The Russian card game where you attack, defend and try to empty your hand so you are not the last one holding cards.
Durak is a quick card game from Russia with an unusual goal. You are not trying to win tricks. You are trying to run out of cards, because the last player still holding any is the durak, which means fool. Everyone who empties their hand is safe.
Play rotates between attacking and defending. You can face computer players at three levels, or pass a single device among friends.
Setting up
The deck has 36 cards, Six through Ace. Each player gets six, and the next card goes face up under the stock. That suit is trump for the rest of the game. The player holding the lowest trump makes the first attack.
Attack and defense
The attacker leads a card, and the defender has to beat it. A higher card of the same suit works, and any trump beats a card from another suit. When the attack itself is a trump, only a bigger trump stops it.
Once a card is beaten, the attacker and anyone else at the table can add further cards, but only ranks that already sit on the table. A single round is capped at six attacking cards, and it can never exceed the size of the defender’s starting hand.
If the defender beats every card, the pile is discarded and the defender becomes the next attacker. If not, the defender picks up everything on the table and is skipped as attacker. After each round, everyone draws back up to six while the stock lasts. Once it is empty, players who run out of cards drop out safely.
There is also an optional rule to switch on before the game. A defender who has not beaten anything yet can lay down a matching rank and pass the entire attack along, provided the next player has enough cards to face it.
Strategy notes
- Save trumps for the end. They beat every other suit, and they matter most when the stock is gone.
- Lead small cards early. Shedding Sixes and Sevens while you can still draw leaves you stronger later.
- Think in pairs. If you hold two of a rank, leading one lets you add the other once the first is beaten.
- Pick up on purpose. Picking up a few low cards is often cheaper than burning a big trump.
- Remember the face-up trump. That card is drawn last, which means one trump is always known to you.
Who it suits
Durak suits anyone who enjoys card games that reward planning and good timing. A round moves quickly, and the computer levels let you learn before playing with friends.
Controls
| Action | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Attack, defend or throw in a card | Click the card in your hand | Tap the card in your hand |
| Pick up the cards on the table | Click "Take the cards" | Tap "Take the cards" |
| Stop throwing in | Click "Pass" | Tap "Pass" |
| Pass the attack to the next player (optional rule) | Click "Pass the attack on", then the matching card | Tap "Pass the attack on", then the matching card |
| Set up a game | Choose vs Computer or Same device, players, level and rules, then click "New game" | Choose vs Computer or Same device, players, level and rules, then tap "New game" |
Durak FAQ
How many people can play Durak here?
Two to four. You can sit with one, two or three computer opponents set to Easy, Medium or Hard. In Same device mode, friends share one screen and the hand stays hidden between turns until the next player taps Show my cards.
Does it work on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. Every action is a tap or a click on a card or button, so it plays well on phones, tablets and Chromebooks. Status messages explain each move and tell you why a card cannot be played, which helps on a small screen.
Can a game of Durak end in a draw?
Yes. If the last players run out of cards at the same moment, nobody is left holding cards, and the game is called a draw. Otherwise, the one player still holding cards at the end is the durak.
What is the deck like?
The game uses 36 cards, from Six up to Ace in each suit. Everyone starts with six cards, and the card turned face up under the stock sets the trump suit for the entire game.
