Classic
Scopa
- Players
- 2–6
- Duration
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- 2/3
- Deck
- 40-card deck (no 8s, 9s or 10s)
Chapter 1 of 5
How to set up
Italy's classic capturing game, for 2 to 6 players with the 40-card deck. You capture cards from the table that match the card you play, or that add up to it; clearing the table is a scopa. At the end of the hand you count cards, diamonds, settebello, re bello, primiera and napola.
Objective
Be the first to reach the agreed score by taking cards from the table. Each hand, points go to whoever takes the most cards, the most diamonds, the 7♦ and the K♦, the best primiera and the napola, plus one point for each scopa.
Setup
- Deck
- 40 cards: remove the 8s, 9s, 10s and jokers
- In hand
- 3 each, face down
- On the table
- four cards face up in the middle, the deck face down beside them
- The teams With two or three players, everyone plays alone. With four, play in pairs with partners sitting opposite; with six, three against three, partners alternating around the table. Scopa is not played with five.
- The target Before starting, agree the score to reach:
Players Points 2 11 3 16 4 or 6, teams 21 - The hands The dealer shuffles and deals three cards face down to each player, one at a time, counterclockwise starting with the player on their right.
- The table Then they lay four cards face up on the table and the rest of the deck face down beside them. If three or four of the face-up cards are K, they reshuffle and deal again.
Cards are worth their number, the A is 1. The J is 8, the Q 9, the K 10. Diamonds stand in for the Italian coins: 7♦ is the settebello, K♦ the re bello.
Variants to agree on first
- Asso piglia tutto. The A takes every card on the table and makes a scopa. If there is already an A on the table, it takes only that.
- Scopa a 15. Besides the normal captures, the card you play also takes the cards that, added to it, make 15.
- Scopone scientifico: four players in pairs, nine cards each at once and four on the table, with no further deals.
- Chiamarsi fuori. A player who thinks they have already reached the score declares it mid-hand: play stops and the points are counted at once.
Chapter 2 of 5
How to play
- Your turn The player on the dealer's right starts, then play goes counterclockwise. On your turn you play one card face up.
- Capturing If the table holds a card of the same value, the card you play takes it. If not, it takes two or more cards that add up to its value.
- Your captures Put the card you played and the cards you took face down in front of you.
- The obligations If the card you play can capture, it must. If it can take either a single card or a sum, it must take the single card. Among several possible sums, you choose.
- No capture If the card you play takes nothing, it stays face up on the table with the others.
- The scopa Taking every card on the table makes a scopa: put the card you played sideways, face up, among your captures, to count it later. The next player plays onto the empty table.
- The deals When everyone has run out of cards, the dealer deals three more each, adding none to the table, until the deck runs out.
- End of the hand Any cards left on the table go to whoever captured last, and that is not a scopa. The capture with the last card of the last deal is not a scopa either, even if it clears the table.
- The next hand Count the points, the deal passes to the player on the right and another hand is played, until someone reaches the agreed score.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to capture?
If the card you play can capture something, yes. You can choose to play another card that captures nothing, though.
What if I can take either a single card or a sum?
You must take the single card. Playing a 6 with 6 4 2 on the table, you take the 6 and leave 4 2.
What if several sums are possible?
You choose which one to take. Playing a K with 7 3 6 4 on the table, you can take 7 3 or 6 4.
Does a scopa with the last card of the game count?
No. The last card of the last deal captures as usual but never makes a scopa.
What if both players reach 11 in the same hand?
The higher score wins. On a tie, play another hand.
Chapter 3 of 5
How to score
At the end of the hand everyone, or each team, counts their captures. One point each, except scope and napola.
| Item | Points | How |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | +1 | one point for each scopa |
| Cards | 1 | to whoever has the most cards; on a tie, nobody |
| Diamonds | 1 | to whoever has the most diamonds; on a tie, nobody |
| Settebello | 1 | to whoever has the 7♦ |
| Re bello | 1 | to whoever has the K♦ |
| Primiera | 1 | to the highest primiera; on a tie, nobody |
| Napola | 3+ | A♦ 2♦ 3♦ scores 3, then one point for each diamond in a row: 4 with the 4♦ and so on |
The primiera: how to work it out
Each player picks their best card of each suit by the values below and adds the four values. You need at least one card of each suit: if you are missing a suit, you have no primiera.
Who wins. The first to reach the agreed score: 11 with two, 16 with three, 21 in teams.
Chapter 4 of 5
An example hand
The start
Anna and Bruno play heads-up, to 11 points. Bruno deals. On the table are 7♣ 3♠ 4♥ 2♦.
Tips
- Leave cards adding up to more than 10 on the table: no card can take it all, and your opponent cannot make a scopa.
- The 7 cards count twice: they matter for the primiera and one is the settebello. Take them as soon as you can.
- Count the diamonds played: knowing who is ahead tells you when it is worth a risk to take one.
Chapter 5 of 5
Table summary
- 2–6 players
- 10 min
- 40-card deck (no 8s, 9s or 10s)
In short
- 40-card deck: no 8 9 10 or jokers. J 8, Q 9, K 10, A 1.
- Three cards each, four face up on the table. Three or four K on the table: deal again.
- Counterclockwise. Play to 11 with two, 16 with three, 21 in teams.
Capturing
- Same value, or two or more cards that add up to it.
- If the card can capture, it must. A single card before a sum.
- Empty table: scopa. The last card of the hand never makes a scopa.
- Cards left at the end of the hand: to whoever captured last.
Points
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Scopa | 1 each |
| Cards | 1 for the most |
| Diamonds | 1 for the most |
| Settebello | 1 for 7♦ |
| Re bello | 1 for K♦ |
| Primiera | 1 for the highest |
| Napola | 1 per card, from A♦ 2♦ 3♦ up |
Primiera
| 7 | 6 | A | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Court cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
- Your best card of each suit, added up. You need one card of each suit.
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