Durak – Rules

Play Durak against the computer

1. Overview

What is it about? Durak is the most popular card game in Russia and many countries of Eastern Europe. There is no winner, only a loser: the durak. In turn you attack a player with cards they must beat. If they can't, they must pick everything up. Whoever runs out of cards first is out and safe.

2. Cards and material

• Pack: 36 French cards: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, ace in four suits.
• Ranking (high → low): A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6.
• Trumps: One suit is trumps and beats all other suits.
• No points: All that matters is who still holds cards at the end.
• Face up and face down: Hand cards concealed, the stock face down with the trump card face up crosswise beneath it, attacking and defending cards face up.

3. Preparation and start

1. Shuffle: The dealer shuffles all 36 cards.
2. Deal: Everyone gets 6 cards.
3. Trumps: The next card is turned up; its suit is trumps. It lies face up crosswise under the stock and is drawn last.
4. First attacker: Whoever holds the lowest trump starts. In later games the player left of the last durak starts.
5. Defender: Always the attacker's left neighbour.

Start example: The 9 of spades is turned up as trumps. Player 4 holds the 6 of spades, the lowest trump. He attacks first – and attacks Player 1, who sits to his left.

4. Goal and winning

• Out: A player with no cards left once the stock is empty is out of the game and has won.
• Lost: The last player holding cards is the durak.
• Draw: If the last cards go at the same time (the last defender beats the last attacking card with their last card), there is no durak.

5. Play in detail

An attack.

1. The attacker places one card face up in front of the defender.
2. The defender beats it with a higher card of the same suit or with a trump. A trump can only be beaten by a higher trump.
3. Then the attacker and the other players may throw in cards whose rank is already on the table (any suit).
4. The defender must beat each new card separately.
5. At most 6 attacking cards per round (5 in the very first attack), and never more than the defender holds.

End of the round.

• Defended: All cards beaten and nobody throws in any more → the cards go to the discard (“bito”). The defender becomes the new attacker.
• Picked up: If the defender can't or won't beat a card, they pick up all cards from the table. The others may first throw in further matching cards. The defender loses their attack; the new attacker is their left neighbour.

Drawing. After each round everyone fills up to 6 cards: the attacker first, then the others clockwise, the defender last.

Example with Players 1 to 4. Spades are trumps. Player 4 attacks Player 1.

1. Player 4 plays the 7 of hearts. Player 1 beats it with the 10 of hearts.
2. Now a 7 and a 10 are on the table. Player 2 throws in the 10 of diamonds. Player 1 has no higher diamond and beats it with the 8 of spades (trump).
3. Player 3 throws in the 8 of clubs – eights are on the table too (the 8 of spades). Player 1 beats it with the queen of clubs.
4. Nobody has any more matching ranks. Bito: all six cards go to the discard.
5. Players 4, 2 and 3 draw, Player 1 last. Now Player 1 attacks Player 2.

6. Scoring

• Durak has no points per round.
• Result of a game: The loser is the durak.
• Over several games: Count how often each player was durak; whoever was durak least often wins.

7. Special rules and situations

• Who may throw in? In the basic rule every player except the defender; often only the defender's two neighbours.
• Stock empty: Nobody draws any more. A player who runs out of cards is out.
• Trump card: It is drawn as the very last card.
• Defender out of cards: If the defender has beaten everything and has no cards left, the round ends at once.
• Wrong beat: A wrongly beaten card must be taken back; if noticed later, the defender picks up.
• Common mistakes: beating with a trump although a matching suit was available; wasting trumps early; forgetting that only ranks already on the table may be thrown in.

8. Variants

Standard in this description: Podkidnoy (“throw-in”), 36 cards, everyone may throw in, first attack at most 5 cards.

When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you can choose Podkidnoy or Perevodnoy, 36 or 52 cards, all players or only neighbours throwing in; you play 3, 5 or 10 games.

9. Tips for beginners

1. Save trumps: Beat with a trump only when you must.
2. Attack low: Attack with low cards – you need the high ones for defence.
3. Use pairs: Two cards of the same rank are great for throwing in.
4. Picking up isn't the end: Sometimes picking up a few cards is better than wasting trumps.
5. Count: Remember which trumps have been played.
6. Remember the trump card: Whoever draws it at the end gets a sure trump.
7. Endgame: Once the stock is empty every card counts – plan your last moves.

10. Summary in 10 steps

1. 36 cards, 6 to each player.
2. Turn up the next card: trumps, placed under the stock.
3. The lowest trump attacks first.
4. The attacker plays a card to the left neighbour.
5. The defender beats: higher in suit or with a trump.
6. Everyone may throw in cards of the same rank (at most 6).
7. All beaten: bito, the defender attacks.
8. Not beaten: the defender picks up everything and misses the attack.
9. Fill up to 6 cards, defender last.
10. The last player with cards is the durak.

11. Frequently asked questions

May I beat with a trump when I hold the suit?

Yes. A trump always beats – it's just usually wiser to save it.

What may be thrown in?

Only cards whose rank is already on the table – whether as an attacking or a defending card.

How many cards may an attack have?

At most six (five in the first attack), and never more than the defender holds.

Who attacks after a pick-up?

The left neighbour of the player who picked up.

Is there a winner?

Really only a loser – the durak. Everyone else has won.

How long does a game take?

Five to fifteen minutes.

Origin & history

Durak ('the fool') is documented in Russia since the 19th century and is considered Russia's national game. Special is that there is no winner, only a loser – the durak, who is left with cards at the end.