Today we’ll share 5 simple tips on how to always come out a winner in this classic card game.
- Try to keep in mind the cards that have already been played during the game. This way, by the end you can easily figure out what your opponent holds and make the right move. Plus, it’s a great way to train your memory.
- Try to keep at least one pair of cards of the same rank. This can serve you well both when attacking and defending. When attacking, there’s a greater chance your opponent won’t be able to defend, and you’ll get rid of extra cards. During defense, you’ll likely receive fewer cards thrown at you.
- Force your opponent to use their trump cards by any means necessary - even if you have to throw in a non-trump Ace or face card.
- Don’t hoard low cards - get rid of them at the first opportunity. It’s frustrating to end the game stuck with a hand full of low cards.
- Save up your trumps, especially toward the end of the game. This will give you confidence, and your opponent’s tricky tactics won’t scare you.
Free Durak Game on online-durak.com
On the website online-durak.com, free Durak is available to every visitor. You can play without registration or sign up if you prefer. Registration grants you extra free in-game currency. Be sure to invite a live opponent for a match - for example, in Podkidnoy Durak - and enjoy a new experience!
To defeat your opponent in Durak, you need to “overwhelm” them - that is, throw cards they can’t defend against. How do you do that? Let’s look at a few ways.
Ways to Overload Your Opponent with Cards
You can act as follows:
- Throw suits your opponent doesn’t have. For example, you start with two sevens - spades and hearts. He has no hearts and defends with a trump eight. If you have a heart eight, play it - your opponent will either draw or spend another trump.
- The second method works when three players are in the game. Two can team up against the third, playing cooperatively. They don’t throw cards to each other but try to “bury” the third player. This strategy is best used in offline matches.
- The third approach is to remember which cards have gone into the discard pile and calculate what remains. By the end of the round, you’ll have a good idea of what’s left in your opponent’s hand, making it easier to overwhelm them.
Why the online-durak.com Website is Interesting for Players
These simple tips will help you while playing Durak online on the site. Real opponents are eagerly waiting for your challenge. There’s no payment required, and registration is optional. Use fullscreen mode for extra comfort. One of the most popular options is Perevodnoy Durak - try it out on online-durak.com!
Even if Durak is your favorite card game, sometimes you might want something new. What can you do in that case? Switch from Podkidnoy to Perevodnoy or Team Durak - that’s the first idea that comes to mind. But you can also keep things fresh simply by changing the game settings.
24, 36, or 52
For example, increase or decrease the number of cards in the deck. On our site, you can choose 24, 36, or 52 cards. The 24-card deck excludes sevens and eights, while in the 52-card deck, the lowest card is a two.
Number of Opponents
Try playing against different numbers of opponents - two, three, or four. The last option is called Team Durak, played in teams of two versus two.
Time per Move
If you’re playing against a real opponent, you can agree on how much time each player gets for a move or extra thinking time. You can also adjust this during a match against the computer in Durak online on the online-durak.com website - just use the settings.
For Durak lovers, it’s sometimes a tough choice: which version to play first? All three are similar, but each has its own twist.
Podkidnoy
This variation evolved from a simpler version called “Simple Durak,” where the rules are the same as Podkidnoy, except you can’t throw extra cards. To win, you must think through every move and remember which cards have been played. This version is the most calculable, so with proper strategy, your chances of winning approach 100%, regardless of the initial card deal.
Perevodnoy
The special feature of this variation is that you can pass an attack to your neighbor if you have a matching rank card. This twist makes the game unpredictable and fun. In Perevodnoy Durak, there’s still room for strategy, but much depends on how the cards are dealt.
Team Durak
An equally fascinating type is Team Durak. Here, responsibility is shared equally among teammates. Partners are not allowed to throw cards to each other - that’s part of the team play dynamic. Accordingly, the strategy and tactics are quite different; we’ve already written about this in our blog.
We recommend playing Durak online on the website online-durak.com - it’s free and requires no registration. You can play against the computer or real opponents.
You might think there’s nothing new to learn about Durak. After all, most of us have been playing it since childhood. But to keep winning, it’s worth remembering a few key things:
- Try to remember all the cards that go into the discard pile. By the end of the game, you’ll have an idea of what’s left in your opponent’s hand, making it easier to attack with a card they can’t defend against. Plus, it’s great memory practice.
- Don’t throw away your high cards early in the game. It’s better to hold on to them - if you discard your Kings or Aces too soon, you might end up with a handful of low cards and a lot of defending to do.
- It’s better to start with pairs. For example, if you have a single six and a pair of eights, start with the eights. Your opponent might defend one of them with a trump six, allowing you to throw in your own six afterward.
Durak Game on online-durak.com
The best place to play Durak online is on our portal. It’s completely free, and registration is optional. You’ll love the graphics, and you can choose between several versions - try Perevodnoy Durak, a fast-paced and dynamic variation.
Did you know that the well-known Perevodnoy Durak actually has several versions? Human creativity knows no limits, and today we’ll tell you what makes these versions unique.
Classic Perevodnoy Durak
This version is played the same way as Podkidnoy Durak, with one important difference - you can choose not to defend but instead pass the attack to your neighbor by playing a card of the same rank as the attacking card.
Version #2
In this version, you can pass even after you’ve started defending. Example: your opponent attacks with the six of clubs. You defend with the seven of the same suit. Then the opponent throws a seven of hearts, but you have a seven of spades - confidently pass the attack by playing your seven and let the next player defend. In other words, you’re allowed to pass cards that were just thrown to you.
There’s also a version where you can pass the attacking card even after you’ve begun defending. For example, if you’re attacked with the eight of hearts and defend with the ten of hearts, and then someone throws an eight of spades but you have an eight of diamonds, you can play it and transfer the defense to another player.
Version #3
This variation slightly eases the burden of the player who must defend after a double pass. For instance, Andrey attacks Viktor with a nine of spades. Viktor plays his nine of diamonds and passes two cards to Sergey. As a result, Sergey only needs to defend against the first played nine of spades.
On our portal, you can play Durak against the computer or a real opponent. Just submit a request, and someone will join you shortly. Registration isn’t required, and there’s no payment involved. We offer the most popular online versions of the game:
- Podkidnoy;
- The trump collector. This player never throws trump cards. They usually attack with a single card and throw any non-trump cards. Their goal isn’t to overwhelm the opponent but to get rid of unnecessary cards and draw trumps from the deck.
- The high-card collector. This player tries to gather four Aces, or if they’re already played, four Kings, and so on. You can identify this type at the end of the match when the deck is empty - they either attack with high cards to force the opponent to draw or defend with them. Typically, they aim to keep four high cards and two trumps.
- The small-card thrower. This player’s strategy is to force the opponent to take every card played against them. It deprives the opponent of initiative and allows the thrower to clear low cards while drawing stronger ones or trumps.
- The pair collector. This player aims to collect pairs of cards. Such combinations are convenient for both attacking and defending - and they’re perfect for “shoulder boards” (double attacks) on an unlucky opponent.
- No need to schedule meetups - play anytime you want;
- No need to leave your home or rush to tidy up before guests arrive;
- You can adjust the game settings however you like - no arguing over rules with friends;
- You don’t even need a deck of cards - it’s always available, and you can change the card backs and table background anytime.
- Podkidnoy;
- Perevodnoy;
- Team Durak (Pair, or Two-on-Two).
Durak is a game where players use their intellect to achieve victory. That means anyone can learn to win or at least improve their skills. Let’s look at a two-player game as an example.
First, determine your opponent’s playstyle. You’ll need to play two or three rounds with them. Players can generally be divided into the following types:
These four playstyles are the most common among Durak players. All other tactics are variations or combinations of these. To counter your opponent effectively, it’s not enough to identify their style - you must create a counter-style. We’ll cover that in our next article.
Remember, on our dedicated website you can play Durak online for free anytime, 24/7.
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t know how to play Durak - at least in countries of the former Soviet Union. Some learned it in school with friends, others from their parents. In any case, Durak has long been a favorite pastime, helping people pass the time even before anyone had heard of the internet.
But with the rise of the World Wide Web, this beloved game didn’t fade away - on the contrary, it became even more popular. The secret is that online Durak offers players many advantages:
There are about 80 known variations of Durak, but the three most popular are:
Each version has its own charm. Podkidnoy is the classic - all other variations stem from it. One player attacks, another defends, and others throw cards - what could be simpler?
Perevodnoy is similar but with a twist: you can always pass a card (if you have a matching one), so you never know what’s coming next. Even with a bad hand, you can still win simply by making a timely pass and follow-up throw.
Team Durak is also very engaging. It’s always nice to feel support, even if you’re playing Durak online against the computer. Here, two players share responsibility equally. The strategy is a bit different - sometimes it’s better to hold a card instead of throwing it, and so on.
On our website, you can play Podkidnoy, Team, or Perevodnoy Durak for free and without registration. A fullscreen mode is available. If you want to play with a real person - great! Just leave a request, and someone will join you soon. Give it a try - your opponent likely won’t be a pro, so the chances are even.
You can also choose the number of cards in the deck - 24, 36, or 52. Many of us played with a 52-card deck as kids to make the game last longer and feel more exciting. But probably not with 24 - don’t miss the chance to try it!
You can also decide how many cards will go into the discard pile - 5 or 6 - and how much time each player gets for their turn.
But, to paraphrase a famous saying - it’s better to play once than hear about it seven times. Good luck and have fun!