Durak Rules & Strategies

A cozy, step-by-step guide to Durak — the base rules, throw-in (podkidnoy) and transfer (perevodnoy). Brew a coffee and read on, then play free against a smart bot.

The fundamentals

  1. Play with 36 cards (6 to Ace) or a full 52-card deck. One card is turned up at the start — its suit is the trump (kozir).
  2. To beat a card, play a higher card of the same suit, or any trump. A trump beats any non-trump, whatever the rank.
  3. Empty your hand before your opponent. The last player still holding cards is the durak — the fool.

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Throw-in Durak

  1. The attacker plays a card; the defender must beat it or take it. Cards of a rank already on the table can be thrown in.
  2. No more than 6 cards may be added in a single turn — and the very first discard of the game is capped at 5.
  3. Once every card is beaten, the attacker calls bita (discard) and the turn passes to the defender.

Play Podkidnoy Durak online →

Transferring Durak

  1. Instead of defending, play a card of the same rank to transfer the attack to your opponent.
  2. You can only transfer before you've beaten any card, and only if the receiver has enough cards to take the whole table.
  3. Holding the trump of the matching rank, you may reveal it to transfer without playing it — once per rank each round.

Play Perevodnoy Durak online →

Strategy: tips from our bots

  1. Save your trumps. Early on, do not beat a low card with a trump: taking one or two small cards is often cheaper than spending a trump you will need later.
  2. Attack with your junk. Lead your lowest non-trump cards while the stock is still full — you will draw fresh cards to replace them.
  3. Pairs make strong attacks. Lead a rank you hold twice, so you can throw in the second card.
  4. Remember what has gone. Keep track of the high cards and trumps in the discard pile — our strongest bot plays exactly this way.
  5. Close out the endgame. Once the stock is empty, every card you have not seen is in your opponent's hand: lead the one they cannot beat and make them take.
  6. Throw in at the right moment. When the defender is running out of cards or is already taking, throw in the cards you do not need — up to the table limit.
  7. In perevodnoy, transfer cheaply. Pass the attack on with a non-trump of the same rank and keep the trump for defence: after a transfer, your opponent has to beat the whole table.

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Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Podkidnoy and Perevodnoy?

Podkidnoy is the classic throw-in game; Perevodnoy adds the option to transfer an attack to your opponent with a card of the same rank.

How many cards can be thrown in one turn?

Up to 6 cards in a single turn, and only 5 on the very first discard of the game to soften the starting attacker's advantage.

What is the trump (kozir)?

A card turned up at the start of the game. Its suit is the trump and beats any non-trump card, whatever the rank.

How many cards are dealt in Durak?

Each player gets 6 cards from a 36-card deck (6 to Ace). The next card is turned face up — it sets the trump and lies under the stock. After every turn, players draw back up to 6 cards while the stock lasts.

Can two people play Durak?

Yes — one-on-one is the classic way to play, and the rules stay the same. At Cards Cafe you can play two-player Durak against a bot or with a friend by link, or sit at a table of 3–4.

Who goes first in Durak?

The player holding the lowest trump attacks first. After that, the defender leads next if they beat every card; if they took the cards, they miss their turn.

What does "durak" mean?

Durak is Russian for "fool". The game has no single winner, only a loser: the last player still holding cards.

Meet our regulars

  • Uncle Joe — A sweet, slightly clumsy relative playing cards on Thanksgiving. He laughs out loud when beaten and often plays the wrong card by accident.
  • Grumpy Gary — The old-school neighbor who sighs loudly at every move you make. Plays rationally but gets easily annoyed by chaotic strategies.
  • Aunt Beatrice — A highly intellectual, tea-drinking aunt. She plays with calculated precision and remembers every card that has left the deck.