How to play Scopa: the guide for beginners
You can learn Scopa in a few minutes: you play a card, take the ones on the table and count the points at the end of the hand. Here it is explained in plain words, in the order you'll meet it at the table.
The idea in one sentence
You play your cards one at a time to capture the ones on the table; whoever takes all the cards makes a scopa. At the end of the hand, points go to whoever took the most cards, the most coins, the settebello and the primiera. You play up to 11.
1. Neapolitan cards
The deck has 40 cards in four suits: coins, cups, swords and clubs. Each suit has the ace (worth 1), the cards from 2 to 7, and three face cards: the jack is worth 8, the knight 9 and the king 10.
2. At the start
Each player gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table. When you've used up the cards in your hand you get 3 more each, until the deck runs out. On FantaCarte it's played one against one.
3. Your turn
- Choose a card from your hand.
- If there's an equal card on the table, you take it: your 6 takes the 6.
- If there isn't, you can take several cards that add up to the same value: your 6 takes a 2 and a 4.
- If the card captures nothing, it stays on the table. It's your opponent's turn.
Remember: if the equal card is there, you must take it and not the sum. And if your card can capture, it must.
4. The scopa
If your capture clears the table, you've made a scopa: one extra point. The only exception is the last capture of the hand: the cards left on the table go to whoever captured last, but it doesn't count as a scopa.
5. The points
At the end of the hand one point is counted for each of these: most cards captured, most coins, the settebello (the 7 of coins), the primiera and every scopa. Whoever first reaches 11 points wins the game. The count with examples is in Scopa scoring.
Three tips for your first game
- The settebello is worth a point on its own: if you see it on the table and can take it, take it.
- Before leaving a card on the table, check the sum: if the cards on the table add up to 10 or less, your opponent can make a scopa.
- Keep an eye on the 7s: they count a lot in the primiera.
Try it now
On FantaCarte the guided game shows you the first captures one at a time. Then practise, for free, on phone or computer, or open a private table and invite a friend. When you're ready, read the full Scopa rules.