Scopa (“broom” in Italian) is one of Europe’s most beautiful card games, played with a 40-card deck. Capture table cards by exact match or — the stroke of genius — by playing a card equal to the sum of several table cards. Sweep the table clean and you score a scopa, traditionally marked with a card turned face up in your pile.
Simple to learn, endlessly deep to master, and a gentle daily math workout in disguise.
How to Play Scopa by Yourself
- Use a 40-card deck (Ace through 7, plus Jack, Queen, King as 8-9-10).
- Deal 3 cards to each player and 4 face up to the table.
- On your turn, play one card: capture a table card of equal value, or several cards summing to it.
- If your card captures everything on the table, that’s a scopa — one bonus point.
- When all cards are played, score the four classic points.
- First to 11 points wins the match.
Rules of Scopa
- Card values: Ace = 1, numbers = face value, Jack = 8, Queen = 9, King = 10.
- An exact single-card match must be taken over a sum capture.
- If no capture is possible, your card stays on the table.
- End-of-round points: most cards (1), most coins/diamonds (1), the Seven of Coins — settebello (1), highest primiera (1).
- Each scopa (clearing the table) is worth one extra point.
- The last player to capture takes any cards left on the table (no scopa).
Winning Strategies for Scopa
- Count to ten obsessively: avoid leaving table sums that equal cards you haven’t seen.
- Guard the settebello (7♦) like treasure — it is a full point on its own.
- Collect sevens and sixes for the primiera even when the capture looks small.
- Leaving a bait total that only benefits you is the heart of advanced Scopa.
- Track discards: with 40 cards, perfect memory is genuinely achievable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Scopa by myself?
Yes — this version recreates the classic one-on-one Scopa against a computer opponent that plays the traditional counting game.
What does “scopa” mean?
“Broom.” When your card sweeps the last cards off the table you score a scopa — one bonus point and a small moment of glory.
What is the settebello?
The Seven of Coins (diamonds in a French deck) — the single most valuable card in the game, worth a full point to whoever captures it.
What is the primiera?
A point for the best four-card “flush,” one card per suit, scored on a special scale where sevens are highest. In practice: collect sevens.
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