Scopa

Full rules

1. Overview
2. The cards
3. Setup
4. Playing a turn
5. Scopa – the sweep
6. Later deals
7. End of a round
8. Scoring
9. Winning the game
10. Tips for beginners
11. Variants

Overview

Scopa is one of Italy's most popular card games. It is a fishing game: you play cards from your hand to capture cards lying face up on the table, either by matching a card of the same value or by taking several cards that add up to it. Points go to whoever captures the most cards, the most diamonds, the 7♦ and the best set of cards in each suit – and for every scopa ("broom"), when you sweep the table clean. The first to 11 points wins. It is a close cousin of Casino, but simpler: there is no building.

• Players: 2 or 3, each for themselves, or 4 in two teams of two (partners sitting opposite).
• You need: a standard 52-card deck and paper and pen for scoring.

The cards

Take out all 8s, 9s and 10s and the jokers. You play with 40 cards. For capturing, each card has a value:

Suits only matter when scoring: diamonds are special, and the 7♦ is the most valuable single card – the settebello ("beautiful seven").

Setup

1. Dealer and direction: everyone draws a card; the lowest card deals first. In Italy, dealing and play go to the right (anticlockwise).
2. Deal: the dealer shuffles and deals 3 cards face down to each player, then lays 4 cards face up on the table.
3. If there are three or four Kings on the table, gather all cards up and deal again.
4. The rest of the deck stays face down beside the dealer. Each player (or team) keeps a face-down pile for their captured cards.

After the deal (two players), the table looks like this:

Playing a turn

The player to the dealer's right starts; then take turns. On your turn, play one card from your hand face up:

• Capture by matching: if a table card has the same value, take it. If several do, choose one.
• Capture by adding: if several table cards add up to the value of your card, take all of them. If there are different ways, choose one.
• Matching comes first: if your card could take a single card or a group, you must take the single card.
• No capture possible: your card stays face up on the table.

You may play any card you like – but if the card you play can capture, you must capture. Put the captured cards and your own card face down on your pile.

Example: The table shows 2♠ · 5♥ · 3♣ · J♦. If you play a 5, you must take the 5♥ – a match beats the sum 2 + 3. If you play a J (8), you must take the J♦, not 5♥ + 3♣. If you play a K (10), you may take either 2♠ + 5♥ + 3♣ (leaving the J♦) or 2♠ + J♦ (leaving 5♥ and 3♣) – your choice.

Scopa – the sweep

If your capture takes all the cards on the table, you've made a scopa, worth 1 point. Put the card you captured with face up and crosswise in your pile, so it can be counted later. The next player has to play a card onto the empty table.

Later deals

When everyone has played their three cards, the dealer deals 3 more cards to each player – but none to the table. Keep going until the deck is used up (6 deals with 2 players, 4 with 3 players, 3 with 4 players).

End of a round

After the last card is played, the cards still on the table go to the player who made the last capture. This never counts as a scopa – not even if the very last card of the round clears the table.

Scoring

Each player or team counts their pile. There are four points to win, plus the scope:

If there is a tie for most cards, most diamonds or primiera, nobody scores that point.

Primiera: pick your best card of each suit and add up their primiera values. The highest total wins. You need at least one card of every suit to have a primiera.

Example: Anna's pile contains 23 cards, 4 diamonds, the 7♦ and two face-up scopa cards. Her best cards per suit are 7♦ 7♠ 6♥ A♣: 21 + 21 + 18 + 16 = 76. Ben's best are 7♥ 6♠ 5♦ 7♣ = 21 + 18 + 15 + 21 = 75. Anna scores cards 1 + settebello 1 + primiera 1 + 2 scope = 5. Ben has 6 diamonds and scores 1.

Winning the game

Play rounds until someone reaches 11 points; the dealer changes each round, passing to the right. If several players or teams pass 11 in the same round, the highest score wins; if they are tied, play another round.

Tips for beginners

• Don't leave easy sums. If the table adds up to 10 or less after your turn, your opponent may sweep it with one card.
• Chase the 7s. They count for the primiera (21 each) and the 7♦ alone is worth a point.
• Count the diamonds. Six diamonds are enough to win that point for sure.
• Remember what's gone. With only four cards of each value, you can often tell whether a card on the table is safe.

Variants

All optional – agree before you start.

• Longer games: play to 16 (3 players) or 21 (teams).
• Scopone: four players in teams, and all cards are dealt at the start – 9 each with 4 on the table, or 10 each with an empty table.
• Re bello: the K♦ is worth an extra point.
• Napola: a run of diamonds starting A-2-3 scores 1 point per card in the run.
• Asso piglia tutto: an Ace captures all the cards on the table (and scores a scopa), unless there is an Ace on the table – then it just takes that Ace.
• Six players: two teams of three, sitting alternately.
• Chkobba (Tunisia): for 2 players or two teams of two. The Queen counts 8 and the Jack 9. The dealer's opponent draws the first card and either keeps it in hand or puts it on the table; the deal is then completed as usual. There is no primiera: instead, the point goes to whoever has most 7s – if tied, most 6s; if still tied, nobody. Play to 21 (or 11 or 31).