Games in chats

Transfer Durak, checkers and chess with the person you're chatting with.

Starting a game

In a private chat, next to the emoji button there's a joystick button — "Games". Press it and pick a game:

  • Durak — the transfer variant with a 36-card deck;
  • Checkers — Russian draughts on an 8×8 board, kings move any distance;
  • Chess — classic rules.

The other person gets an invitation: on any page of the site a small window "Invites you to play: Chess" appears with a timer and "Yes" and "No" buttons, and a game card with the same buttons appears in the chat. They have one minute to answer. While they decide, you see a window with a timer, and the card says "Awaiting response"; "Cancel" withdraws the invitation. After "Yes" the game opens for both of you. If the opponent presses "No" or doesn't answer within a minute, the game is cancelled and the card shows why. "Play again" after a game also sends such an invitation. In chess and checkers whoever sent the invitation moves first (with white); in Durak it's the player with the lowest trump.

The card shows whose turn it is — "Your move" or "Opponent's move" — and, for chess and checkers, a small board with the last move. "Play" or "Open game" opens the game window. Your opponent's move shows up in the window by itself within a second or two — there's nothing to refresh.

Games are available in private chats only. A game card can't be forwarded.

Another way in is the "Games" section in the menu: the "Checkers" and "Chess" tiles. Durak there is played with anyone on MRIYU — see Durak Online. Press a tile and pick a friend in "Who do you want to play with?" — they get an invitation and your chat with them opens.

Chess

Press one of your pieces — the squares it can move to are marked with dots, and pieces it can capture get a ring. Then press the square you want. The server checks every rule: castling, en passant and check. A pawn that reaches the last rank is promoted to the piece of your choice.

A game ends with checkmate, stalemate, threefold repetition, 50 moves without a capture or pawn move, or when there aren't enough pieces left to checkmate. Captured pieces are shown next to the players' names.

Checkers

Press a piece, then a square. Capturing is mandatory: when a capture is available, the pieces that can capture are highlighted in yellow. For a multi-capture, go one square at a time — the move ends when there's nothing left to capture.

Pieces capture both forwards and backwards. A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king (with a crown) and can move and capture any distance. Captured pieces are removed after the move, so you can't jump the same piece twice. You win by capturing all your opponent's pieces or leaving them without a move. If both sides make 15 king-only moves in a row without a capture, it's a draw.

Durak (transfer)

Your opponent sits at the top of the table and you at the bottom left; the avatar of whoever's turn it is glows. Your cards are a big fan at the bottom — the ones you can play are raised and highlighted. The deck with the trump is on the left of the table, the discard pile on the right. "I'll take", "Done" and "Take them" are a big round button on the right; while your opponent is moving it shows an hourglass.

Each player gets 6 cards. The bottom card of the deck is the trump and lies under the deck. The player with the lowest trump goes first.

  • Attack. Play any card. After that you can add cards of ranks already on the table. There can be no more than six cards on the table and no more than the defender had.
  • Defence. Press a card: a higher card of the same suit or a trump beats it. If your card can beat several cards on the table, choose which one.
  • Pass on. While nothing has been beaten yet, you can play a card of the same rank — a "Pass on" button appears, and now your opponent has to defend.
  • "I'll take". Can't beat the cards? Press "I'll take". Your opponent can still add cards and then presses "Take them".
  • "Done". Everything is beaten — the attacker presses "Done", the cards are discarded and both players draw up to six.

If there's nothing left to add, the round ends by itself. Once the deck is empty, the first player to get rid of all their cards wins. Whoever is left holding cards is the durak.

Finishing

  • "Resign" is under the board; your opponent wins immediately.
  • When the game ends, you see the result. "Back to board" hides it so you can look at the final position, and "Play again" starts a new game — in chess and checkers the colours swap.