Durak is one of the most popular card games in Russia. Here is the complete guide on How to Play Durak.
Important Information to About Durak
The Requirements to Play Durak
A 36 cards deck is required for Durak. The deck includes Ace (A), King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6 of all suits. Also, two or more players are needed to play Durak and a maximum of six players can play this game.
What is the ranking order of the cards in Durak?
The ranks of the cards from Highest to Lowest: Ace (A), King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), 10, 9, 8, 7, 6.
A Trump suited card outranks any card of a non-trump suit.
The Object in Durak
The main objective in Durak is not to be the last player remaining with the cards.
Dealing the Cards
The dealer is determined randomly. The dealer deals six cards to each player, face-down. After that he places the remaining deck on the table face-down.
Then he draws the first card from the remaining deck and places that card next to the remaining deck, face-up. The suit of that card is the Trump suit for the round.
How to Play Durak
The players play Durak by assuming the roles of Attacker and Defender. These roles are assigned to the players in the following manner:
The player on the left of the dealer is the first attacker and the player on the left of the attacker is the first defender. If the defender defends all attacks then he will be the next attacker and the player on his left will be the next defender.
However, if the defender cannot or does not want to defend an attack, he loses the chance to be the next attacker, and the player on his left will be the next attacker, and the player on the left of the next attacker will be the next defender.
Attacking and Defending
The attacker plays a card in the middle and the defender has to beat that card. If the attacking card is a non-trump card then the defender can beat that card with a higher ranking card in the same suit or with a trump card.
And if the attacking card is a trump card then the defender can beat that card with a higher ranking trump card. However, the defender may not defend the attacking card if he doesn’t want to.
If the first attack is defended by the defender successfully then the attacker can do another attack. The attacker can do a maximum of six attacks. If the defender runs out of the cards, the attacker cannot do more attacks even if the six attacks are not completed. The attacker may not do more attacks if he doesn’t want to.
Attack by Players other than the Attacker
The main attacker may receive help from other players. The other players can also attack if the main attacker allows. But the total number of attacks done on a defender in one turn, should not exceed six. If before six attacks the defender runs out of cards, then any more attacks should not be performed.
Rules for Attacking more than Once
For more than one attack, the main attacker or the other players allowed by the main attacker have to attack with the same ranked card as previously played.
Example: In the first attack, the attacker attacked with the 9 of Spades, and the defender defended it with the Queen of Spades. The next attack can be done with only 9 or Queen. In the second attack, the attacker attacked with Queen of Diamonds, and the defender defended it with the Ace of Diamonds. Then for the third attack, an attacker can do an attack with 9, Queen, or Ace.
If the defender cannot or does not want to defend the attack, he has to take the cards played in the middle in his hand. After a turn(Attacker attacked six-time or Defender run out of cards) gets completed, all the players draw enough cards from the remaining deck to get back their hands to six cards. The drawing will not take place after the remaining deck runs out of the cards.
The game continues this way. The last player remaining with the cards loses the game.
Here is a Video Guide on How to Play Durak
Play with your friends and family and enjoy.
Read Also: How to Play Sheepshead
Thank you.