Today, the variation known as English Durak is almost unknown — it has been replaced by another version of the game, Perevodnoy Durak. Card game enthusiasts often wonder why this version is called “English,” since it has nothing to do with England. It’s believed that the strictness and precision of its rules (qualities associated with the British) influenced the choice of name.
To play the English version, you’ll need a 36-card deck with standard ranking (Ace being the highest, 6 the lowest). No more than six players can take part in a match. Before the first game, players decide who will deal: each player draws one card from the deck, and the one with the lowest card becomes the first dealer.
The deck is thoroughly shuffled, and each player receives six cards, dealt two at a time. Players may not look at their cards until the full deal is complete. After everyone receives six cards, the top card of the remaining deck is turned face up — that card determines the trump suit.
Once the trump is revealed, players examine their hands. Having pairs (cards of the same rank) is advantageous, because in the English version, you can only play in pairs. When players pass — meaning no one has a pair — each takes one card from the deck. A player may play with one pair (two cards of the same rank), two pairs, or three pairs at a time.
Except for the first match, in all following rounds, the player sitting to the right of the previous loser starts the game. Thus, the “Durak” (fool) always defends first — a kind of penalty for losing.
Players take turns clockwise. You must defend against all attacking cards. If a player cannot beat even one of them, they must take all the cards. The player who takes cards skips their next turn, passing the move to the next participant. Beaten cards are turned over and placed into the discard pile.
After each round, players with fewer than six cards draw from the deck until they have six again. The attacker draws first, followed by the defender. When the deck runs out and a player has no cards left, that player wins and leaves the game. The last player holding cards loses and becomes the “Durak.”
Game Tips
To avoid losing in English Durak, you should follow a few strategic principles. Start by playing low cards, while saving higher ones — especially trumps — for the later stages, when you’ll need them to defend. Remember, sometimes it’s better to take a high card than to defend against it using a valuable trump.
When there are still plenty of cards left in the deck, don’t be afraid to draw. But when the deck is nearly empty, it’s better to get rid of cards instead. Toward the end of the game, play your high or trump cards — this gives you a chance to force your opponent to take cards and move closer to losing. Even with an unlucky initial hand, you can still win if you stay focused and attentive.
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