Scopa is a traditional Italian card-capture game. Players take cards from a shared table by matching a card’s value or capturing a group that adds up to it. Clearing the table in one capture is called a scopa, or “sweep,” and usually earns a point. The common basic game uses a 40-card Italian deck, but regional and house rules vary—especially around aces and bonus scoring.
What kind of game is Scopa?
Scopa is a card-capture game, sometimes described as a “fishing” game: players play cards from their hands to collect cards lying face up on the table. It is not a trick-taking game. Its name means “broom,” referring to a play that sweeps every table card into a player’s captured pile.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
There is no single authority enforcing one ruleset everywhere. The rules below describe a common two-player basic form; agree on local or house variations before starting.
Recommended Free Tools
What cards do you need?
The standard pack has 40 cards, with ten cards in each suit. Traditional Italian suits are denari (coins), coppe (cups), spade (swords) and bastoni (batons or clubs). The court cards are Re (king), Cavallo (horse) and Fante (jack). Regional patterns include Neapolitan, Piacentine and Bergamasche decks; no single pattern is required for all play. Some northeastern Italian regions use French suits instead. [Pagat; Lottomatica]
#1 Best Overall
- 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
If an Italian pack is unavailable, the cited rules describe making a 40-card pack by removing the 8s, 9s and 10s from a standard 52-card deck. [Pagat]
How do you set up and deal?
- Shuffle the 40-card pack.
- Deal three cards to each player, then place four cards face up on the table.
- The non-dealer plays first.
- After both players have played their three cards, the dealer gives each player three more. Leave the table cards in place; do not add new ones.
- Continue dealing three-card hands until the pack is exhausted.
This is a common two-player deal; other formats, including partnership Scopone, use different dealing arrangements. [Pagat; Gioco carte italiane]
Rank #2
- 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.
- 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.
- 3 GAMES IN ONE: Two additional games of Scopa d'assi and Briscola can be played with Scopa cards!
- THIS GAME IS FOR EVERYONE: Perfect for any skill level, from novice to expert, so everyone can enjoy the game.
How does a turn work?
Play exactly one card from your hand. Use its capture value to take either one matching table card or, if there is no single-card match, a group of two or more table cards whose values add up to the played card. If several groups add up to the value, choose one. If nothing matches, leave your played card face up on the table.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A single matching card takes priority over a group with the same total. For example, if you play a 7 and there is both a 7 and a 3-plus-4 combination on the table, you must take the single 7. Under the standard rules described by Pagat, you must capture if the card you play can capture; you may instead choose a different card that cannot capture. Put captured cards face down in your personal or team pile. [Pagat; Gioco carte italiane]
Rank #3
- 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
Capture values
For matching and sums, an ace counts as 1; numbered cards keep their face values; Fante (jack) counts as 8, Cavallo (horse) as 9, and Re (king) as 10. These values are not the same as the special values used to calculate primiera. [Pagat]
When is a capture a scopa?
If your capture removes every face-up card from the table, you have made a scopa, worth one point in the common basic rules. Keep the card you played face up in your captured pile as a reminder to count it at scoring time.
Rank #4
- 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
In the basic rules described by Pagat and Gioco carte italiane, taking the last remaining table cards with the final play of the hand does not count as a scopa. After the last play, any cards still on the table go to the player or team that made the most recent capture. [Pagat; Gioco carte italiane]
How do you score a hand?
After the cards have been captured, the common scoring system awards one point for each of four categories. Each scopa made during the hand adds one more point. [Pagat]
Best Value
- 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.
- Most cards: the player or team that captured the most cards.
- Most denari: the player or team with the most cards in the coins suit.
- Settebello: the player or team holding the seven of coins.
- Primiera: the player or team with the higher qualifying total, calculated using one card from each suit.
In Pagat’s described rules, a tie for most cards, most coins or primiera gives no one the point for that category. To qualify for primiera, a player must have at least one captured card in each suit. The settebello is a separate point, not a primiera calculation. [Pagat]
How is primiera calculated?
Choose your best primiera card in each of the four suits, then add their special values:
| Card | Primiera value |
|---|---|
| 7 | 21 |
| 6 | 18 |
| Ace | 16 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 4 | 14 |
| 3 | 13 |
| 2 | 12 |
| King, Cavallo or Fante | 10 |
These are primiera values only; use the capture values above when matching cards or adding a capture combination. A common game target is 11 cumulative points across hands, though players can agree on another target. [Pagat; Lottomatica]
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What do the Italian Scopa terms mean?
- Scopa: “Broom”; the sweep that clears the table, generally worth one point.
- Denari: the coins suit, sometimes called diamonds in English-language rules.
- Settebello: the seven of coins, a scoring card.
- Primiera: the scoring category based on one qualifying card from each suit, each assessed on its special scale.
- Cavallo: “Horse,” the middle court card in the traditional pack; capture value 9.
- Fante: jack; capture value 8.
- Re: king; capture value 10.
Which Scopa rules vary?
These named versions and local bonuses should not be silently combined with the basic rules. Ask which version the table is playing before the deal.
- Asso pigliatutto: in the variant described by Pagat, an ace takes all table cards when no ace is already there, and the sweep scores.
- Scopa d’Assi: a related ace rule; in the described form, clearing the table with an ace does not count as a sweep. Some local play lets an ace on an empty table take itself.
- Napola: some versions award extra points for a consecutive run in denari beginning with ace, 2 and 3. The smallest run scores three in the described variant; the maximum run and target vary.
- Re Bello: some versions give an extra point for capturing the king of denari.
- Scopone: a related four-player partnership game. It commonly deals all cards up front, often nine or ten to each player, rather than replenishing three-card hands.
- Regional decks and primiera: suit patterns and primiera scales can differ by locality.
An educational ebook funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme gives an example in which an ace collects all table cards and lists bonuses including Re Bello and Nappola. It is an example of variation, not a universal basic ruleset. [Pagat; Lottomatica; Gioco carte italiane; European Commission Erasmus+ ebook]
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
