ALL CARD GAMES
INTRODUCTION
Great game for two or four players. Easy to learn trick taking game where basic strategy is an advantage. Scopa translated to English is broom.
HOW TO PLAY SCOPA
Each player gets three cards dealt face down. Four cards are then placed face up in front of the players. The deck is placed to one side.
Play begins by only using the cards in the players hands. Whoever plays a 4 into the center goes first, if no player has a 4 then the player with the lowest card goes first.
The player who went first then picks up a card from the deck as all players should have three cards in their hands until there are no cards left in the deck. Players take it in turn to play a card of the same or higher value.
If a player cannot play a higher card then they must pick up all the cards in the pile. The next player can then play any card from their hand.
If a player has multiples of the same card they can be played together.
There are two types of Trumps that can be played. Play one of the above cards.
When all cards from the deck have been taken and a player has no cards in their hand, then one of the three face up cards can be played.
Once all three face up cards have been played a face down card can be played. Flip over one card only, ensuring your opponents see the card first, and place it on the pile.
The game continues until there is only one player left, they are the Shithead.
THE DEAL
Each player gets three cards dealt face down. Four cards are then placed face up in front of the players. The deck is placed to one side.
THE PLAY
Player one uses a card in their hand to match an identical card on the table e.g. 10 + 10. Collect ♦️’s or other specific cards to score points, see Points Per Card.
HOW TO WIN
Score eleven points to win the game. You can also set the target to one round or twenty one points.
MATCHING CARDS
If there are no identical cards, players can use one card from their hand to match multiple cards on the table e.g. 10 with 8 + 2. Players can select the cards they want to match if there are multiple options e.g. 2♦️ or 2♠️
If a player cannot match any cards they must place one card in the center next to the other cards.
SCOPA
Players take one turn each. Each player forms their own pile of collected cards, face down. If a player clears all cards from the table when matching a card or multiple cards they scoop the cards, and collect a ‘scopa’ (one point) e.g clearing the 5 and 2 with a 7.
DEALING A NEW HAND
After three turns each, three more cards are dealt to each player. No more cards are added to the center. Play continues as before with players taking one turn each.
POINTS PER CARD
Players score one point for each of the following:
The round ends when all cards have been played, points are then counted. The player who last matched a card from the table picks up all the remaining cards. No ‘scopa’ is counted if a player scoops on the last card.
THE WINNER
Keep dealing new rounds until one player has eleven points, they are the winner.
If two players score over eleven points, then the player with the highest score wins. If there is a tie, another round is dealt.
VIDEO OF HOW TO PLAY SCOPA
STRATEGY
Make it harder for the other players to get a ‘scopa’ by keeping the score of cards on the table above ten.
ADDITIONAL SCORING
Choose one of the following.
Re Bello – 10♦️ scores one point.
Prime – Instead of Primera, score one point for the highest total of cards 7 and lower.
Napola – Collect A♦️, 2♦️, 3♦️ and score three points. Score one point extra for each additional ♦️ in number order, from four upwards.
- Tablanette
- Casino
- Bastra
- Pasur
