Russian Card Games

FAQs

• What are playing cards called in Russian?
  The names for the pip cards are derived from Russian numerals: двойка, тройка, четвёрка, пятёрка, шестёрка, семёрка, восьмёрка, девятка, десятка (dvoika, troïka, chetvyorka, pyatyorka, shestyorka, semyorka, vos'myorka, devyatka, desyatka) for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 respectively.
• How do you play Russian Durak card game?
  The original attacker draws first, then other attackers moving clockwise, and lastly, the defender if needed. The last draw card is the flipped up trump card. Once this card is drawn, the race to get rid of cards begins. The last player still with cards is the loser.
• How do you play Preferans?
  As happens with many three-player trick-taking games, the game is frequently played by four players using the convention that in each hand the dealer pauses. Each active player receives 10 cards in batches of 2. The remaining 2 cards form a talon that will be used by the declarer to improve his or her hand.