Italy’s national card game
In bars, beaches and kitchens all over Italy people play Scopa (“broom”). It uses 40 cards. On your turn you play one card: if a card on the table has the same value you take it; otherwise you can take several cards that add up to it – a 7 can take a 3 and a 4. Take the last cards from the table and you make a scopa, a sweep worth a point.
At the end of each round you score for most cards, most coins (here: diamonds), the precious settebello (7 of diamonds) and the primiera, a special count of your best card in each suit. We use a French-suited deck, as many Italians do in the north: J, Q and K stand for fante, cavallo and re. First to 11 (or 21) wins.
How to use
- Tap a card from your hand to play it.
- If a table card has the same value, you take it; if several combinations are possible, choose one.
- Clear the table to score a scopa.
- After the round, points for cards, diamonds, settebello, primiera and scope.
Ideas for using it
- Learn Scopa. the result table shows exactly where every point came from.
- Holiday in Italy. practise before playing with locals.
- Quick game. a round takes 5–7 minutes.
- Strategy. avoid leaving a table that adds up to 10 or less – that invites a scopa.
Rules in short
- 40 cards: ace to 7 plus J (8), Q (9), K (10). Four cards go on the table, each player gets three.
- Play one card per turn. If a table card has the same value, you must take it. Otherwise you may take several cards that add up to its value (e.g. a 7 takes 3 + 4). If nothing matches, the card stays on the table.
- Clearing the table is a scopa: one point (not on the very last play).
- After all cards are played: one point each for most cards, most diamonds, the 7♦ (settebello) and the best primiera (the best card of each suit: 7 = 21, 6 = 18, ace = 16, 5 = 15, 4 = 14, 3 = 13, 2 = 12, faces = 10).