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How to play Durak (2026) — Durak is the most popular card game in Russia, and it has an unusual goal: there is no winner, only a loser. Durak means “fool,” and the last player left holding cards earns the title. Players attack and defend in quick bouts, using a trump suit and a short 36-card deck. These rules cover Podkidnoy Durak, the standard “throw-in” version, as described on pagat.com.
Decks for a Durak table: Bicycle Rider Back Playing Cards (12-pack)
Durak uses a 36-card deck stripped from a standard pack. Keep one deck prepared for Durak and the rest of the pack for other games.
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Durak at a glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 to 6; four in two partnerships is the classic game |
| Deck | 36 cards: 6 through ace in each suit |
| Card ranking | Ace high, then K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 |
| Hand size | 6 cards, refilled after each bout |
| Goal | Get rid of your cards; the last player holding cards is the fool |
Building the 36-card Durak deck
Take a standard deck and remove the 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s, plus jokers. You are left with nine cards in each suit, from 6 up to ace. Some two-player groups strip the deck further to 24 cards (9 through ace) for a shorter game.
Dealing and choosing trump
Deal six cards to each player. Turn the next card face up to set the trump suit, and place the rest of the deck face down across it so the trump stays visible. This stack is the talon. With six players there is no talon; the dealer’s last card is shown to set trump and then goes into the dealer’s hand.
In the first hand of a session, the player holding the lowest trump attacks first. In later hands, the player to the dealer’s left attacks first. Traditionally the loser of each hand deals the next one.
Attacking and defending
Each bout has one attacker and one defender, normally the player to the attacker’s left. The attacker plays any card face up in front of the defender. To beat it, the defender plays a higher card of the same suit, or any trump if the attack card is not a trump. A trump can only be beaten by a higher trump. There is no obligation to follow suit.
Throwing in more cards
After the defender beats a card, the attacker may continue by playing another card that matches the rank of any card already played in the bout, attacking or defending. Other players beside the defender may join in with matching ranks once the first card has been beaten, with the main attacker having priority. A bout can never include more than six attack cards, and never more attack cards than the defender held at the start of the bout.
Winning or losing a bout
- Successful defense: if the defender beats every attack card and nobody adds more, all the cards in the bout are discarded. The defender becomes the next attacker.
- Failed defense: if the defender cannot or will not beat a card, they pick up every card in the bout. Attackers may also hand over any further cards they could have thrown in. The defender loses their turn to attack, and the next player in turn attacks instead.
Refilling from the talon
After each bout, every player with fewer than six cards draws back up to six: first the main attacker, then other attackers, and the defender last. The face-up trump is the final card drawn. Once the talon is empty, there is no more drawing, and players simply try to empty their hands.
Ending a game of Durak
Players drop out as they run out of cards after the talon is gone. The last player still holding cards is the durak, the fool, and deals the next hand. If the final bout leaves nobody holding cards, the game is a draw. In the partnership game, the team that still has cards when the other team runs out loses.
Durak strategy for beginners
- Lead low non-trump cards. Save trumps for defense and the endgame.
- Attack with ranks you hold in pairs. A pair of 8s lets you throw in a second card easily.
- Pick up small attacks on purpose. Taking two low cards can be cheaper than spending a trump.
- Track the trumps. There are only nine, and the last one is visible under the talon.
- Keep a strong card for last. The endgame often comes down to who has a high trump left.
Durak variations
- Perevodnoy (transfer) Durak: the defender can pass the attack to the next player by adding a card of the same rank.
- Six of trumps swap: the holder of the 6 of trumps may exchange it for the face-up trump before the talon runs out.
- Five-card limit on the first defense: a common rule in bigger games to ease pressure on the first defender.
- 52-card Durak: rare, but some five- and six-player groups use the full deck.
Looking for more classic card games? Browse our adult games with playing cards and how to play President, another game where you do not want to finish last.
Durak questions
How many cards are in a Durak deck?
36 cards: the 6 through ace of each suit.
Do you have to follow suit in Durak?
No. A non-trump attack can always be beaten by any trump, even if you hold the suit.
How many cards can you attack with?
Up to six per bout, and never more than the defender held at the start of the bout.
Who wins Durak?
Nobody wins as such. Everyone else escapes, and the last player holding cards is the fool.
