STEKIUS
Prefa online at STEKIUS: bidding, tricks and kasa
Play nowPrefa is one of the most “serious” card games: three players, bidding with declarations, trumps, tricks and a score sheet where everything is written down. It takes calculation, memory and daring, and that is why those who learn it never let it go.
At STEKIUS you play Prefa online for free, with friends or with AI players, and the score sheet is kept automatically, with no mistakes in the sums. Below you will find all the rules: how the bidding works, how the tricks are played, how the kasa counts and how you win.
The cards and the widow
Three players play with a deck of 32 cards, from the 7 to the Ace. Each player gets ten cards and two cards stay face down in the middle: the widow, which goes to whoever wins the bidding.
The bidding
The bidding starts with the player after the dealer. You say how many of the ten tricks you will take, from six to ten, and the trump: spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts or no trumps, in that order from lowest to highest. Every bid must be higher than the previous one. Otherwise you say pass and leave the bidding.
Whoever speaks first can, before any bid, say “I write”: the lowest contract is theirs only if the other two pass, and one bid after it puts them out. If they do not like the widow, they can say “Give it up”, and their kasa goes up by two.
Widow, contract and defence
Whoever made the highest bid takes the widow, discards two cards and states their final contract, at least as high as their bid. The other two say “I play” to defend, or “Pass”.
The defenders must take ten minus the contract between them. The first player after the declarer takes on the bigger half. If one of them passes, the one who plays takes the tricks of both and the whole obligation. If both pass, the contract is made. If everyone passes from the start, the cards are dealt again.
The tricks
Ten tricks are played. You follow the suit that was led; if you cannot, you must trump. The trick goes to the highest trump, otherwise to the highest card of the suit that was led. Whoever takes the trick leads the next one.
The score sheet: kasa and kapikia
Every player starts with a kasa. Every contract has a value, which depends on the tricks and the trump: at six, spades are worth less and no trumps more, and the more tricks, the higher the value.
Whoever makes their contract brings their kasa down by its value and pays kapikia to the defenders for each of their tricks. If they go down by one trick, their kasa goes up; if they go down by two or more, everything counts double. If the defenders go down, they pay the declarer.
Licking and the end
Whoever closes their kasa “licks” the biggest kasa of the others: it comes down and its owner pays kapikia. The game ends when all the kasas are closed, and whoever has the most kapikia wins.
Chips and leaving
The virtual chips are shared out by place: the first player wins, the second and the third lose. When you play only with bots, the win pays according to their level. After the first cards, whoever leaves pays a leave penalty. As soon as there is a winner, you leave freely.
Tips
- Do not raise the bid just to get the widow; count your sure tricks first.
- In defence, play together with your fellow defender: the aim is to make the declarer go down.
- Remember how many trumps have fallen, so that you know when your small cards become tricks.
- “I write” is useful with a weak hand, when you want to keep the low contract.
Questions
How many play Prefa?
Three players, people or AI.
What is the order of the trumps in the bidding?
Spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts and no trumps, from lowest to highest.
What does “I write” mean?
Whoever speaks first keeps the lowest contract, only if the other two pass. One bid after it puts them out.
When does the game end?
When all the kasas are closed. Whoever has the most kapikia wins.
