In Scopa, play one card per turn and capture either a single table card of the same value or, if no single match is available, a group of two or more table cards that add up to its value. If you can capture, you must; clearing the table earns a point except on the hand’s final capture under the basic rules explained here. This guide covers the common two-player version, its scoring, and the variations worth agreeing on before you deal.
What you need to play Scopa
The basic game uses a 40-card deck with four suits: coins (denari), cups, swords, and batons. Each suit has an ace, cards 2 through 7, and three court cards: jack, horse (or queen in some decks), and king. French-suited decks can also be used, with diamonds taking the place of coins.
If you do not have an Italian-suited pack, make a 40-card deck from a standard international pack by removing every 8, 9, and 10. Card designs and court-card names vary by region, so agree on the deck and any house rules before play. IELLO describes its boxed Scopa game as playable by 2 to 4 players; its product page and English rulebook are useful references, but the rules below describe a common basic version.
Set up a two-player hand
- Shuffle the deck and deal three cards face down to each player.
- Turn four cards face up in the middle of the table.
- The player who did not deal goes first.
Each player plays all three cards in hand, one per turn. Then deal three more cards to each player without changing the cards left on the table. Continue until the deck is exhausted and both players have played their final cards.
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- Regional Italian Playing Cards
- 40 Cards in Deck - Neapolitan Style - Napolitane
- Size 51x83.5mm, 2" x 3.29"
- Made in Italy by Modiano
- Triple Card Stock Plastic Coated
How card values and captures work
For captures, the values are: ace = 1; numbered cards = their face value; jack = 8; horse or queen = 9; king = 10. The court-card values are easy to mix up, so remember that the jack is worth 8 and the horse or queen is worth 9.
On your turn, play exactly one card. If a table card has the same value, you capture that single card. If there is no matching single card, you may capture two or more table cards whose values add up to the value of your played card. If neither option is possible, leave your played card face up on the table.
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- Package Dimensions: 1.778 cms (L) x 5.08 cms (W) x 10.16 cms (H)
- Package Quantity: 1
- Product Type: Tabletop Game
- Country Of Origin: Italy
- A matching single card takes priority over a combination with the same total. For example, playing a 5 when a 5 is on the table means taking that single 5, not a combination such as ace plus 4.
- If a capture is possible, you must make one. You cannot decline a legal capture and leave your card on the table.
- If multiple combinations are legal and no matching single card is available, choose which combination to take.
- You may play a card that cannot capture even if another card in your hand could capture.
Worked example
Suppose the table shows an ace, 3, 4, 5, and 7. A 9 (horse or queen) can capture 4 + 5. An 8 (jack) can capture 5 + 3, ace + 3 + 4, or 7 + ace. If a 5 is played while a 5 is on the table, the single 5 must be taken rather than ace + 4.
What counts as a scopa?
A scopa, or sweep, happens when a capture removes every face-up card from the table. It is worth one point. Keep the card that made the sweep face up in your capture pile as a reminder to count that point at the end of the hand.
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- GAME CONTENTS: Complete set includes 2 full decks (40 Cards each) of traditional Italian Napolitane playing cards and 100 double-sided score sheets for extended gameplay.
- PLAYER COUNT: Perfect for gatherings, this classic card game accommodates 2 to 6 players for flexible group sizes
- GAMEPLAY STYLE: Strategic Italian card game that combines skill, memory, and tactical thinking for engaging family entertainment
- CLASSIC DESIGN: Traditional size playing cards (51x83.5mm, 2" x 3.29" ) featuring authentic Italian card artwork and patterns, 40 Cards Deck in Neapolitan Style
- SCORING SYSTEM: Includes 100 Double-sided scoring sheets to track points and matches, with clear marking areas for multiple rounds
In the basic rules described by Pagat, capturing the last cards from the table at the end of the hand does not count as a scopa. IELLO’s English rulebook makes the same exception for the dealer’s last card: the capture is made normally, but earns no extra scopa point. This matters because a cleared table during the hand and a cleared table on the final capture are not scored the same way.
How a hand ends and how to score it
After the last cards have been played, any cards still on the table go to the player who made the most recent capture. Then award the hand’s points using these categories:
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- EASY TO LEARN: Scopa is easy to learn, a challenge to master, and just plain fun for the whole family.
- DEVELOPS CRITICAL SKILLS: Involves memory, skill, and strategy developing critical thinking skills.
- 3 GAMES IN ONE: Two additional games of Scopa d'assi and Briscola can be played with Scopa cards!
- TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS: Play individually or you can divide up into teams for more a collaborative atmosphere. There must be an even number of teams or players.
- ON THE GO: Scopa Single Deck is a convenient take anywhere size game.
- Scopas: one point for each recorded sweep.
- Most cards: one point to the player with more captured cards. A tie gives no point.
- Most coins: one point to the player with more cards in the coins suit; use diamonds instead if playing with French suits. A tie gives no point.
- Settebello: one point to the player who captured the 7 of coins, or diamonds in a French-suited deck.
- Primiera: one point to the player with the higher qualifying primiera, provided they have at least one captured card in every suit. A tie gives no point.
How to count primiera
For each suit, choose one captured card and add its primiera value. The primiera values are not the same as capture values:
| Card | Primiera value |
|---|---|
| 7 | 21 |
| 6 | 18 |
| Ace | 16 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 4 | 14 |
| 3 | 13 |
| 2 | 12 |
| King, horse/queen, or jack | 10 |
Add the best available card from each suit. A player without at least one card in every suit cannot qualify. The higher total wins the primiera point; if totals tie, no point is awarded.
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Winning the game
The common basic target is 11 or more cumulative points. If both players reach 11 or more in the same hand, the player with the higher total wins; if their totals are tied, play another hand. Players can agree on a different target before beginning.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Variations to settle before dealing
Scopa has regional and table variations, so “the rules” are not identical everywhere. Before the first deal, agree on the details most likely to change how a hand plays:
- Deck and suits: Italian suits or French suits, with diamonds used for coins.
- Players and teams: the two-player rules here, a three-player game, or partnership play.
- Capture rules: whether the matching-single priority and mandatory-capture rule described above are in use.
- Special card rules: whether the table uses an alternate ace rule.
- Scoring and target: which scoring categories apply and what cumulative score ends the game.
For a related but distinct four-player game, look into Scopone: all cards are dealt at once rather than in repeated three-card hands. Pagat’s Scopa rules reference discusses the basic game and variants; Italian Card Games’ beginner guide is another starting point.
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