How to play throw-in Durak
Everyone gets six cards and a turned-up card sets trumps. The attacker plays a card; the defender beats it with a higher card of the same suit or a trump. While the defence goes on, the others throw in cards of ranks already on the table — no more than six per round.
Beat them all and the cards are discarded and you attack next. Can’t — you take everything on the table. Whoever is left holding cards at the end is the durak, the fool.
Throw-in Durak in Ultimate Durak
- Quick game — 1-on-1 throw-in with 36 cards, an opponent on your stake in seconds.
- Your own table — 2 to 6 players, a 24, 36 or 52-card deck, 10, 15, 30 or 60 seconds a turn.
- The server keeps the rules — an illegal move is impossible.
- A Glicko-2 rating and six ranks, from Novice to King.
Throw-in vs passing Durak
In throw-in Durak the defender can only beat the cards or take them. Passing Durak adds a third option — passing the attack to the next player with a card of the same rank. Throw-in is calmer and the better first game.