Preferans conventions compared: Sochi, Leningrad, or Rostov

Sochi

Sochi is the basic convention and is usually recommended for players learning preferans. Its all-pass deals have no progression or restricted exit: the scoring multiplier stays the same in every round, and the conditions for ending the sequence do not change.

Sochi allows quitting without three tricks: you may concede a contract without taking three tricks and record only the heap penalty. You can stop a losing deal before play begins, limiting your losses if you overestimated your hand during bidding or simply had no luck with the talon.

Sochi uses greedy whist. If the declarer goes down, only the defender who declared whist records whists for the tricks taken; the two defenders do not share them equally. Whist also carries full liability, so failing to take the required number of tricks incurs the full penalty. Under the Stalingrad rule, a contract of six spades requires both defenders to declare whist and play with their cards closed.

Leningrad

Leningrad is traditionally the stricter, more gambling-oriented version of preferans. Its all-pass deals use a linear progression: the scoring multiplier increases with each consecutive round, so every trick costs more as the sequence continues. The restricted exit leaves players with two risky choices: play an all-pass deal with a difficult hand, or bid a questionable contract and hope for a good talon.

In Leningrad, players do not close their pools individually. Play continues until the combined pool reaches the declared game target multiplied by the number of players. With a target of 11 pool points, for example, the game ends at 33 points in a three-player game or 44 in a four-player game. A clean all-pass deal does not add points to the pool as it does in other conventions. Instead, one, two, or three points are deducted from the heap, depending on the current all-pass round. The other players add points to their heaps as usual.

Leningrad uses gentleman's whist: when the declarer goes down, both defenders divide the whists equally. Whist is also half-liable. A defender who fails to take the required number of tricks receives half the normal penalty instead of the full penalty used in other conventions. This makes it possible to defend any contract with a weak hand. Pool points convert to whists at twice the usual rate (20 instead of 10), and the penalty for tricks taken in all-pass deals is also doubled.

Rostov

Rostov is closer to Sochi than to Leningrad in its overall risk: it has no progression or restricted exit from all-pass. Unlike the other two conventions, Rostov keeps the talon hidden during all-pass deals. The talon cards do not determine the suits of the opening leads, which makes the opponents' distributions considerably harder to work out.

Rostov forbids quitting without three tricks. If you enter the bidding with a weak hand, you must play the deal to the end and accept the full risk.

Like Leningrad, Rostov uses gentleman's whist with half liability. The penalty for tricks taken in all-pass deals goes directly into whists instead of the heap. The player who took the fewest tricks receives them, or two players split them equally if they tie for the best result.

The Rostov convention, also known as the Moscow convention, suits beginners and experienced players. It lacks Leningrad's strong bias toward risk, while its hidden talon adds some surprise to all-pass deals.

Comparison table

Choosing a convention for your style

Start with Sochi if you are learning and want a calm, predictable game. Choose Leningrad for a fast, dynamic game in which the best all-pass player is likely to prevail. Try Rostov if you like Sochi's generally relaxed pace but want unusual all-pass deals with a hidden talon.

Frequently asked questions

Sochi, Leningrad, and Rostov are three rulesets for the same game. Each distributes risk differently between all-pass deals and contracts, and between active and defensive play. Playing each convention in SmartPref Pro makes those differences clear.