How to play Scala 40: the guide for beginners
Scala 40 is easy to learn and hard to stop. Here it is explained in plain words, in the order you'll meet it at the table: after a few minutes you can already play your first game.
The idea in one sentence
You try to run out of cards before your opponent by melding runs and sets; the first time you meld you must lay down at least 40 points. Whoever is left with cards in hand takes points, and whoever reaches 101 loses.
1. The cards
Two French decks and 4 jokers, 108 cards. Each player gets 13 cards; one face-up card starts the discards, the rest form the deck. On FantaCarte it's played one against one.
2. Your turn
- Take a card from the deck. Once you've opened you can also pick up the last discarded card, but you must use it straight away in a meld.
- Meld new runs or sets or, after opening, add cards to those on the table.
- Discard a card. It's your opponent's turn.
3. Runs and sets
- Run: at least 3 cards of the same suit in sequence, like 9-10-J of diamonds.
- Set: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank and different suits, like three 7s of hearts, clubs and spades.
The joker replaces any card, one per meld. 2s are normal cards. The ace goes before the 2 or after the king, but K-A-2 doesn't count.
4. Opening: the key moment
The first time you meld, the melds laid down in the same turn must be worth at least 40 points. Face cards are worth 10, the ace 11, other cards their number. Example: J-Q-K of spades (30) plus three 4s (12) makes 42: you can open. Before opening you can't pick up the discards or add cards.
5. Closing
Whoever runs out of cards closes, always by discarding the last one. The closer takes no points; the opponent takes the points of the cards in their hand, or 100 if they hadn't opened yet.
6. Who wins
Points add up round after round. Here points are a bad thing: whoever reaches 101 loses and the other player wins the game. The count with examples is in Scala 40 scoring.
Three tips for your first game
- Get rid of high cards you don't need early: they're heavy in your hand.
- Don't wait too long to open: if your opponent closes first, you take 100 points.
- After opening look at the melds on the table: you can add cards to your opponent's too.
Try it now
On FantaCarte the guided game shows you the moves one at a time, and until you discard you can tap Cancel and redo the turn. Then practise, for free, on phone or computer. When you're ready, read the full rules and the tips to win; if a term isn't clear there's the Scala 40 glossary.