Copyright: © 1999 NetIntellGames
Citation: © 1999 NetIntellGames


Introduction

A smart and interesting card game with varied moves; enormously popular among serious players in Eastern Europe. You can play with your friends over the Internet, LAN, modem or direct connection.


Configure networking support

This game uses Windows Sockets interface. It's necessary to add Microsoft (or compatible with Windows Sockets interface) TCP/IP protocol to network configuration tub for the network adapters. To quickly display the Network option in Control Panel, right-click the Network Neighborhood icon on the desktop, and then click Properties on the context menu. There are some variants of the players connecting:

•	Computer on a Local Area Network (LAN) - you should use TCP/IP protocol for the network adapter. If your local network doesn't use DNS server specify an IP address manually. Type an IP address and subnet mask in the respective boxes. The network administrator must provide these values for individual users, based on the network ID and the host ID plan for your site.

•	Computer is Dial-up Server (Client) - you should use TCP/IP protocol for the Dial-Up adapter. Specify an IP address for the Dial-Up adapter manually. Type an IP address (for example 1.0.0.1) and subnet mask (for example 255.255.255.0) in the respective boxes. Another user should specify another IP address (for example 1.0.0.2) and the same subnet mask (for example 255.255.255.0).

•	Computer is Dial-up Client of the Internet provider - you should use TCP/IP protocol for the Dial-Up adapter. IP address should be obtain automatically from PPP Server Internet provider. You can know your IP address after connection to the Internet if you run Winipcfg.exe from your Windows 95/98 folder.

For more information see Microsoft Windows 95 help, Microsoft Windows 98 help, Microsoft Windows NT help or NetIntellGames on-line guide.


Connecting of the players

When you run the game you should enter your name and choose the mode of the game beginning. There are three modes of the game beginning:

•	as the Game Server;

•	connect to the Game Server;

•	connect through the NetIntellGames Server.

When you want to play with your human opponents over the Internet, LAN, modem or direct connection, first of you should choose the mode "as the Game Server" but others - "connect to the Game Server". If you want to connect to the Game Server you should enter an IP address (for example 123.18.15.155) or the name (for example Alex, but only on Microsoft networks!) of the computer where this Game Server was running. If the connection will be establish your name will display on the top of the game window. When the other players connects to the Game Server the game will run automatically. On principle all sessions of the game may run on the one computer.

You may choose the third mode "connect through the NetIntellGames Server" if your computer is connected to the Internet that time and you don't know IP addresses of your opponents. In this case your opponents should choose this mode too. NetIntellGames Server only dispatches the connection inquiries and joins player's programs together. It doesn't connect to the player's programs during the game! If you visit NetIntellGames you can know the URL and the mode of work of the NetIntellGames Server.


Playing over the Internet

Please connect to the Internet and follow any variant of the instructions:

•	Variant 1:

- start the Winipcfg.exe program from your Windows folder and write down the IP address of your computer;

- not breaking off link with the Internet send to other player your IP address (probably use e-mail, ICQ, chat of your provider, other telephone etc.).

•	Variant 2:

- run NetIntellGames chat and send your IP address to another player in the chat.

After that the first player starts the game program "as the Game server", and other - "connect to the Game server". If you want to connect to the Game Server you should enter obtained IP address (for example 123.18.15.155) of the computer where this Game Server was running.

Attention!! Unfortunately, if you have not fixed IP address it is necessary to execute this procedure each time when you connect to your provider, because PPP server of provider change your IP address each time when you connect.

•	Variant 3:

- start the game and select the mode "connect through the NetIntellGames Server";

- specify the string http://www.netintellgames.com in the next dialog and press the OK button, your name will entitle the program if connection is successful;

- another players should choose the mode "connect through the NetIntellGames Server" too.

Attention!! Please wait for connection to the NetIntellGames Server at least 30 second.

Attention!! If you play from work and your company has a highly restrictive security Firewall or Proxy, you may not be able to play over the Internet. Please check NetIntellGames for new on-line games that will be able to play via Firewalls.


Register information

This is a beta version of Net Preference. This game is available to play only until 31 December 1999. User who sends us problem or bugs report(s) will give the chance to use release version of this software freely after this period. For more details please visit the  NetIntellGames on the Web.


Purpose of the game

Preference is a three player card game from Europe, which is similar to bridge, euchre, and five-hundred. The rules and scoring vary slightly, according to local custom. Net Preference allows opponents to play "Sochi", "Leningrad" and "Rostov" version of Preference.

Preference is played with 32 cards: the A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 and 7s from a standard 4-suit 52-card deck are used. The cards are dealt two at a time to each player face down, with two cards dealt face down to form the widow. The widow should not be the last two cards dealt. Deal rotates clockwise.

The main purpose of Preference is to win more final scores than opponents. The game is usually played to 60-90 summed bullet points of all players (it is the pool limit*3)  and is made up of a number of hands. Each hand consists of three stages - the bidding, the whist and the play. After hand is over new bullet, mountain and whist points are added to a pool and new final scores are calculated. For information about calculations of score see game scoring.


The bidding

Beginning with the player to the dealer's left and proceding clockwise, each player has the option to bid or pass. The bidding is used to determine the number of tricks and trump suit for a contract. The bidding is done in an auction format beginning at 6 Spades and continues with the following suit order: Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, No Trump. Once a player passes, he is out of the auction for the hand. If two players are competing for a contract, the bidder following the passed player may, for any bid higher than 6 Spades, declare the same bid as his opponent and take over the current bid. If a player feels that he is able to take no tricks, he can bid misere. This bid falls 9 Spades in the auction. If no players bid on a hand, it is called all pass. Once the auction is complete, the widow is opened for all players and high bidder gets those cards in his hand. Then, he discards two cards face down and declares a contract. This contract must be equal to or higher than the highest bid.


The whist

In a contract hand, the declarer's opponents, beginning at declarer's left, must either whist or pass. A whist is an attempt to play for a portion of the remaining tricks, according to the following scale:

Number of tricks   Number of tricks

    in Contract       needed for whist

6	4

7	2

8	1

9	1

10	0

Misere	0

If both opponents choose whist bid their obligation is to win that number of tricks together. If a player chooses pass bid he undertakes no trick obligation. In this case the opponent who chose whist bid will play both hands.

Before the game beginning you should decide:

•	Who is responsible if both opponents choose whist in 8(9) tricks contract and the declarer takes 10 tricks: both or last whist player.

•	Whist in 6 spades contract is obligatory for the defenders or not.

•	Whist is Greedy or Gentlemen.

•	Whist is Responsible or Half-responsible.


Play of the cards

The person to the left of the dealer leads the first trick, and play rotates clockwise. Each player must follow suit, if possible. If he cannot, he must trump, if possible. Otherwise, he may discard any card from his hand. The player who wins a trick leads the next trick.

•	Contract Hands

If only one player whists, the whisting player must decide at the beginning of the first trick to "open cards" ("down") or "close cards" ("up"). If he chooses "down", then both he and the passing player lay their hands face up on the table, and the whisting player plays both hands (the passed player becomes a "dummy", like the declarer's partner in bridge.) If he chooses "up", then each player plays his own hand with none laid on the table. If both players whist, the hand is played "up".

•	Misere Hands

The hand is played as a no trump hand and usually is played "down" by the opponents.

•	All Pass

If no players bid on a hand, the hand is played as no trump, with the object of taking as few tricks as possible.

Usually in "Sochi" and "Leningrad" versions: one card from the widow is turned over to determine the suit of the first trick. The widow card cannot win the trick, and a player void in the suit of the widow card can discard any card from his hand. Once the first trick is complete, the second widow card is turned over to determine the suit of the second trick. The player to the left of the dealer follows each widow card, and leads for the third trick, regardless of two wins the first and second tricks.

In "Rostov" version: widow is close and the hand is played as a no trump hand without a widow. The player to the left of the dealer leads for the first trick, then player who wins the previous trick leads for the next trick.

Before the game beginning you should decide:

•	Widow should be open or not.

•	How the opponents can exit from all pass rounds: what minimum bidding level is on the each all pass round.

•	What kind of progression is used when mountain (whist) points for each taken trick are added to the pool.

•	How many bullet points for null tricks taken and mountain (whist) points per trick taken.


Game scoring

There are three types of points in Preference: bullet points, mountain points, and whist points. Bullet points are awarded for the successful completion of a contract, mountain points are penalty points, and whist points keep track of a player's score relative to each opponent. Before the game, the players agree on a number of bullet points (pool limit) to which they will play.

•	Contract Hands

A successful declarer receives bullet points according to the following scale:

   Number of            Bullet points

tricks declared

6	2

7	4

8	6

9	8

10	10

If the declarer does not make his contract, he receives no bullet points and receives mountain points for each trick he is short  according to the following scale:

 Number of            Mountain points

  tricks bid           for each trick short*

6	2

7	4

8	6

9	8

10	10

*The points are multiplied by 2 in "Leningrad" version.

The whisting players score whist points against the declarer according to the following scale:

 Number of             Whist points

  tricks bid            per trick taken*

6	2

7	4

8	6

9	8

10	10

*The points are multiplied by 2 in "Leningrad" version.

If the whisting player does not make his whist, he receives the same (Responsible whist) or divided by 2 (Half-responsible whist) number of points per trick in his mountain points. Passing players do not receive whist points and do not risk earning any mountain points.

If the declarer does not make his contract, each opponent (whisting or passing) earns additional whist points against the declarer according to the above scale for each trick that the declarer was short.

•	Miser Hands

If a miser bidder is successful in taking no tricks for the hand, he receives 10 bullet points. If he is unsuccessful, he receives 10 ("Sochi" and "Rostov") or 20 ("Leningrad") mountain points for each trick taken. There are no whist points in a miser hand.

•	All Pass

For the all pass hand, each trick taken is worth 1 or 2  mountain points ("Sochi" and "Leningrad") or 3-5 whist points ("Rostov") and result is multiplied by number according to the round and progression. If somebody does not take tricks, he receives 1 or 2 bullet points.

•	Final Scoring

When pool limit is estimated the game is over and final scores is calculated. Preference is a zero-sum game, so the scoring procedure listed here is designed for ease of computation. First, subtract the smallest of the three player's mountain points from each mountain. Since mountain points are equivalent to 10 whist points, multiply each mountain by 10. Then, find the average mountain score and subtract each player's mountain from this average. Add to this each player's whist points against his opponents and subtract each opponent's whist against the player for the player's final score. (The scores should add up to 0.) The highest score is the winner. When played for money, a scale of 2 to 5 cents a point is usually used.


How to send your decision to the opponents

When it is your turn to bid or pass and you must send your decision to the opponents, use the mouse to choose your decision from list box and click on the OK button.


How to discard two cards before the play

When it's your turn to discard the cards, use the mouse to click on each card you wish to discard, then click on the OK button. The cards you selected will be discarded and you will declare your contract. To deselect a card, click on it again.


How to discard the cards during the play

When it's your turn to discard the card, use the mouse to click on card you wish to discard. The card you right selected will be discarded to the pile. When you don't discard selected card it image will be inverted some time. You must choose another card.


Computer opponent

Begins a new game with the computer opponent. Don't available in beta version.


Pool

Opens the pool to view all scoring and the last changes.


Rules

Opens rules of the current game only in read-only mode.


Exit

To exit Net Preference. If the card animation is in progress you should wait for it's end.


Chat

If you want to send message to your opponent please select "Chat" item in the Options menu. After that you can type your message in the edit box of the chat dialog and press "Enter" key on the keyboard to send this message. If the chat dialog will prevent you to play the game just click the left mouse button outside this dialog.


Start notice

Please check this item in the Options menu if you want to get a sound notice when the new game will begin.


Message notice

 Please check this item in the Options menu if you want to get a sound notice when your opponent's message comes to you.


Animation

You may choose the speed of the card animation. You can choose between Slow, Normal and Fast.


Sound effects

You can enable or disable the sound effects by choosing the Sound effects item in the Options menu.


Card backs

There are six different card backs that come with Net Preference. To choose the card back of your dreams, simply select the desired card back.


Last trick

Shows last trick.


Internet play

This option is actually when you play via the Internet only. Each network command sends some times while confirmation is received. If program will not receive confirmation in [Repeated attempts*Time between attempts] second the game will be over (There is no connection). You may choose any variants to improve your connection. It's possible situation when you wait for your opponent's turn but he lost his internet connection - in this case you don't know about it. To prevent this situation please select any item from Online autocheck time except None. It's necessary for AOL users to prevent losing of internet connection.

•	Repeated attempts

You may choose between 2, 5 or 10.

•	Time between attempts

You may choose between 5, 10, 20 or 30 second.

•	Online autocheck time

You may choose between None, 15, 30 or 60 second.


Contents

How you got here.


NetIntellGames on the Web

Please visit NetIntellGames Web site.


About

Version Number, Author, email and Internet site address.


Status Bar

•	The first (left) pane tells you what you should do.

•	The second pane shows the number of all pass rounds.

•	The third pane shows the current final contract or mode (All Pass).

•	The fourth (write) pane shows the current total sum of the bullet points / the pool limit*3.


Variations

If you start the game "as the Game Server" you should choose version of Preference.