Home › Articles › How to win at Durak

How to win at Durak: eight tips

Luck in the deal matters in Durak, but a strong player wins much more often. Their main weapon is memory: they know which cards are already gone.

1. Remember played cards

If you know the trump ace and king are in the discard pile, your queen is now the strongest card. Start small: track only trumps and aces. Our card counter is handy for practice.

2. Save trumps for the end

Do not beat a small card with a trump if a plain card works, or simply pick up two or three small cards. Trumps decide the ending.

3. Dump low cards early

While the deck is big, attack with sixes and sevens: picking them up hurts no one, and you clear your hand.

4. Attack in pairs

Two cards of the same rank can go in together. Your opponent spends more strong cards.

5. Sometimes pick up

Taking three small cards is better than giving up a trump, especially early on.

6. Watch the last card of the deck

The trump under the deck goes to whoever draws last. Keep that in mind near the end.

7. Count your opponent’s cards

Once the deck is empty, every unknown card is in your opponent’s hand. The counter shows exactly which.

8. Do not throw in too much

Every card the defender beats goes to the discard pile with theirs. Throw in only when they probably cannot defend.

Train your card memoryCard counter

Chess cheatsWhat actually works like a “cheat” in chess: an engine for reviewing games, traps and opening tricks. And why Durak rulesDurak rules in plain words: dealing, trumps, attacking, defending and throwing in, when to pick up and who bec Checkers cheatsHonest “cheats” for Russian checkers: the compulsory capture rule, traps, exchanges and checking moves with a Best first moveWhich first move in chess is strongest? We compare e4, d4, c4 and Nf3, explain the ideas and how Black should Chess trapsScholar's Mate, Légal's Mate, the Philidor trap and more opening traps. How to set them and how to avoid them.24, 36 or 52-card deckHow many cards are in a deck and which one you need: 24 cards (from nine), 36 cards (from six) and 52 cards (f Russian checkers rulesThe full rules of Russian checkers in plain words: set-up, moves, compulsory captures, kings, the Turkish stri How to win at checkersSimple tips for winning at checkers: the centre, the golden piece, exchanges and playing for a king. Check eve What is FENFEN is a string that describes a chess position. We explain each part: pieces, side to move, castling and en p