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PREFA

Prefa Rules
Prefa (Greek Preference)Πρέφαby Eric L. Ball(12/10/05)IntroductionIn Crete, I learned how to play the card game Prefa. More precisely, I began learning how to play Prefa. I learned basic rules and how to keep score, but only started learning some of the fundamental strategies that players are expected to use when temporarily partnered with another player against the third. And I was never more than a witness to the many ways in which "men vaunt their male identity in games of cards" especially in the rural Cretan coffeehouse (Herzfeld, 1985, p. 152). For the most part, "the conversational gambits, well-timed gestures, and of course the flamboyant triumph of the winners" were absent from the games I played at a dining room table in urban Irakleio after a long day of teaching (p. 152, but see also 152-162 passim).Back in the U.S., I became curious to discover more about the game (and to find others with whom to play!). Also, in the meantime, I happened to speak with a colleague from Croatia who—when for whatever reason I mentioned Prefa—responded knowingly that it must be the game he knew as Preference. This morsel made finding additional information that much easier. When I first began looking a number of years ago, I was unable to find anything about the Greek version. But, as of this writing, an entire book about Prefa has at last been published in Greece (Leivaditis 2003), and there are a couple of Greek forums on the web that have discussed the game, although these include only partial, very incomplete, descriptions of basic rules and procedures. ( [zpiderland.blogspot.com] , [www.ideopolis.gr] , [www.stratosgear.com] )According to McLeod (2005), many variations of Preference are played throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Greece. (The Russian version seems to be the most widely known.) He states that:
The earliest known description is in a German book of 1829. Three players are dealt 10 cards each from a 32 card pack. The winner of the bidding has to win at least 6 tricks and the two opponents must also take their quota of tricks (2 each if the declarer needs 6) to avoid penalty. Some historians describe Preference as a descendant of Boston, but it seems more natural to classify it as an offshoot of the Rams group, in which the number of cards dealt has been doubled from five to ten to make a more interesting game. The trick quotas of the players have been correspondingly doubled - from three tricks to six for the declarer and from one to two for the opponents. Preference has certainly been influenced by games of the Boston group, for example they commonly include a bid to lose all the tricks. However, the most characteristic feature of Boston - that a bid names a number of tricks - is absent from Preference except for its more recent Russian developments, and no other games of the Boston group include a trick quota for the individual defenders. (McLeod 2005)Like Russian Preference, Greek Prefa also includes bidding a number of tricks to be taken. (Not having studied the Russian rules myself, I will not hazard guesses about other similarities or differences. Given that the Greek version keeps score using the Greek transliteration of a Russian currency—the copeck, Russian kopeika, Greek καπίκι—I would not be surprised to learn that the Greek and Russian versions are close.) Whatever the game's genealogy, the combination of bidding on the number of tricks with a corresponding trick-taking quota for the bidder's opponents makes for an interesting game.I have summarized Greek rules and some of their variations below. In doing so, rather than strive for "literal" translations (e.g., καπίκι=copeck) or direct transliteration (e.g., καπίκι=kapiki) of terms, phrases, and ideas, I have sought to be inventive, and to imagine a language for the game that might feel at least somewhat "natural" to some local card players (in upstate New York). Moreover, I have assumed that players are male and/or female, even if in Greece Prefa was conventionally considered a man's domain (though this is likely changing).Number of PlayersThreeCardsA standard 52-card deck with the 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, and 6's removed. This leaves a 32 card deck with Aces high.The DealThe first dealer is chosen at random, and the turn to deal rotates counterclockwise. [Note: Players in many Western cultures who are primarily accustomed to clockwise card-playing conventions could simply reverse the direction of play from the rules given here.] After the cards are shuffled, the dealer deals two cards to each player and two to a kitty, and then the remainder of the cards to each player, two at a time. Each player has ten cards.BiddingThe first player to the dealer's right (the eldest hand) bids first. (If he or she plays out the hand, the eldest hand also leads the first trick, regardless who takes the bid.)Bid Order/Bid ValuesEach (non-passing) bid is comprised of a number of tricks and a suit (or "no trump" or "without"). Bidding follows a fixed scale as indicated below, from lowest to highest. The minimum number of tricks that can be bid is six ("plain bids"), and players generally don't actually say the number "six" when bidding, just the suit. The higher the bid, the higher its "bid value" (b.v.)—the number given in parentheses—which is used for calculations in the scoring. The lowest bid is "(6) spades" and the highest bid is "10 hearts."Plain bids (6 tricks)spades (2) -> clubs (3) -> diamonds (4) -> hearts (5) -> no trumps (6) ->Higher bids7 spades (7) -> 7 clubs (7) -> 7 diamonds (7) -> 7 hearts (7) -> 7 no trumps (8) ->8 spades (8) -> 8 clubs (8) -> 8 diamonds (8) -> 8 hearts (8) -> 8 no trumps (9) ->9 spades (9) -> 9 clubs (9) -> 9 diamonds (9) -> 9 hearts (9) -> 9 no trumps (10) ->10 spades (10) -> 10 clubs (10) -> 10 diamonds (10) -> 10 hearts (10)A bid is a claim that the player can make either that bid or another bid which is higher on this scale. It is not necessarily a claim that the player wants the particular suit named in that bid to be trump, nor a claim about the exact number of tricks the player expects to take. After the bid is taken by the only player who hasn't passed, and before the tricks are played, the taker of the bid ("bidder") will announce his or her final contract ("the bid") which can be equal to or anything greater than the bid actually won. It is with this announcement that the bidder declares the trump suit for this hand (or no trump) and the number of tricks he or she intends to take.For example, a player believing he or she could take 7 tricks with clubs as trump would be able to participate in any bidding up to and including (but not going beyond) the "7 clubs" bid. Suppose this player happened to take the bid at "(6) diamonds." After taking the kitty and before playing tricks he or she would announce the bid as "7 clubs" (or more, if the cards in the kitty improved his or her hand appropriately). However, a player taking the bid at "7 diamonds" would not be able to announce a final contract of "7 clubs," since "7 clubs" is a lower bid than "7 diamonds." A player taking the bid at "7 diamonds" who wants to declare clubs as trump would have to announce a final bid of at least "eight clubs" in this case.Bidding ProcedureThe player on the dealer's immediate right begins the bidding. Each player can either bid or pass. A player who passes can not re-enter the bidding. (If all players pass, the cards are thrown in and the deal passes to the right.)If more than one player decides to bid, the bids must follow the bid order indicated above. Each bid must be one higher than the previous bid or, it must be equal to the previous bid (by saying "I'm good for…") when the player bidding entered the bidding process earlier than the player he or she is responding to. For example, the following represent legitimate bidding rounds:
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
spades
clubs
diamonds
I'm good (for diamonds)
hearts
pass
I'm good (for hearts)
no trump
I'm good (for no trump)
7 spades
pass
.
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
spades
clubs
pass
I'm good (for clubs)
diamonds
I'm good (for diamonds)
pass
.
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
spades
clubs
diamonds
pass
I'm good (for diamonds)
hearts
I'm good (for hearts)
pass.Note that this bidding procedure can enable players to learn about each other's best suits.Taking of the BidWhen a player takes the bid, he or she picks up the kitty and adds it to his or her hand without showing the contents of the kitty to the other players. After discarding two cards to make the strongest possible playing hand, the bidder announces the final bid (in accordance with the restrictions discussed above). This announcement lets the other two players (the "defenders") know what the trump suit will be (or no trump) and how many tricks the bidder intends to take.Defenders' Responsibilities and DecisionsThe bidder's announcement of the final contract also indicates to the defenders how many tricks they will need to take (collectively and/or individually) in order to avoid penalty. A defender's failure to take the number of tricks for which he or she is responsible entails a penalty when the bidder manages to take more tricks than contracted. The defenders' default responsibilities (should they both play out the hand) are as follows:Contracts of 6 tricks: Each defender has a 2 trick responsibility.Contracts of 7 tricks: The defender "closest" to the bidder (on bidder's right) has a 2 trick responsibility; the defender "farthest" from the dealer (on bidder's left) has a 1 trick responsibility.Contracts of 8 tricks: Each defender has a 1 trick responsibility.Contracts of 9 tricks: The bidder closest to the dealer has a 1 trick responsibility; the defender farthest from the dealer has no trick responsibility.Contracts of 10 tricks: Defenders have no trick responsibility.Starting with the player on the bidder's right, the defenders indicate the respective intentions to play out the hand. The first defender starts by announcing either "I'm in" or "I'm out." If the first defender is in, the second defender announces either "I'm in" or "I'm out" as well. If the first defender is in but the second defender is out, the first defender must then announce either "I'll go it alone" or "I'll take you with me." If the first defender is out, the second defender announces "I'm out" (and the hand is not played out and the score is calculated), or announces either "I'll go it alone" or "I'll take you with me."If only one defender drops out and the remaining defender invites the dropped-out defender to play anyway (by saying "I'll take you with me"), the invited defender plays but now on behalf of the active defender. If there is such an invitation, the collective responsibility of the two defenders remains the same as above (e.g., for a bid of 6 tricks, a total of 2+2=4 trick responsibility for the defenders), except that in terms of scoring, failure or success in terms of trick-taking responsibilities is calculated to the benefit or detriment of the active defender only. On the other hand, if the active defender chooses to go it alone, the lone defender's trick-taking responsibility is as follows:Contracts of 6 or 7 tricks: Defender has a 2 trick responsibility.Contracts of 8 or 9 tricks: Defender has a 1 trick responsibility.Contracts of 10 tricks: Defender has no trick responsibility.Note, however, that a defender playing alone typically makes it easier for the bidder to make it. (Note also in the "Scoring" section below how a defender who drops out may nevertheless incur a scoring cost vis-à-vis the bidder.)The Play of the HandThe first player to the dealer's right (the eldest hand) leads the first trick. (This is particularly important to keep in mind during bidding, especially if a "no trump" contract is being considered.) If the eldest hand has dropped out, the first lead passes to the next player counterclockwise.Players must follow suit if possible. If this is not possible, they must trump if possible. In the absence of both the suit led and trump, any card may be played.The winner of a trick leads the next trick.If the bidder takes at least as many tricks as she or he bid, the bidder is said to have "made the bid" or "made it." If the defense (defenders or defender) collectively takes at least as many tricks as it was responsible for, it is said to have "made the defense" or "made it" as well. If the bidder doesn't make it, the defense is said to have put the bidder "up." If the defense doesn't make it collectively, then any defender who was unable to meet his or her individual responsibility in tricks, is also said to be put up. When a player "goes up" or "is put up" by one trick, he or she is said to been "short" (1 trick). When a player goes up by two or more tricks, he or she is said to have been "nailed" and the penalty is substantially steeper than going up short by one trick.)ScoringGeneral CommentsThe rules for scoring seem rather complicated, at least initially, but there is method behind the madness. It may be helpful to keep in mind some ideas that capture the spirit of the scoring system in terms of their net effects: If the bidder makes the contract exactly, he or she receives the bid value times the number of tricks taken from the defenders who pay amounts relative to the proportion of tricks each took. If the bidder does even better than the contract, he or she still receives the bid value times the number of tricks taken (or more if the contract is exceeded by two or more tricks). In this case, if both defenders are at fault (in terms of their trick-taking responsibilities), both pay the bidder in proportion to their respective fault. Otherwise, the defender at fault pays the bidder, and pays the other defender as well for having met his/her trick-taking responsibility. Finally, if the bidder does not make the contract, he or she pays both defenders in proportion to the tricks each has taken; the more tricks by which the contract is missed, the more it costs the bidder.Pouch Points and ChipsTwo units—"pouch points" and "chips"—are used to keep track of two aspects of the score. One pouch point equals ten chips. Before play begins, an amount is agreed upon that each player to put up in his or her pouch (e.g., 31 points, 20 points, 10 points, etc.). Play ends when all three players have emptied their pouch—reduced it to zero—at which point each settles up accumulated chip debts with one another, either in terms of real money or to determine first and second place.Note: It would seem that Prefa could be scored more simply in terms of chips alone, but the use of the pouch ensures that each game has a "duration": No player can leave the game until all players have emptied their pouch.Scoring ScenariosAbbreviations:b.v.=bid valueB=bidderD1=first defenderD2=second defenderTb=number of tricks taken by the bidderTd1=number of tricks taken by the first defenderTd2=number of tricks taken by the second defenderAll "pays" below are in chips from one player to another. First, we have all the possible scenarios in which the bidder's pouch is either non-zero and/or scoring would not put it below zero. These fall into four general categories:If all three play out the hand each on own behalf:
Bidder makes the contract exactly; the defense makes it:
B subtracts (b.v.) from pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1) and B pays D2 (b.v. x Td2)
Bidder is up (short) by 1 trick:
B adds (b.v.) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1) and B pays D2 (b.v. x Td2)
Bidder is up (nailed) by 2 or more tricks:
B adds (b.v. x 2) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1 x 2) and B pays D2 (b.v. x Td2 x 2)
Bidder makes it with 1 extra trick, D1, say, is short (at fault)
no change to B's pouch
D1 pays B (b.v. x Tb)
D1 pays D2 (b.v. x Td2)
Bidder makes it with 2 or more extra tricks:
no change to B's pouch
if only D1 is nailed:
D1 pays B (b.v. x Tb x 2)
D1 pays D2 (b.v. x Td2 x 2)
if both defenders are up (short) by 1 trick each, each pays B (b.v. x Tb)
if D1 is up (short) by 1 trick and D2 is up (nailed) by 2 tricks:
D1 pays B (b.v. x Tb)
D2 pays B (b.v. x Tb x 2)
if both defenders are up (nailed) by 2 tricks each, each pays B (b.v. x Tb x 2)If all three play out the hand, but D1 (active defender) has invited D2 to play:
Bidder makes the contract exactly; the defense makes it:
B subtracts (b.v.) from pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x (Td1+Td2) )
Bidder is up (short) by 1 trick:
B adds (b.v.) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x (Td1+Td2) )
Bidder is up (nailed) by 2 or more tricks:
B adds (b.v. x 2) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x (Td1+Td2) x 2)
Bidder makes it with 1 extra trick; the defense is up (short) by 1 trick:
no change to bidder's pouch
D1 pays bidder (b.v. x Tb)
Bidder makes it with 2 or more extra tricks; the defense is nailed:
no change to bidder's pouch
D1 pays bidder (b.v. x Tb x 2)If a defender (D1, say) goes it alone
Bidder makes the contract exactly or better but the defender also makes it:
B subtracts (b.v.) from pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1)
Bidder is up (short) by 1 trick:
B adds (b.v.) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1)
Bidder is up (nailed) by 2 or more tricks:
B adds (b.v. x 2) to pouch
B pays D1 (b.v. x Td1 x 2)
Bidder makes it with extra but defender is up (short) by 1 trick:
no change to bidder's pouch
D1 pays B (b.v. x Tb)
Bidder makes it with extra but defender is up (nailed) by 2 tricks:
no change to bidder's pouch
D1 pays B (b.v. x Tb x 2)If both defenders passIn this case, (b.v.) is automatically subtracted from the bidder's pouch and no other payments are made.Note that all the above scenarios assume that the bidder's pouch is not empty (zero), and that upon scoring it would not become less than zero. Since a pouch score never becomes less than zero, any such points are removed from the pouch of the player with the highest pouch score at that point in the game, converted to chips, and paid to the successful bidder. (If the other two pouches are equal, half the points are removed from both of them—rounding up in the case of an odd bid value.[1]) So, for example, if a bidder with a pouch of 3 makes a bid value of 5, his or her pouch is emptied to 0, and the remaining 2 points are deducted from pouch of the player whose pouch is currently the fullest, converted to 20 chips, and paid to the bidder. In the case that there are not enough points in that player's pouch (he only has 1 point, say), then any remaining points are then deducted from the third player's pouch in similar fashion.[2] In the case that the other two players' pouches are zero, the bidder would collect approximately 1/3 x 20 chips from each of those two players (i.e., 7 chips from each, after rounding).[3] (Note how in these ways, a defender who decides not to play out a hand could still wind up paying the bidder.)Also note that in the case that a player with an empty pouch fails to make the bid, his or her pouch will return to a non-zero amount again when the bid value (or doubled bid value) is added to it in accordance with the scoring rules outlined above.[1] I have never come across this scenario myself, but this seems like a reasonable way to address it. So, if the bid value won was 3 (=30 chips) and the bidder's pouch was already empty, the bidder would receive 15 chips from each of the other players, but those players would reduce their pouch by 2 points each (not by 1.5).[2] So if the pouch scores are 2, 4, 3, and the first player makes a bid value of 7, after emptying his pouch (2 points), the second player empties his pouch (4 points) paying the first player 40 chips, and the third player removes 1 point from his pouch (leaving 2) paying 10 chips to the first player. John McLeod (personal communication, January 5, 2006) suggested this as an elegant way to handle this situation. I am not aware of how this is actually done by players in Greece.[3] John McLeod (personal communication, December 20, 2005) pointed out to me that this last scenario was missing from the first draft of these rules. I have never come across this scenario myself, but this seems like a reasonable way to address it.Score SheetsThere are at least two ways that the score can be kept on paper.The first method divides the score sheet into three sections, one for each player. There is a place in each section for the player's pouch (P), and chips (C) owed from one player to another are scored by the boundary separating those two players (on the side of the player who is receiving the payment). When payments between players cancel each other out, they can be crossed out and adjusted.The second method simply keeps the two "scores" for each player in a running column. Chips in debt are negative numbers; chips to be paid are positive:.Both score-keeping methods are demonstrated below with an example wherein the pouches are filled to 31 points at the start of the game, and the first hands proceed as follows:First Hand: Player B takes the bid at (6) spades (b.v.=2) and takes 6 tricks. Players A and C take 2 tricks each.Second Hand: Player A takes the bid at 7 hearts (b.v.=7) and takes 8. Player B gets 2 tricks and Player C gets none. (Thus, Player C pays 8x7=56 chips to Player A, and 2x7=14 chips to Player B.).End of GameThe game ends when all players have emptied their pouch (zero points). At this point, players settle up on their chips, each paying to or receiving from the other accordingly.VariationsBidding Process: First bid in the first handIn the very first hand of the game, the player who is holding the 7 starts the bidding (showing that he or she actually has the card), and this person becomes the dealer of the next hand. (If the card is in the kitty, the cards are dealt over again.)Bidding Process: Tentative BidThe player on the dealer's immediate right begins the bidding. Each player can either bid, pass, or—provided no one has yet made an opening bid of spades—make a one-time "tentative bid" by saying, "I'll take it (if nobody else wants it)."If a player makes a tentative bid and there is no other bid, that player takes the bid. If on the other hand there is at least one opening bid of (6) spades (i.e., someone else "wants it"), the tentative bid now counts as a "pass" and this player may not re-enter the bidding. If the tentative bidder takes the bid but upon examining the kitty realizes that he or she cannot make even a minimum bid of (6) spades, the hand may be thrown in with a fixed penalty score for the tentative bidder: 2 points added to the tentative bidder's pouch, and 2 chips paid to each other player.Bidding Process: "10 no trump" BidVariation AA "10 no trump" bid is allowed worth 11 points.Variation BA "10 no trump" bid is allowed worth 10 points. (But this would not be worth bidding since its bid value is the same as "9 no trump.")Bidding Process: "10's as 9's"Since a 10 bid implies no trick-taking responsibility for the defense, 10 bids that are played out can be scored as though they were in fact won as a 9 bid. Then, if the bidder does indeed take the 10 tricks, there is no change in pouch score and the defender who is short pays the bidder 10 x 10 = 100 chips. However, if both defenders opt not to play, the defender automatically removes 10 points from his or her pouch.Bidding Process: Four AcesA bidder holding all four aces in hand after taking the kitty and declaring the final contract has the right to announce this fact. Variation AThe bid value of the contract will then be raised by an amount agreed upon earlier (such as 1/10th the initial value of the pouches). Variation BThe bidder who makes it receives the agreed upon amount from each player in chips (regardless if that player defended or not), and otherwise pays each player that amount in chips (again, regardless if that player defended or not).Defenders' Responsibilities: Defender Counter-invitationIf the first defender drops out and second defender chooses to go it alone, the first defender can counter-invite the second defender to play on his/her behalf instead by responding, "No, I'll take you with me." It plays out exactly as though only the second defender had dropped out and the first defender invited him/her back in to play.End of Game: Two Empty PouchesPlayers can agree to play until only two have emptied their pouches. The third player's (non-zero) pouch is then divided by 3, so that 1/3rd of the non-zero pouch is paid in chips to each of the players whose pouches are empty.Number of Players: Four PlayersThe dealer sits out the hand and three players play as usual. If the bidder goes up by 1 trick (short), the bidder pays the player sitting out 25 chips. If the bidder goes up by 2 or more tricks (nailed), the bidder pays the player sitting out 50 chips. If the "Four Aces, Variation B" variation is being played, the bonus is paid by or to the player sitting out as well.For scorekeeping using the first method, divide the sheet into four spaces with a cross. For a bidder with an empty pouch who makes it, the chips he or she receives comes from the player with the largest pouch amongst all the remaining players, including the one who is sitting out. Also, the "Two Empty Pouches" variation becomes a "Three Empty Pouches" variation.Some Important ConceptsAs the second highest card, the King plays a pivotal role in trick-taking in Prefa. For example, it is common that through strategic play by defenders, a bidder holding a King and low card in a suit will not manage to take any tricks in that suit. Given the importance of the King, it is no surprise that two of the most important concepts in the game have to do with Kings.Exposing a KingAn exposed King is one that is held as a lone card in a suit in a hand. It is vulnerable to the Ace of the same suit. When the second-to-last card in a suit is played from a hand leaving the King, the King is said to be exposed.Helping the Opponent's KingAn unfortunate play which takes the Ace out of play but leaves the opponent's King as the high card in that suit as yet unplayed.IntrusionIf a defender holding a Queen and low card in a suit leads either of these to a bidder holding the King and Jack, the bidder can always "intrude" to ensure that the King or Jack remain as the highest card left in play. If the defender leads the Queen, the bidder plays the King, forcing the second defender to play the Ace (leaving the Jack high). Conversely, if the defender leads the low card, the bidder plays the Jack forcing the second defender to play the Ace (leaving the King high). The bidder can likewise intrude by holding an Ace and Queen to a defender leading from a King and low card.HarvestA harvest occurs when the two defenders pass the lead back and forth between one another by leading a card that the other will trump, while the bidder is forced to follow suit.Customary Rules: Individualism versus CollectivismOne of the things that can make games like this one interesting at a socio-philosophical level is the fact that although each player is ultimately playing for himself or herself, on a given hand two players may be partnered against a bidder, and yet the results of the partnership could be the collective failure of the defense on the one hand, and the simultaneous success of one of the defenders meeting his or her individual trick-taking responsibility, on the other. This means that the rules given so far, taken alone, are underdetermined. That is, they can be put into practice by any group of actual players in accordance with one of two social or cultural conventions, one "individualist" and the other "collectivist."Players who approach the game in the context of the convention of individualism essentially play by the rules given above, and that's it. In terms of strategy, for any given hand each defender has to weigh the overall pros and cons of making his or her top priority the collective defensive defeat of the bidder versus his or her own individual trick-taking responsibility (or somehow balancing these priorities during play). In this situation, it is still possible that certain conventions might evolve which enable defenders to infer unequivocally one another's priorities, or not—in which case there would seem to be room for bluffing even between defenders. (It would seem that in this context of individualism, inviting a defender to play on one's behalf would be even less likely.)Conversely, players who approach the game in the context of a collectivist convention supplement the rules with what might be called "customary rules" which are meant to enforce what the defenders' priority should be, without exception. Priorities, in this view, are not a matter of individual choice or strategy. In this situation, failure to follow customary rules does not entail a breach of the formal rules already outlined, but nevertheless violates social norms (sometimes glossed as card-playing "etiquette"), inevitably leading to the player's excommunication (or at least to his or her further "education/socialization" or "rehabilitation" back to proper play). To the best of my knowledge, this is the only way that the game has been played in Greece, and it is a significant aspect of its relative "difficulty."I should note that my own assertion of the possibility of both collectivist and individualist interpretations of the "basic rules" is fraught with its own imposition of (individualist?) assumptions. It too eagerly suggests that certain "rules proper" can be unproblematically abstracted from the games people play and dichotomously distinguished from rules of "mere" custom. Yet, it is the very construction of an abstract interpretation of the game in terms of "rules proper" which enables me to make such a distinction in the first place. The Collectivist "Rule" in Greece: Defending against the BidderIn Greece, there is thus an additional customary rule which I am calling "the collectivist rule." This dictates that a defender's only goal is to work collectively with the other defender against the bidder. Never should a defender risk helping the bidder by purposefully trying to take a trick away from the other defender, regardless of the potential benefits for the former in terms of his or her individual trick-taking responsibility. As a corollary, it is strictly forbidden for a defender who knows he or she can make it (individually, as a defender) to intentionally put the other defender up in order to keep the bidder from removing points from his or her pouch.This is clearly not a trivial rule because it does not specify exactly what is or is not an allowable play for any given situation. The rule needs to be translated into actionable plays for particular scenarios. For the defenders, it clouds the ostensibly obvious distinction between "merely playing by the rules" versus "playing strategically." Short of having access to a statistically defensible set of rules that govern every possible trick-playing scenario (based on the laws of probability), the best any group of players can do is to adhere to any number of "rules of thumb" which they have learned from others and/or formulated anew through intuition and/or reason. We are in the realm of a pragmatic theory of truth. Presumably, the more expert certain players happen to be, the more (complex) rules of thumb they will follow, and the more these will approximate a statistically defensible set of rules. (However, I am not aware of the extent to which the statistics have been worked out, let alone how they jibe with the rules of thumb followed by actual players of the game. I also do not know if players' actual rules of thumb have varied regionally, for example, or in terms of socio-economic class.) Traditionally, these rules of thumb have been learned through oral transmission. By now, at least since the publication of Leivaditis's (2003) text which describes many of them, it must be assumed that they are also learned through other mechanisms such as reading.Rules of ThumbConventions for Signaling Best/Worst SuitsThrough BiddingPlayers should bid their hand, so that the very nature of the bidding sequence can signal the best suit of each player.Consider the bidding round from above:
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
spades
clubs
diamonds
I'm good (for diamonds)
hearts
pass
I'm good (for hearts)
no trump
I'm good (for no trump)
7 spades
pass
.Player 2 declares (7) spades as trump, which means Player 1 and Player 3 were going in clubs, diamonds, or hearts. Player 3 went as far as hearts, but no farther, indicating that it must have been his or her best suit. This means Player 1 was going in either clubs or diamonds. But if Player 1 was going in diamonds, he or she would not have passed the second time, but would have bid "I'm good for diamonds." Thus, Player 1's best suit is clubs.Note that there is a subtle way for a bidder who is strong in two suits to signal this fact through bidding, and this may be considered inappropriate by players (See Leivaditis, p. 162). By having bid already in the lower-valued suit, pausing ("to think") and bidding at the higher-valued suit, and then passing (before reaching the lower-valued suit again at a higher number of tricks), the player signifies strength in two suits simultaneously. When this behavior is considered inappropriate, players who are strong in two suits must decide once and for all which suit they will go in before entering the bidding at all (so as not to pause in this manner).Through PlayAssuming there is a trump suit, the first time a defender cannot follow trump led on a trick, the card he or she lays off should come from his or her best suit, thereby signaling it to the other defender. The second such time, the card laid off should come from his or her worst suit in order to signal that as well. (This kind of information tends to help the other defender more than the bidder.)If there is no trump, the first time a defender cannot follow suit, he or she should lay off a card from the worst suit. It is important, though, to keep a card from the other defender's best suit which he or she can lead as a way to pass the lead to that other defender.Through TalkDifferent phrases can be used for, "I'll take you with me," each signifying something different by convention: "You play for me" signifying that the invited defender should play in his or her best suit, which the active defender knows or thinks he or she knows; "You help me" signifying that the invited defender should hold off on his or her best suit by playing defensively; and "Let's all play" signifying that the invited defender should play however he or she sees fit.Through Other GesturesOther conventions in the form of certain gestures may be followed (or considered wholly inappropriate—see Leivaditis, p. 162-163). An example of such a convention is for a defender whose best suit is the same color as the trump suit, to "knock" on the table when the first trump card is played.No Reckless OverbiddingAccording to Leivaditis (2003, p. 170), another conventional expectation is that no player will engage in reckless overbidding of his or her hand. (Once again, the definition of "reckless" here is elegantly pragmatic, operationalized in play without necessarily having recourse to statistically verifiable actionable principles.) The reason for this is that reckless overbidding can result in a constant net increase over time in the sum total of players' pouch points, thereby postponing the end of the game indefinitely.Don't Steal Tricks from the Other DefenderLeivaditis (2003, p. 166) describes several "translations" of the collectivist rule into actionable rules of thumb. For instance (and paraphrasing him), on a trick led by the bidder and beaten by the first defender to play on it, the second defender should not beat the first defender's play except when:
The second defender has only one card in that suit which is higher than those played and has to play it.
The second defender has the King and another card of that suit, and the Ace hasn't been played yet. (This is because the King shouldn't be "exposed," i.e., left vulnerable as the lone card in that suit in one's hand because the Ace hasn't been played yet.)
Beating the trick, the second defender has left (in hand) all the highest cards in that suit among those as yet unplayed.Other rules of thumb also aim to prevent one defender from taking tricks away from the other. For example, Leivaditis (2003, p. 167) states that in the first trick of the hand with the bidder playing last, the defender should not lead with a lone low card in the suit which the other defender bid 6 on. Otherwise, this could "help the opponent's King" (i.e., the second defender plays the Ace and the bidder is left holding the King, now the highest card in that suit in play.) Different play might have enabled the second defender to take away the bidder's King with the Ace. Or, should the second defender have the Ace, King, and two low cards while the bidder has the Queen and the two other cards, if the defender takes the trick with the Ace and then leads the King only to be trumped by the first defender, the bidder is left with the Queen as the highest card in that suit. (Different play might have enabled the second defender to take two tricks with the Ace and King.)Another example of trick stealing would be when a defender leads a trick (with the bidder playing last) that knowingly requires both the other defender and the bidder to play trump, effectively squandering the defender's trump (Leivaditis 2003, 168).A Defender Leading the First TrickThe rules of thumb for defenders leading the first trick can get rather complex. Here are just a couple of the basic ones:If the bidder is "in the middle" (the bidder plays second) and the other defender's best suit is not known, the defender who plays first usually leads a low card in a suit in which two or three cards are held (nothing above a Jack). However, if the defender who plays first holds Ace, King, and Queen in a non-trump suit, these could be led in order to force the bidder to play trump. Alternatively, if the other defender's best suit is known from the bid, and the defender who plays first has at least two cards in that suit, the latter leads a card in that suit—the King or Queen if possible. Leivaditis (2003, pp. 119-123) offers explanations for these rules of thumb.If the bidder is "on the end" (the bidder plays last), the main goals for the defender who plays first should be (1) trying to avoid "helping the opponent's King" (i.e., leaving the bidder with the King as the highest card in that suit still in play) and (2) forcing the bidder to trump tricks. This can usually be accomplished by leading in a suit with A-K-Q or even A-K-low card. The next best choice would be a suit with K-Q-J or K-Q-low card or even just K-Q. Leivaditis (2003, pp. 130-132) describes further options.For more extensive discussions of conventional defensive strategy, see Leivaditis (2003, Chapter 7).Other Strategic ConsiderationsInviting the Other Defender to PlaySince inviting the other defender to play increases the trick-taking responsibility of the defense, this generally only occurs under special circumstances, even in collectivist play. Leivaditis (2003, p. 101) describes three such circumstances:
The active defender has a strong hand anyway with plenty of trump, but wants the invited defender to signal his or her best suit.
The active defender wants the invited defender, who will lead the first trick with the bidder in the middle, to lead the suit that he or she bid on in the hopes that it will force the bidder to play trump.
The active defender does not have cards in a (non-trump) suit and hopes that the invited defender has them.For discussions of conventional strategy for the bidder, see Leivaditis (2003, Chapter 7).Some Greek Terms and PhrasesHere are some of the original Greek terms and phrases freely translated abovethe bidder = ο αγοραστής, ο τζογαδόρος"I'll take it if no one else wants it" = "τα γράφω""(6) spades" = "μπαστούνια," "πρώτα," "απλά πρώτα," "σκέτα πρώτα""(6) clubs" = "σπαθιά," "δεύτερα," "απλά δεύτερα," "σκέτα δεύτερα" etc.no trump = αχρωμάτιστα, σέντζα"I'm good for…" = "καλά στα...," "εγώ... (προηγούμαι)"trump = ατού, το κόζι, τα κόζια"I'll take you with me" = "σε παίρνω εγώ" "You play for me" = "Παίξε και συ""You help me" = "Θα παίξεις και συ μαζί μου""Let's all play" = "Όλοι θα παίξουμε"trick = μπάζαI trump (a trick) = τσακώ, τσακίζω, κάνω τσάκαlow cards (7, 8, 9, 10, J) = λιμά φύλλα"The king is exposed" = "ξεραίνεται ο ρήγας""I help the opponent's king" = "βγάζω μάτι"intrusion = εμπάςharvest = τρυγητός"I make it" = "βγαίνω," "τα βγάζω""I didn't make it" = "δε βγήκα," "μπήκα μέσα,""δεν το έβγαλα," μπάσιμο"s/he puts me up" = "με βάζει μέσα"put up by 1 = απλώς μέσαnailed by 2 or more = "σολάρισα," "μπήκα μέσα σόλο," σόλο μέσα, σόλο μπάσιμοpouch = κάσα(pouch) points = κάσεςchips = καπίκιαplayer who sits out in 4 player game = ο τεμπέληςchips paid to player who sits out = τα τεμπελιάτικαReferences:Michael Herzfeld. 1985. The Poetics of Manhood: Contest and Identity in a Cretan Mountain Village. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Evangelos X. Leivaditis (Ευάγγελος Χ. Λειβαδίτης). 2003. Το αλφαβητάρι της πρέφας: Όλα όσα πρέπει να ξέρετε για το τεχνικότερο παιχνίδι της τράπουλας. Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Διαύλος.John McLeod. 2005. "Card Games: Rams Group" [www.pagat.com] (retrieved on 11/28/05)Thanos Tsakonas. 2005. "Playing Rules for Prefa" [www.geocities.com] (retrieved on 12/20/05)
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