How to Play Durak
Description
A Russian classic where the goal isn't winning — it's making sure someone else loses. The last player holding cards when the deck is gone is the fool, and the table will let them know.
Also known as: Fool; Дурак
Objective
Don't be the last player left holding cards.
Setup
36-card deck, six through Ace.
Each player starts with six cards.
Deal six cards to each player. The remaining deck forms the draw pile — turn its bottom card face up to set the trump suit.
Rules
The attacker plays a card.
The defender must beat it with a higher card of the same suit, or any trump.
Beat it, and other players can pile on more attacking cards matching a number already on the table — but never more than the defender has cards in hand to answer them.
Every attack on the table must be dealt with before the round can close.
Can't or won't beat it all? Pick up everything on the table instead.
After a successful defence, the defender becomes the next attacker.
After a failed defence (a pickup), the player after the one who picked up becomes the next attacker.
Hands refill from the draw pile after each round: the new attacker draws first, then play continues around the table, with the new defender drawing last.
Winning
Empty your hand and you're safely out.
Whoever's left holding cards when the draw pile runs dry and nobody else has any left is the loser.