Do you enjoy mental challenges like card battles? We invite you to master Burkozel online! Play against the computer at any time, adjust the difficulty settings, and hone your skills – all for free!
With the Burkozel card game simulator, you can play online for free without registering on the website or watching ads. You can follow the standard rules from the online Help section, or adjust the settings to suit your playing style.
The objective is to earn the most points in tricks while avoiding penalties. Players who accumulate 12 penalties are eliminated from the game. The last player remaining is the winner.
How to play Burkozel
The first dealer is chosen by drawing lots. Each player then receives four cards from a 36-card deck. Next, the trump suit is revealed, as in the game Durak.
Players take turns playing one, two, or three cards of the same suit. The goal is to beat your opponents’ cards with a higher-ranking card or a trump card in order to win the trick. If this is not possible, discard the least valuable card.
The card values for counting points are as follows: any 6, 7, 8, or 9 is worth 0; jack, queen, king, and ace are worth 2, 3, 4, and 11, respectively; and 10 is worth 10. The seniority of cards in tricks is in ascending order of suit: 6, 7, 8, 9, J, Q, K, 10, A.
Missing cards are drawn one at a time, starting with the player who took the trick.
Interesting fact: Burkozel is a gambling game with varying degrees of complexity depending on the players at the table. The pairs version of Burkozel, in which teams compete for points with tricks at stake, is most dependent on a lucky deal. However, the rules can easily be adapted for an “every man for himself” game with four, three, or two players. Start playing with three players to better master the strategy.
Features of the Burkozel online game
- Play against computer opponents (two, three, or four players, or play in pairs).
- Detailed online Burkozel game guide.
- Can be played in Russian or English.
- Change the design (table view, deck, and card backs).
- Adjust settings to make the game more or less difficult before starting.
For example, traditionally, unsuitable cards are discarded “blind” – opponents cannot see the ranks of the discarded cards. The online Burkozel game allows you to disable this feature in the settings. You can also set the direction of play and enable or disable special combinations that give you the right to move. You can also highlight the trump card or priority move options.
Calculation of points
The results of the online card game are calculated automatically. In the card version of Burkozel, the number of players at the table determines how points are counted. For four players, those who score less than 16 points receive a +4 penalty, and those who score less than 31 points receive a +2 penalty. If you do not take any tricks during the game, you receive a penalty of 6 points. In a game with three players, those who score up to 21 points receive a +4 penalty, and those who score up to 41 points receive a +2 penalty. For a team game with two teams of two players, a score of up to 31 receives 4 penalty points, and a score of up to 61 receives 2 penalty points.
Originally, games such as Burkozel, Bura, Preference, and the oldest, Vist, were a favorite social pastime in Russia. Later, the ban on gambling houses contributed to Burkozel spreading to criminal circles. However, Burkozel’s popularity throughout the former USSR was ensured by the combination of excitement, strategy, and the opportunity to train your memory during the game. Similar games involving betting, point counting, and card combinations include Seka, Deberz, and Blackjack.