Scopa
How to Play Scopa
Scopa is an Italian capture game for 2–4 people — 3 is a real table, and 2 is this game — everyone for themselves. You make a 40-card pack (aces, 2–7, and faces), deal 3 each, and turn 4 face-up in the middle. Capture a match or a sum. Last to take. A scopa is +1. First to 11.
This page is kitchen-table Scopa. CardPractice house name is Scopa. Scopone is the 4-hand partnership cousin (9 each, no stock) — not tonight, not a second catalog id. Short enough to deal tonight. This is not Casino. Casino is the English fishing game: a full 52, builds, a skip list, spades. This is not Briscola. Same 40-card pack, but Briscola is trump trick-taking — not this page. Not Durak (attack-and-defend, 36-card 6–A). Not War. Three is a real table, not a leftover. Two is this game. Pick it from tonight with 3 players, tonight with 4, or tonight with 2.
What you need
- 2–4 players. Everyone for themselves. No partners. Three is a real table. Two is this game. Four is a full table. Five is not tonight's Scopa.
- A 40-card pack: pull the 8s, 9s, and 10s from a 52. Keep aces, 2–7, jacks, queens, kings. No jokers. Deal 3 each. Turn 4 face-up in the middle. Rest is the stock, face-down.
- Paper. First to 11. Going past 11 is fine. Skip primiera tonight.
Sit, pick a dealer, agree on the house
Sit where everyone can see the four cards in the middle and reach the stock. Cut for the first deal, or point at someone. After each hand, pass the deal clockwise.
Say these out loud before the first card:
- 40 cards. Pull 8s, 9s, and 10s. 3 each. 4 on the table. No jokers. No partners. Three is a real table. Two is this game.
- Italian values: ace=1, 2–7 face, jack=8, queen=9, king=10. Faces are not 11/12/13. There is no 10-spot in this pack.
- Play one card. Same rank takes one. A sum takes two or more. Night one: if both a match and a sum are possible, take the single match. If you cannot capture, your card stays on the table.
- First to 11. Skip primiera. Most cards +1, most diamonds +1, settebello +1, each scopa +1. Last sweep is not a scopa. Not Casino. Not Briscola.
The 40-card pack
Shuffle a 52. Pull every 8, 9, and 10. What remains is ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, jack, queen, king in four suits — 40 cards. If you still have 8s, 9s, or 10s in the pack, you built the wrong pack. Throw it in.
| People | Dealt | Stock |
|---|---|---|
| 2 — this game | 3×2+4=10 | 30 |
| 3 — a real table | 3×3+4=13 | 27 (9 more deals of 3) |
| 4 — a full table | 3×4+4=16 | 24 |
Deal clockwise: 3 each. Turn 4 face-up in the middle. That is the table. Put the rest of the pack face-down. That is the stock. Do not add more to the table when you refill hands.
Left of the dealer plays first.
Capture values
Capture uses Italian values, not face-card 11/12/13:
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Face value |
| Jack | 8 |
| Queen | 9 |
| King | 10 |
| 8, 9, 10-spot | Not in this pack |
A king takes a king, or 7+3, or 6+4, or 5+3+2, or 7+2+ace. A queen (9) takes a 7+2, or 6+3, or 5+4, or 6+2+ace. A 10-spot is not here to take or to be taken.
Your turn: one card
Play one card from your hand onto the table. In order:
- Same rank: capture one table card of that rank. King takes a king. Put both in your face-down capture pile.
- Sum: capture two or more table cards that add to your card's value. Put them all in your capture pile.
- Both possible: night one, take the single match (same rank). Say so before you deal.
- No capture: your card stays on the table, face-up.
You play one card per turn. After everyone has played their 3, deal 3 more each from the stock. Do not add more to the table. Last deal: leftover stock should come out even.
After the last card of the last deal, whoever made the last capture takes any cards still on the table — the sweep / last. That leftover sweep is not a scopa unless you emptied the table as a normal capture during a turn.
A scopa
If your capture empties the table (no cards left in the middle) and it is not the last card of the whole game, that is a scopa. +1.
Mark it: leave that capturing card face-up in your pile, or hash a mark on paper. Night one: last-card-of-the-deal emptying the table still counts as a scopa if the stock is not gone. The very last card of the night does not — the leftover sweep is not a scopa.
Score, night one — first to 11
When the stock is gone and the last sweep is in, count. Skip primiera. Say so out loud. If someone wants it, stop and agree; otherwise skip.
| What | Points |
|---|---|
| Most cards | +1 (tie: nobody) |
| Most diamonds | +1 (tie: nobody). Diamonds stand in for Italian coins. |
| 7 of diamonds (settebello) | +1 to whoever captured it |
| Each scopa | +1 |
| Primiera | Skip tonight |
First to 11 wins the night. Going past 11 is fine. You do not race Casino points. You do not play Briscola tricks.
Walk through one first-night deal at 3
Three people — a real table. 40-card pack. Table shows 7♦, 3♣, K♠, 2♥. You have 3♠, 7♥, and a queen.
You play 3♠, take the 3♣ (same rank). Both go in your capture pile. Table left: 7♦, K♠, 2♥.
Next you play 7♥, take 7♦ — that is settebello. Empty the table? No. King and 2 still there.
Later a 7 and a 2 sit on the table again. You play the queen (9) and take 7+2. First to 11.
Nobody built a Casino stack. Nobody named trump. Nobody attacked left. Nobody compared one card blindly.
Night-one habits
- Pull 8s, 9s, and 10s. If they are still in the pack, throw it in.
- Italian values: jack=8, queen=9, king=10. Not 11/12/13.
- Night one: match beats sum when both are possible.
- A scopa empties the table mid-game. The leftover sweep is not a scopa.
- Skip primiera. Most cards, most diamonds, settebello, each scopa. First to 11.
- Three people is a real Scopa table. Two is this game. Four is a full table. Five is not tonight. Deal.
You know enough to deal. Keep this page beside the table. Three people is a tonight pick. Four people is a tonight pick. Two people is a tonight pick. There is no Scopa trainer on CardPractice — this how-to is the product. If you wanted attack-and-defend with a 36-card pack, that is Durak. If you wanted English fishing with a full 52, that is Casino — not this. If you wanted trump trick-taking on this same 40, that is Briscola — not tonight.