Durak is Russia's most popular card game, a free online battle of attack and defence where nobody wants to be the durak — the "fool" left holding cards at the end. Play it in your browser against the computer with no download and no sign-up.
Played with a 36-card deck and a trump suit, Durak rewards smart card management and timing. Easy, Medium and Hard settings make the computer defenders craftier about when to take cards and when to fight back, so the strategy deepens as you improve.
The version played here is podkidnoy durak — “throw-in fool” — the most widespread form of the game, in which other attackers can pile on extra cards of ranks already on the table. Durak emerged in Russia and spread through every corner of the former Soviet Union, where it remains the default card game on trains, in courtyards and around kitchen tables. Its most distinctive quirk: the game crowns no winner, only a loser, which is exactly why the stakes feel so personal.
The endgame is where durak is won and lost. Because the trump stock runs out, cards you memorised early become weapons late: if you know the defender holds no spades, an unbeatable spade attack ends the game. Beginners burn trumps early to dodge small pickups; veterans happily absorb a few cards mid-game to hoard the trumps that dominate the final hands.
Avoid being the last player still holding cards. Get rid of your hand by attacking and successfully defending, and leave an opponent as the durak.
On the attack, click a card to throw it at the defender. On defence, click a card in your hand to beat the attacking card — you must use a higher card of the same suit, or any trump. Use the Take or Pass / Done buttons to pick up cards you cannot beat or to end the round.
There is no point score — the game continues until only one player has cards left, and that player is the durak (the loser). Everyone else has successfully emptied their hands.
Hold on to your trumps and high cards for when they matter most, and try not to over-defend a round you could simply take cheaply. Watch which cards have been played so you can judge whether to fight off an attack or pick it up to preserve a strong hand.
What does durak mean?
Durak means "fool" — the loser is the last player still holding cards when the deck is gone.
How do trumps work?
Any card of the trump suit beats any card of the other three suits, so trumps are precious for defending.
Is Durak free?
Yes, play free against the computer in your browser with no download or sign-up.
More classic games: Crazy Eights, Cheat, President, War, Gin Rummy, and all 100 free games.