Scala 40 glossary

Opening, closing in hand, taking back the joker: here are the Scala 40 terms explained in brief, with the Italian word in brackets, as the game is played on FantaCarte. For the full rules see the Scala 40 rules page.

101

The score that makes you lose: points taken add up round after round and whoever reaches 101 loses the game.

Ace (asso)

Worth 1 point in the run A-2-3 and 11 points in the run Q-K-A and in sets. Runs don't wrap around: K-A-2 doesn't count.

Add (attaccare)

To add a card to a meld already on the table, including your opponent's. You can only do it after opening.

Cancel (annulla)

On FantaCarte, until you discard you can take the turn back: the melded cards go back to your hand.

Closing (chiusura)

Whoever runs out of cards, always by discarding the last one, closes the round and takes no points.

Closing in hand (chiusura in mano)

Opening and closing in the same turn: the opponent takes double points, including double the 100 if they hadn't opened.

Deck (mazzo)

The face-down cards you draw from. When it runs out, the discards except the last one are reshuffled and become the new deck.

Discard (scartare)

To put a card on the discard pile: the turn ends with the discard. You don't discard a card that fits a meld on the table, unless every card in your hand fits.

Draw (pescare)

To take the top card of the deck: the normal way to start your turn.

Four of a kind (poker)

Four cards of the same rank in four different suits, for example the four 8s.

Joker (jolly)

One of the 4 special cards in the deck: it replaces any card. Each meld can have only one. Left in hand it's worth 25 points.

Open before drawing (aprire prima di pescare)

If the cards in your hand already add up to 40 points, you can open straight away and then take your card for the turn, from the deck or the discards.

Opening (apertura)

The first time you meld on the table. You need at least 40 points melded in the same turn; if you don't reach it, the cards go back to your hand.

Pick up the discard (raccogliere lo scarto)

To take the last discarded card instead of drawing. You can only do it after opening, and the card must be used straight away, in the same turn.

Round (smazzata)

One round of play, from dealing the 13 cards to closing. A game is made up of several rounds.

Run (scala)

At least 3 cards of the same suit in sequence, for example 7-8-9 of hearts. The ace goes before the 2 or after the king.

Set (tris)

Three cards of the same rank and different suits, for example three 8s of hearts, diamonds and clubs.

Take back the joker (riprendere il jolly)

If a meld on the table has a joker and you hold the real card it replaces, you can put it in its place and take the joker.

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