Card and board games

Durak

What the game is

Durak means "fool" in Russian. It is the most widely played card game in Russia and much of Eastern Europe, and it turns the usual idea of winning around: nobody wins, and the last player left holding cards is the fool.

Rules in brief

• Use a 36-card deck, six up to ace. Each player gets six cards.
• The next card is turned face up under the stock. Its suit is trumps.
• The attacker plays a card. The defender must beat it with a higher card of the same suit or with any trump.
• Other players may throw in more cards, but only of ranks already on the table.
• If the defender beats everything, the cards are discarded and the defender attacks next. If not, the defender picks up every card on the table.
• Everyone draws back up to six while the stock lasts.

The full rules, including the limits on how many cards can be thrown in, are on the Durak rules page.

Where to play

Durak Card Game is a free browser version that runs on phones and computers, with computer players to fill empty seats and a tutorial for new players.

Editor's notes

The game rewards memory: by the end of a round you can often work out exactly what the other players hold. Two players is a good way to learn; three or four is the usual table.

Entry last checked: October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Use the contact page.