Durak
Russian attack-and-defend shedding game — beat cards played against you or pick them up; loser is the 'durak' (fool).
🌤indoor
What is Durak?
Durak (Russian for 'fool') is a shedding-style Russian card game and by far the most-played card game across the former Soviet Union. A 36-card deck is used; the last card dealt becomes the trump suit. Players take turns attacking each other with cards; the defender must beat each with a higher card of the same suit or a trump, or pick up all the cards. Last player still holding cards loses and is the 'durak'.
Quick facts
Category
Card Games
Type
Individual
Players
2–6
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇷🇺 Russia
Estimated origin
Late 19th-century Russia — the most-played card game in Russia
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified