Everything about Preferans
Rules, scorekeeping, misères and all-pass. Where shall we start?
How do you learn to play Preferans?
Play the tutorial, read a couple of articles and take a seat at the table. All of it right here, on one site.
Start the tutorialI know the rulesHow do you play better?
Learn to bid a contract, judge your own misère, catch someone else's and survive all-pass. Formulas included.
Read the analysesWhere should a beginner start?
With four steps, from simple to hard. One evening is enough, with time left over to play.
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Tutorial
One deal from start to finish, every move explained.
Preferans game rules
Complete game rules: dealing, bidding, play, tricks and scoring
Preferans glossary
So that "remiz" and "closed whist" stop sounding like magic spells.
Pool recording
How to record Preferans results and check a deal with the pool recording assistant
Why do people lose when they know the rules?
Learning to play Preferans is easy. Learning to win is harder. We break down bidding, misères, the talon and all-pass.
What to keep in mind when you declare a contract
Three things players usually miss when declaring: who leads, what the trade revealed and counting losers.
How to catch a misère: Kovalevskaya's and Lasker's misère
Three endings from simple to tricky, every lead explained, plus a bonus: Kovalevskaya's and Lasker's misères.
What to expect from the talon in preferans
How to size up the talon: tricks your suits are missing and the odds of filling a gap.
Underbidding in preferans: does it deserve a penalty?
Underbidding worked out exactly with the Sochi, Rostov and Leningrad formulas.
How to play all-pass
How suits are classified, two rules for the order of play and 15 techniques.
Preferans deals: the probabilities worked out
Exact probabilities of a clean six through ten and a clean misère before the talon, plus a deal generator that runs in your browser
How do you score the pool?
By your convention's rules. Sort it out up front so nobody argues over the score afterwards.
Preferans conventions compared: Sochi, Leningrad, or Rostov
A comparison of preferans conventions: all-pass progression, whist liability, and scoring rates
Pool calculation
Detailed explanation of pool computation: formulas, explanations and examples
How is the preferans rating calculated?
The SmartPref Pro rating formula, key principles and an interactive calculator.
Preferans tools
Handy in every game: score the pool, check your rating, judge a suit and deal a hand to practise on.
What else is there to talk about at the table?
Books, poker, and how to play with just two.
Game interface
Quick guide to game interface and main controls
Forty books on preferans
How to choose a book, what order to read them in and what they leave out.
Poker or preferans: what should you play on game night?
Looking for a strategic card game to play with friends? See how poker and preferans differ in pace, skill, stakes, learning curve, and the number of players they suit.
Gusarik: preferans for two players
You can still play when the third player doesn't show up.
Where to play?
Right here on the site.