Perfrance

3 players. Play online with family and friends, over the internet or across a home network

Perfrance is a trump and trick-taking card game, played with only 7s through aces. Each player is dealt ten cards, leaving two cards as the "blind." Players bid to name trump and may get the option of taking the blind cards. The player who names trump must win at least six tricks to avoid going set and losing points. The other players must either fold before playing a card, or get at least two tricks to avoid going set and losing points.

Start the Game

Before you can play the game, one player, the host, must start a game. Learn more about hosting this game.

After the host has started the server, each player should start the Perfrance game on their own computer and enter the port, IP address, and player name exactly as instructed by the host.

Dealing the Cards

Players are arranged in the order in which they join the game. Cards will be deealt when the last person arrives.

Perfrance is played with a deck of thirty-two cards: four suits, 7s through aces. Each player is dealt ten cards, leaving two cards as the "blind".

The first player is randomly chosen. If additional games are played, the player seated to the left of the winner will go first.

Bid Round 1

Each player gets a turn to name trump for the hand, raise trump to a higher suit, or pass. Suits are ranked low to high as spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts. The player who names trump, will be required to get at least six of the ten tricks. Otherwise they will go set (see scoring below).

If Everyone Passed, Bid Round 2

If everyone passed, each player gets a turn to repass or take the blind. If a player takes the blind, bidding ends. That player gets to take the two blind cards, name trump for the hand, and discard two cards. The player who names trump, will be required to get at least six of the ten tricks. Otherwise they will go set (see scoring below).

If everyone repassed in round 2, the game will be played with no trump.

Playing

The trump caller and the trump suit will be displayed to the left of the score card. The above image indicates that Louie named diamonds as trump.

Starting with the first player who bid, each player must play a card (click a card to be moved face up in the center) or fold. A player who folds sits out that round and neither earns nor loses points. The person who named trump may not fold. Folding is only allowed in the first round of the hand. Playing cards follows these rules:

• The first person may play any card they wish.
• Other players must follow suit. If the person has no cards in that suit, they must play a trump card. If the player has no trump, they may play any card.
• Whoever plays the highest card wins the trick. Trump cards are higher than all other cards.
• The last person to play a card must take the trick if they can.
• Whoever won the trick leads the next round. The number on your tricks pile indicates how many tricks you've taken so far.

Scoring

The player who named trump must win at least six tricks. Anyone else who didn't fold must win at least two tricks. If a player does not earn their minimum required tricks they will go set. If there is no trump, there is no minimum number of required tricks.

If hearts is trump, players earn four points per trick. If a player goes set (loses) when hearts is trump, they will lose 40 points. If diamonds, clubs, or spades is trump, players earn two points per trick. If a player goes set when diamonds, clubs, or spades is trump, they will lose 20 points. If there is no trump, players earn two points per trick and will not go set.

If a player folds, they will earn zero points for the hand. If two players fold, the player who called trump will receive 40 points if trump was hearts or 20 points if trump was any other suit.

Winner

The game continues until someone earns at least 120 points or if someone goes below -120 points. The winner is the player with the highest score.

Tips

• "When in doubt, fold. When in doubt, take the blind." You stand to lose a lot more than you could possibly gain if you play a bad hand. So if you don't have much confidence in your hand after someone else called trump, you should probably fold. On the other hand, the blind may or may not help your hand. But if it does help, you could earn a lot of points. It's hard to accumulate points fast enough to win this game if you never call trump. So if you are unsure about picking up the blind, it might be worth taking it.
• If you take the blind you have to discard two cards. It is often to your advantage to short suit yourself (get rid of all your cards in one or more suit).
• If you determine that the person who called trump is short-suited, it sometimes helps to lead that suit to force them to use up their trump cards.
• If someone called trump out of their hand (without picking up the blind), it should be easier for you to get your two required tricks since they didn't get a chance to short suit their hand.
• You can play this game without conversing with other players, but you may find it more enjoyable if you use some other form of audio or video communication while you play this game. For example, Zoom, Discord, or phone.
• If one person leaves the game early or loses their internet connection, the game will automatically end for everyone.
• If anyone leaves the game and others want to play again, the host must stop and restart the game server (click Stop then click Start) or close the server and start it back up again.
• If you rotate your computer screen and end up with the score card overlaying your cards, simply minimize the game and restore it. It will then rebuild the window appropriately.

More Games

We have more games available for Windows computers.

Learn to Write Your Own Computer Games

Click the book image to find the book on Amazon.

Do-It-Yourself Java Games: An Introduction to Java Computer Programming

More Do-It-Yourself Java Games: An Introduction to Java Graphics and Event-Driven Programming

Advanced Do-It-Yourself Java Games: An Introduction to Java Threads and Animated Video Games

Do-It-Yourself Multiplayer Java Games: An Introduction to Java Sockets and Internet-Based Games

Get quantity discounts with Free Shipping when you order 5 or more copies of any book directly from us.