diff --git a/src/mudlib/commands/play.py b/src/mudlib/commands/play.py
index 5fc2b03..6677e8b 100644
--- a/src/mudlib/commands/play.py
+++ b/src/mudlib/commands/play.py
@@ -15,23 +15,51 @@ _STORY_EXTENSIONS = (".z3", ".z5", ".z8", ".zblorb")
 
 def _find_story(name: str) -> pathlib.Path | None:
     """Find a story file by name in content/stories/."""
+    # exact match first
     for ext in _STORY_EXTENSIONS:
         path = _stories_dir / f"{name}{ext}"
         if path.exists():
             return path
+    # prefix match (e.g. "zork" matches "zork1.z3")
+    if _stories_dir.exists():
+        for path in sorted(_stories_dir.iterdir()):
+            if path.stem.startswith(name) and path.suffix in _STORY_EXTENSIONS:
+                return path
     return None
 
 
+def _list_stories() -> list[str]:
+    """Return available story names."""
+    if not _stories_dir.exists():
+        return []
+    return sorted(
+        p.stem
+        for p in _stories_dir.iterdir()
+        if p.suffix in _STORY_EXTENSIONS
+    )
+
+
 async def cmd_play(player: Player, args: str) -> None:
     """Start playing an interactive fiction game."""
     game_name = args.strip().lower()
     if not game_name:
-        await player.send("play what? (try: play zork1)\r\n")
+        stories = _list_stories()
+        if stories:
+            names = ", ".join(stories)
+            await player.send(f"play what? available: {names}\r\n")
+        else:
+            await player.send("play what? (no stories installed)\r\n")
         return
 
     story_path = _find_story(game_name)
     if not story_path:
-        await player.send(f"no story found for '{game_name}'.\r\n")
+        stories = _list_stories()
+        if stories:
+            names = ", ".join(stories)
+            msg = f"no story '{game_name}'. available: {names}\r\n"
+        else:
+            msg = f"no story found for '{game_name}'.\r\n"
+        await player.send(msg)
         return
 
     # Create and start IF session
diff --git a/tests/test_play_command.py b/tests/test_play_command.py
index 13bcd02..317a36f 100644
--- a/tests/test_play_command.py
+++ b/tests/test_play_command.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ async def test_play_unknown_story(player):
     await cmd_play(player, "nosuchgame")
     player.writer.write.assert_called()
     output = player.writer.write.call_args[0][0]
-    assert "no story found" in output.lower()
+    assert "no story" in output.lower()
     assert "nosuchgame" in output.lower()