Last Updated on April 9, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Scopa is a traditional Italian card game played with a 40-card deck where the goal is to capture cards by matching or adding up to the value of the cards on the table. Players take turns playing a card from their hand and must try to capture cards from the table that match or total the value of the card they played. This Italian game has many variations, the most popular being Scopone. Learn the rules, scoring system, and strategies to master this classic game!

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How to Play Scopa

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Objective

To score the most points by capturing cards from the table and achieving specific combinations.

Players: typically two players but can be played with four players in teams

Setup

Number of Cards: 40-card Italian deck (or a modified standard deck)

Card Ranking: A (1), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, J (8), Q (9), K (10)

• The dealer shuffles and deals three cards to each player.
• Four cards are placed face-up in the center of the table.
• The remaining cards form a draw pile.

Gameplay

1. Taking a Turn:
   • Starting with the player to the dealer’s right and proceeding clockwise, each player plays one card from their hand.
   • They try to capture one or more cards from the table.
2. Capturing Cards:
   • A player can capture a card or a set of cards that add up to the value of the card played from their hand.
   • Example: If a player plays a 7, they can capture another 7 or a combination like 6 and 1.
   • If a player captures all the cards on the table with one card, it’s called a “Scopa” (sweep).
3. If No Capture:
   • If a player cannot or chooses not to capture any cards, they place one of their cards face-up on the table.
4. Drawing New Cards:
   • Once all players have played their three cards, the dealer deals three more cards to each player from the draw pile.
   • This continues until all cards have been played.

Scoring

• The round ends when all cards have been played.
• Points are tallied as follows:
  • 1 point for each Scopa.
  • 1 point for the player or team with the most cards.
  • 1 point for the player or team with the most cards in the suit of coins (denari).
  • 1 point for the player or team with the 7 of coins (settebello).
  • 1 point for the player or team with the highest prime (highest valued set of specific cards).
• The game is usually played to a predetermined number of points, often 11 or 21.

Notes/Variations

• In a modified standard deck, remove the 8s, 9s, and 10s to create a 40-card deck.
• In some variations, the J (8), Q (9), and K (10) have the same values as in a traditional Italian deck.

Scopa is a fast-paced and engaging game that offers opportunities for both luck and strategic play.