How to play Durak better
Durak only looks like a game of luck. The deal really is random, but after that it all comes down to simple habits: what to hold back, what to lead with and when to take cards on purpose.
Trumps are worth more than you think
The main beginner mistake looks harmless: beating with a trump in the first round because there is nothing else. By the middle of the game the trumps are gone, and any opponent's six goes through unanswered.
A simple rule: early in the game, defend with cards of the same suit, and spend trumps only when the alternative is taking a lot of cards. One round taken early costs almost nothing, while a saved trump can win the game at the end.
Lead with low cards
When you attack, start with low cards. Sixes and sevens turn into dead weight by the end of the game: they cannot beat anything, and there is nowhere to get rid of them. Dump them while the opponent is forced to defend.
The flip side: keep pairs. If you have two eights, lead with them, because the second one can be thrown in right after.
Count the discard pile
The discard pile is open to everyone, and it is your main source of information. If all four aces are gone, your king is now the top card of its suit. If three of the nine trumps have come out, the opponents have five left, and leading into trumps is risky.
You do not need to remember every card. It is enough to track the trumps and one or two high suits.
Sometimes taking is useful
Picking up cards is not always bad. If the table holds your future pairs or a trump you will need, taking makes your hand stronger. Especially while the deck is still thick and drawing will bring you back to six cards anyway.
Taking at the end of the game, on the other hand, is almost always bad: there is no drawing, and the extra cards stay with you to the end.
The last card of the deck
The trump under the deck goes to whoever draws last. Work out in advance who will get it. If it is you, it makes sense to drag the round out and draw. If it is an opponent, you should finish rounds faster, before they get stronger.
The endgame decides everything
Once the deck is empty, the game turns into counting. Two principles apply here.
First: do not get stuck with cards you cannot cover. A non-trump ace at the end of the game will almost certainly survive to the finish and become your problem.
Second: press when the opponent is low on cards. Throw in as many as they can take, even if the cards are good. Making them pick up three cards in the endgame is worth more than keeping a pair.
Against three opponents
The more players, the less your hand matters and the more your position does. Everyone throws in, so defending against three is harder and attacking is easier. Hold on to trumps longer than usual: you will have to defend more often.
Test these techniques in play
The in-game Mentor suggests the best move and explains the reason, so the techniques stick faster.