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How to Play Durak

Attack, defend, or be the Fool.

Also known as Дурак · Fool

👥 2–6 players · Medium difficulty

Learn Durak with a 36-card deck: attacks, trump defenses, picking up and refilling. Compare three answers to the same attacking card.

Three ways to answer an attack

9♣J♣6♥8♣

Hearts are trump and the attack is 9♣. J♣ beats it with a higher club; 6♥ beats it with trump. 8♣ cannot beat it. An attacking trump needs a higher trump.

Worked example
Situation	Result
9♣ → J♣	Legal
9♣ → 6♥	Legal
9♣ → 8♣	Not legal

Beat every attack or take the whole table. While stock remains, refill to six; emptying your hand early does not end your game.

Practise this game in your browser

🎯 Objective

Get rid of all your cards. The last player holding cards is the Durak (Fool).

🃏 Durak Setup & Rules

Uses a 36-card deck (6 through Ace). Deal 6 cards each.
Flip the bottom card of the remaining deck — its suit is Trump for this hand.
Player with lowest trump attacks first.

▶ How to Play Durak

The attacker plays one card face-up to the defender, who covers it (or taps Take) before the next card can be thrown.
Beat each attack with a higher card of its suit, or use trump against a non-trump. Only a higher trump beats an attacking trump.
Once the attacker taps Done, the other attackers in clockwise order may pile on cards of ranks already on the table (up to 6 total or the defender's hand count).
Defender beats all: the bout is discarded and play advances clockwise. Defender taps Take: the whole table goes into their hand at once.
After each bout, all players draw back up to 6 from the draw pile (attacker first, defender last).

🎬 Watch: How to Play Durak

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📖 Detailed Guide

Setting up your table

Durak plays 2–6 with a 36-card deck (6s through Aces). Everyone gets 6 cards.
The bottom card of the draw pile is flipped and tucked underneath, visible all game — its suit is TRUMP for the whole hand.
The player holding the lowest trump attacks first; play then moves clockwise. There is no "winner" of a hand — only a loser, the Durak (Fool).

Attacking

The attacker plays one card face-up in front of the defender. The defender must cover it — or tap Take — before another card can be thrown; there is no multi-card opening.
When the attacker taps Done, the other attackers get the table in clockwise order, each after the previous one taps Done. They may throw in only ranks already on the table this bout, and never more cards than the defender can answer (max 6).
When every attacker has tapped Done and every card is covered, the bout is discarded and the defender attacks next.
Attack with ranks the defender has already beaten this bout: they've likely used up their answers for that rank.

Defending

Beat each attacking card individually with a HIGHER card of the same suit, or with any trump. A higher trump beats a lower trump.
Beat everything and the whole bout is discarded face-down — permanently out of the game — and you become the next attacker.
Before you cover anything, you may instead tap Transfer with a card of the same rank as the attack to pass the whole attack to the player on your left (if they hold enough cards to answer it).
Can't (or won't) beat a card? Tap Take: everything on the table goes into your hand at once — no further throw-ins — and you lose your turn to attack; the player on your left attacks next.
Taking isn't always terrible: scooping a few useful trumps early can set up a strong endgame.

Refilling and the endgame

After each bout, every player draws back up to 6 cards — attacker first, other attackers next, defender last — until the draw pile (including the trump card) is exhausted.
Once the pile is empty, the game turns razor-sharp: cards spent are gone forever, so count which trumps remain.
Players who empty their hands drop out safely one by one. The last player left holding cards is the Durak; the app counts a win for everyone else and the same dealer deals again.

📊 Durak Scoring

Social game with no points: the app counts a win for everyone who is not the Durak, round after round.

❓ Durak — Frequently Asked Questions

How many players do you need for Durak?

Durak is played with 2–6 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.

How does defending work in Durak?

Each attacking card must be beaten by a higher card of the same suit or by a trump; a trump is beaten only by a higher trump. Beat every card and the attack is discarded; take any and you pick up the whole attack.

How many cards can an attack have in Durak?

Up to six, and never more than the defender holds. The first attack of a hand is limited to five. Attackers may add cards only of ranks already on the table.

Who attacks next in Durak?

If the defence succeeds, the defender becomes the attacker and the next player defends. If the defender picks up, they lose their turn and the player after them defends against the next attacker.

Is there a score in Durak?

No. Durak is played for the shame of being the last one holding cards, the Fool. The app counts a win for everyone who is not the Durak, round after round, so the record over an evening tells the story.