Durak
Durak (Russian: дурак, IPA: [dʊˈrak] ⓘ; lit. 'fool') is a traditional Russian card game that is popular in many post-Soviet states. It is Russia's most popular card game, having displaced Preferans. It has since become known in other parts of the world. The objective of the game is to shed all one's cards when there are no more cards left in the deck. At the end of the game, the last player with cards in their hand is the durak or 'fool'.
A game of regular durak in progress 1 – deck, 2 – first attacker, 3 – defender, 4 – next defender. | |
| Origin | Russian |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | fool, Russian War, Kur |
| Type | Shedding-type games |
| Players | 2–6 |
| Skills | Probability, strategy, memory |
| Age range | 10 and above (assuming appropriate maturity) |
| Cards | 36–52 |
| Deck | French |
| Rank (high→low) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Playing time | 5–15 min |
| Related games | |
| Cheat • Kaschlan | |
The game is attributed to have appeared in late 18th century Russian Empire and was popularized by Imperial Army conscripts during the 1812 Russo-French war. Initially a social pastime of uneducated peasants and industrial workers, after the October Revolution Durak has spread to numerous social levels by mid-20th century to soon become the most popular Soviet card game.