold (e.g., play “6-7-8” instead of “6-6-6”).
• Enable extra modes: “Stalingrad,” “Tenfold,” and misère bidding with or without the talon.
• Control turn time limits and pause options.

This flexible approach helps you prepare for real matches, test strategies, and feel more confident at an actual table.

Playing with Real Opponents

Once you’re confident and ready for more excitement, switch to playing with real people. Preferans online with friends or other users lets you have fun, improve your skills, and learn from stronger players.

You’ll develop analytical skills, detect bluffs, read opponents, and make unconventional moves. Online play allows you to meet players from different countries and discover new playstyles and strategies. Our rating system helps you find opponents at your level, track your progress, and climb the skill ladder.

This mode builds not only logic but also psychological resilience: decision-making under uncertainty, concentration, and quick adaptation. Play Preferans with friends or strangers, relax, sharpen your intellect, and expand your social circle.

Remember: losses are part of mastering the game. Analyze your mistakes, learn from them, and get stronger. Online Preferans helps you spend time both usefully and enjoyably.

Questions & Answers (FAQ):

Preferans belongs to intellectual pastimes where the outcome depends on the player’s skill rather than chance.

This remarkable game appeared in the 19th century and is based on elements of old European card games.

The name Preferans comes from the French word preference, meaning “advantage” or the principle of auction-style bidding. It was first used in card-game history in Preferans with respect to suit priority. “Pref” is a colloquial short form often used to refer to Preferans. To learn Preferans from scratch on your own, it helps to start with theory, but the most effective learning comes from analyzing real deals and practicing.

Preferans is played by three or four participants. In a four-player game the dealer does not play the hand. More players are possible, but not recommended, as the game loses its pace.

Deck for Preferans, suit order, and dealing rules

The Preferans deck consists of 32 cards - 8 cards in each of the four suits. In ascending suit order they are:

• spades (lowest)
• clubs
• diamonds
• hearts (highest)

Suit order matters in the auction and when declaring the contract.

Each suit has 8 cards. Their rank order is: ace, king, queen, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven.

By rule, one suit may be declared trump. Any trump outranks any non-trump card. Among trumps, the usual rank order applies.

The rank hierarchy never changes, regardless of the declared contract or trump. Cards are not scored by points.

Lower ranks are recorded by suit sign and rank symbol, for example nine of spades - 9, while honors are recorded by suit sign and an uppercase letter of the rank name (in Russian or English), for example king of hearts - K, or queen of diamonds - Q. When writing a declared contract, first put the level, then the suit sign: 8 (eight clubs).

Cards are dealt two at a time until each player has ten. The remaining two cards form the talon (prikup) and may not be dealt first or last. Players then bid for the right to take the talon. The dealer (the “talon holder”) sits out the play.

Trick. How to play cards to a trick

The core of Preferans is the trick - the set of cards each player lays down in one round.

A trick consists of three cards, one from each player.

Players either aim to take tricks or, in some contracts, to avoid them.

The first lead goes to the player to the dealer’s left; thereafter the lead passes to whoever won the last trick. You always play exactly one card.

On-suit must be followed: if you have the led suit, you must play it. If you have none, you must play a trump. Only if you have neither the led suit nor a trump may you discard any card.

The highest card that cannot be overtrumped wins the trick. The player who played that card takes the trick. In other words, the trick is taken by the player who, with correct play:

• led the highest card of the led suit;
• led a suit that others could not follow or trump;
• trumped the led suit;
• overtrumped an opponent’s trump with a higher trump;
• on a trump lead, played the highest trump;
• led trump while opponents discarded non-trumps.

In Preferans any player may view the last trick taken. In the game settings (gear icon at the bottom right of the table) you can enable or disable showing the last trick.

Types and values of contracts in Preferans

Contracts fall into three categories:

• Trick contracts - the declarer commits to a minimum number of tricks with a chosen trump or no-trump;
• Mizer - the declarer commits to taking no tricks at all;
• Raspasovka - a defensive round where each player tries to take as few tricks as possible.

Possible contracts are ordered from lowest to highest as follows:

The players’ goal is to evaluate their hands each deal, declare the best contract, and score as many points as possible.

Recording results (pulya, “bullet”)

“Pulya” is the set of contracts forming a complete game. The term also refers to:

• the scoresheet that records each contract’s result;
• the line that records only won contracts (other parts are called gora and vists).

Auction rules in Preferans

If you want to learn how to play Preferans, start with the auction rules.

After the deal, players bid - competing for the right to take the talon and name the contract. The player who makes the highest competitive call takes the talon and declares the contract.

The auction starts with the player to the dealer’s left - the “first hand.” Bidding then proceeds clockwise.

The next player is the “second hand,” the next the “third hand.”

On each turn you may make only one call - bid a contract or pass.

You bid based on the number of tricks you plan to win after taking the talon and choosing trump or no-trump.

Bidding may start at six tricks. A player claiming the talon might say “six spades.” The next may continue: “six clubs,” and so on.

The player who won the talon after others passed may declare the contract they bid up to, or any higher contract.

Exception: Mizer must be declared immediately. This is the “compulsory mizer” rule: Mizer cannot be declared by a player who has already made any other bid. Anyone wishing to play Mizer must announce it as their first call. If they have made any other call, they lose the right to bid Mizer.

During the auction a player may hold a level by saying “here.” For example, first hand opens with “spades.” Second hand says “clubs,” third passes. First hand may say “clubs here,” repeating the level instead of jumping to “diamonds.”

A player who does not wish to start or continue the auction passes and loses the right to bid any contract further in that deal.

A call made in the auction cannot be retracted. If a player’s call is followed by two passes, they must take the talon and declare a contract no lower than their call.

If all players pass, a raspasovka is played - a round where players try to take the minimum number of tricks.

The player who made the highest call is the declarer. They reveal the talon, add it to hand, then discard two cards face down. After discarding, the declarer announces the contract.

The declarer must name a game regardless, even if they cannot fulfill it.

The declarer may choose any contract not lower than the level reached in the auction.

If a player cannot fulfill the declared contract, they may “go minus three” tricks relative to the level reached in the auction.

A player who took the talon after any call except Mizer declares a trick contract, committing to a specific number of tricks with their chosen trump or no-trump. All trick contracts are played out if doubled. Exception: the ten-level contract. By agreement, a ten-level may be checked (no visting) or visted; this option is selectable when creating a table.

A player who took the talon may “concede without play” only by acknowledging “minus three.” If a contract is declared and doubled, it must be played out.

Mizer play rules

Mizer is a contract where the declarer commits to taking no tricks.

Play: if not overcalled, the declarer reveals both talon cards. Then two arbitrary cards are discarded face down. If the declarer leads, they must lead before defenders expose their hands (“lay down”). If a defender leads first, defenders expose before the opening lead.

There is no trump in Mizer. Rank order and trick rules are the same: follow suit is mandatory, lead passes to the last trick winner, etc.

On Mizer, defenders record the full layout. This is the sole exception that allows recording hands.

By convention, Mizer is overcalled by nine-level; nine-level by Mizer without talon; that in turn by nine without talon or by ten-level. This convention can be enabled when creating a table.

Raspasovka rules

If all three players pass in the auction, a raspasovka is played - a round where all try to take as few tricks as possible.

There is no trump in raspasovka. Following suit is mandatory. Without the suit, any card may be played.

Different variants of Preferans score raspasovka differently: to gora or to vists. Players must agree beforehand which variant they play and how raspasovka is scored. In “Sochi” (see RULES for Sochi Preferans) and in “Leningrad/Piter” (see RULES for Leningrad Preferans), each trick taken in raspasovka gives a set amount to gora; a player who takes none records one trick’s value to the pulya. You may exit raspasovka by declaring 6, 7, or 8; this option can be chosen when creating a table. In “Rostov” (see RULES for Rostov Preferans), the player who took fewer tricks than both opponents records 5 vists against each of their tricks; a player who took none writes one point to the pulya. If two players shared the minimum, they split the vists written against the third.

If raspasovka occurs multiple times in a row, by prior agreement the trick value may increase each time.

Rules for defenders (visting) and vist scoring

After a contract is declared, the player after the declarer states whether they will take the compulsory number of tricks for that contract (usually 10 minus the contract level). If yes, they say “vist”; otherwise “pass.” That player is the “vister.”

For tricks won, the viser records the agreed number of points in the “vists” column.

“Remise” is the shortfall in required tricks. If the declarer remises, the viser additionally records “consolation” (a penalty) for each undertrick by the declarer. Typically each opponent records it.

If the viser remises, they record vists for the tricks actually won and write the shortfall to gora.

Compulsory tricks for visters:

The third player may also vist or pass, regardless of the second player’s choice.

If both opponents vist, together they must reach the compulsory total for that contract.

There is a “Stalingrad” convention: both opponents must vist against a “6 spades” contract. This can be enabled in the game settings.

On 8-, 9-, and 10-level games, responsibility for shortfall lies with the second viser.

Vist may be “responsible” (a full game value penalty to gora for undertricks) or “semi-responsible” (half the game value). This option is selectable when creating a table.

Depending on rules, vist can be “hard” (zhlobsky) or “gentlemanly”:

• Hard vist (common in Sochi): if the declarer remises, vists are written only by those who visted; a passer records only their own remise. With two visters, each writes for themselves - both vists and remises.
• Gentlemanly vist (common in Leningrad): if the declarer remises, vists are split in half. If one vists and the other passes, the first may say vist, and if the second then passes, the first may step back for a half-vist (the passer may in turn restore the vist). A player who stepped back for half a vist does not write vists on the declarer’s remise; with two visters, each writes for themselves - both vists and remises. Overall, gentlemanly vist encourages open play; passing on first hand can be wise.

Hard vs gentlemanly vist is a pre-game agreement and can be set when creating the table.

Additional conventions

Before play you can configure:

• Match format: POINTS IN PULYA or BY TIME.
• Pulya length: 10 to 50 points.
• Vist type: GENTLEMANLY (split) or HARD (each writes their own).
• Vist penalty: RESPONSIBLE (full contract value) or SEMI-RESPONSIBLE (half value).
• Raspasovka exit: simple 6-6-6, tougher 6-7-7, or hard 6-7-8-8.
• Stalingrad: compulsory vist on SIX SPADES - OFF or ON.
• Ten-level: CHECKED (no visting) or VISTED (vist or pass required).
• Mizer bidding: WITH TALON (cannot overcall nine-level with Mizer) or WITHOUT TALON (Mizer without talon may overcall nine-level).

Ending the game

A match ends when one of the preselected conditions is met:

• A fixed pulya target that each participant must reach;
• A fixed pulya target that all participants collectively reach;
• A fixed duration expires;
• One participant resigns.

In these cases play stops and vist results are calculated for each player. The total vists are multiplied by the stake - the pre-agreed vist price selected in settings.

By the rules you may stop and settle at any time, but etiquette recommends finishing the pulya under the chosen end condition.

Our club applies penalties to players who resign or time out. Their current hand is completed under the worst-case assumption:

• if the declarer resigns or leaves, scoring is “minus three” for them;
• if a Mizer declarer resigns or leaves, the hand is scored as if they took all remaining tricks;
• if a viser or passer leaves, the hand is scored in favor of the declarer;
• if anyone leaves during raspasovka, the hand is scored as if they took all remaining tricks.

All of that player’s winnings are voided as a penalty, and their deposit is returned to their account.

A game round is considered started once a player has declared a contract and the other two have passed, or all three have passed leading to raspasovka.