diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 59475da..98e28a0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ has a matching GitHub release whose body comes from its section below.
 - Each card has its own base URL on the gateway, `/cards/CARD/v1`, named by the card's name or PCI address. A
   request through it only reaches engines on that card, and `GET /cards/CARD/v1/models` lists only theirs. One
   model can now be served on several cards, one engine entry per card, and `berth config check` still refuses two
-  entries that serve it on one card. A request without the prefix is routed as before.
+  entries that serve it on one card.
+- A plain `/v1` request for a model served on several cards goes to the card that costs least to reach: the engine
+  that is up, then one parked in RAM, then a free card, then a card whose holder drains, and last a card a VM or a
+  pinned lease keeps. Cards of the same rank go to the first entry in `berth.toml`.
 - `gpu = "gpu1"` on a `[[claim]]` holds only the cards it names, as `berth run --gpu` names them, on a node with
   several cards. Engines on the other cards keep running, and the gateway starts background engines there. A
   claim without `gpu` still holds every card. `berth config check` refuses a bad card name and a `gpu` on a
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a64d874..9efc513 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -222,8 +222,9 @@ on any of the cards stops the engine, and its exit frees every card. A lease on
 yet: a drain stops it the usual way.
 
 The gateway judges each engine against the cards it runs on, and each card has its own base URL on the gateway,
-`/cards/gpu1/v1`, so a client can choose the card ([One URL per card](docs/gateway.md#one-url-per-card)). Choosing
-a card for a plain `/v1` request is v0.5 work.
+`/cards/gpu1/v1`, so a client can choose the card ([One URL per card](docs/gateway.md#one-url-per-card)). A plain
+`/v1` request for a model served on several cards goes to the cheapest card to reach: a parked copy, then a free
+card, then one whose holder drains.
 
 `berth hold --gpu gpu1`, `berth vfio run --gpu gpu1` and `gpu = "gpu1"` on a `[[claim]]` take only the cards they
 name, so the other cards keep serving.
diff --git a/docs/gateway.md b/docs/gateway.md
index f8c9c48..5a35f67 100644
--- a/docs/gateway.md
+++ b/docs/gateway.md
@@ -309,7 +309,17 @@ serves = ["qwen"]
 
 A client that works on gpu1 sets its base URL to `http://127.0.0.1:9799/cards/gpu1/v1` and keeps the model name.
 `berth config check` still refuses two entries that serve one model on the same card, or where either names no
-card. A request without the prefix goes to the first engine in `berth.toml` that serves the model, as before.
+card.
+
+A request without the prefix picks the card itself. An engine that is up and lists the model answers first.
+Otherwise the gateway takes the card that costs least to reach, in this order:
+
+1. the card where the model's engine is parked in RAM;
+2. a free card: no lease, waiter, stowaway or active claim, and not in a VM;
+3. a card whose holder drains the usual way;
+4. a card a VM or a pinned lease (a game, a hold) keeps, where the request waits.
+
+Two cards of the same rank go to the entry that comes first in `berth.toml`.
 
 - A card the node does not have answers `404` with the node's cards.
 - A model no engine on that card serves answers `404` naming the card.
diff --git a/docs/roadmap.md b/docs/roadmap.md
index 402f4d2..da98eeb 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap.md
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ v0.5 lets a client choose the card on a node with several. Each slice ships on i
 1. **One base URL per card**, merged in [#278](https://github.com/T-Crypt/berth/pull/278). `/cards/CARD/v1` reaches only
    the engines on that card, and one model can be served on several cards, one engine entry per card.
 2. **Placement for a plain `/v1` request.** When several cards serve the model, the gateway picks one: the card
-   where it already runs, then one where it is parked, then a free card, then the cheapest measured switch.
+   where it already runs, then one where it is parked, then a free card, then one whose holder drains, and last a
+   card a VM or a game keeps.
 3. **Cordon a card.** A cordoned card takes no new grants until it is uncordoned, so it can be drained for
    maintenance or a VM while the others serve.
 4. **A card picker on the board.** The harbor and `GET /v1/berth/board` name the card each engine can run on.
diff --git a/internal/gateway/gateway.go b/internal/gateway/gateway.go
index abe8309..e2e21ac 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -439,13 +439,36 @@ func (g *Gateway) resolve(ctx context.Context, model, card string) (target, bool
 			return target{url: e.URL, live: true}, true
 		}
 	}
+	var serving []*config.Engine
 	for i := range g.Engines {
-		e := &g.Engines[i]
-		if g.engineOn(st, e.Name, card) && slices.Contains(e.Serves, model) {
-			return target{url: e.URL, engine: e}, true
+		if e := &g.Engines[i]; g.engineOn(st, e.Name, card) && slices.Contains(e.Serves, model) {
+			serving = append(serving, e)
 		}
 	}
-	return target{}, false
+	if len(serving) == 0 {
+		return target{}, false
+	}
+	// One engine per card serves the model: the cheapest card to reach
+	// wins, and berth.toml's order breaks a tie.
+	e := slices.MinFunc(serving, func(a, b *config.Engine) int { return reach(st, a) - reach(st, b) })
+	return target{url: e.URL, engine: e}, true
+}
+
+// reach ranks what it takes to bring e up on its card, cheapest first: a
+// resume from RAM, a free card, a drain of the holder, then a wait for a
+// card a VM or a pinned lease (a game, a hold) keeps.
+func reach(st *proto.Status, e *config.Engine) int {
+	v := node.View(st, e.GPU)
+	switch {
+	case parkedIn(st, e.Name):
+		return 0
+	case cardFree(v):
+		return 1
+	case v != nil && outOfReach(v) == "":
+		return 2
+	default:
+		return 3
+	}
 }
 
 // notServed is the 404 for a model no engine serves, on card when one is
diff --git a/internal/gateway/placement_test.go b/internal/gateway/placement_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93a7ba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/gateway/placement_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Trevin Tindall (T-Crypt)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+//go:build unix
+
+package gateway
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log/slog"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/T-Crypt/berth/internal/broker"
+	"github.com/T-Crypt/berth/internal/config"
+	"github.com/T-Crypt/berth/internal/procs"
+)
+
+// A plain /v1 request for a model served on two cards goes to the card that
+// costs least to reach: a parked copy before a free card, a free card before
+// one a lease holds, and a held card before one a game has pinned. With
+// nothing to tell them apart, the first entry in berth.toml wins.
+func TestPlainRequestPicksTheCheapestCard(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, c := range []struct {
+		name string
+		hold func(t *testing.T, gpu0, gpu1 *broker.Broker)
+		want string
+	}{
+		{"both free", nil, "on-gpu0"},
+		{"a game pins gpu0", func(t *testing.T, gpu0, _ *broker.Broker) {
+			acquire(t, gpu0, broker.Request{Engine: "game", Priority: broker.Hold, Pinned: true})
+		}, "on-gpu1"},
+		{"a lease holds gpu0", func(t *testing.T, gpu0, _ *broker.Broker) {
+			acquire(t, gpu0, broker.Request{Engine: "tts", Priority: broker.Batch})
+		}, "on-gpu1"},
+		{"a game pins gpu0, a lease holds gpu1", func(t *testing.T, gpu0, gpu1 *broker.Broker) {
+			acquire(t, gpu0, broker.Request{Engine: "game", Priority: broker.Hold, Pinned: true})
+			acquire(t, gpu1, broker.Request{Engine: "tts", Priority: broker.Batch})
+		}, "on-gpu1"},
+		{"qwen parked on gpu1", func(t *testing.T, _, gpu1 *broker.Broker) {
+			pid := os.Getpid()
+			l, err := gpu1.Reattach(broker.Request{Engine: "qwen-b", Parked: true}, pid, procs.System{}.StartTime(pid))
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			t.Cleanup(l.Release)
+		}, "on-gpu1"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			sock, n := twoCards(t)
+			if c.hold != nil {
+				c.hold(t, n.Cards()[0].B, n.Cards()[1].B)
+			}
+			a, b := cardEngine(t, "on-gpu0"), cardEngine(t, "on-gpu1")
+			g := &Gateway{Socket: sock, Ready: 5 * time.Second, Key: testKey, Log: slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(io.Discard, nil)),
+				Engines: []config.Engine{
+					{Name: "qwen-a", Type: "llamacpp", URL: a.URL, GPU: "gpu0", Serves: []string{"qwen"}},
+					{Name: "qwen-b", Type: "llamacpp", URL: b.URL, GPU: "gpu1", Serves: []string{"qwen"}},
+				}}
+			gw := httptest.NewServer(g.Handler())
+			defer gw.Close()
+			resp := call(t, "POST", gw.URL+"/v1/chat/completions", `{"model":"qwen"}`)
+			defer resp.Body.Close()
+			body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+			if want := c.want + " /v1/chat/completions"; resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK || string(body) != want {
+				t.Errorf("POST /v1/chat/completions: %d %q, want 200 %q", resp.StatusCode, body, want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// acquire takes a lease on b for the rest of the test.
+func acquire(t *testing.T, b *broker.Broker, r broker.Request) {
+	t.Helper()
+	r.Wait = 5 * time.Second
+	l, err := b.Acquire(context.Background(), r, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("acquire %s: %w", r.Engine, err))
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(l.Release)
+}