17-10-2011, 04:11 AM
Twenty years ago, my wife and I hosted a Russian foreign exchange student; she soon taught us the Russian national card game: Durak, which translates as "fool." The point of the game is to get rid of your cards so that you are not the "fool." We invited a Georgian exchange student whom she despised because he was Georgian: "Georgians are all criminals." We soon started playing Durak. After a few minutes, Ira stood up and screamed at the young man: "You are cheating," which we found out that is exactly what he was doing. He laughed and said, "But that's the point. In Durak, you are supposed to cheat." Ira admitted that he was telling the truth; she just didn't want her beloved host parents to be made fools by a disgusting Georgian. (Google "durak" + "cheating" and you find this: "During gameplay, any form of cheating is completely legitimate as long as no other player challenges the movement based on the agreed rules. If the cheating is discovered, the player who cheated must take back their action..."). In other words, cheat but don't get caught. Secondly, if you cheat and make a fool out of someone, it means he is even a bigger fool because he did not catch you.
Sounds familiar to me. #OWS
Sounds familiar to me. #OWS