The Tool Desk
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How captures work
Capture values are not always the same as the printed card rank. An ace is worth 1, numbered cards keep their face value, a jack is 8, a horse or queen is 9, and a king is 10. Some Italian decks use a horse where other decks use a queen.
Play exactly one card on your turn. If a single table card has the same value, you must take that card. You cannot instead take a combination that adds to the same value. If no single card matches, you may take two or more table cards whose values sum to the card you played. When multiple combinations are legal, choose one. If no capture is possible, leave your played card face up on the table. You may play a card that cannot capture even if another card in your hand could.
Example
Suppose the table has 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 you play a 5 while a 5 is on the table, you must take the single 5 rather than ace + 4.
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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
Prepare the deck and deal
The basic game uses a 40-card deck with four suits: coins (denari), cups, swords, and batons. Each suit contains an ace, cards 2 through 7, a jack, a horse or queen, and a king. Some regions use French suits instead, with diamonds taking the place of coins. You can adapt a standard international deck by removing every 8, 9, and 10. Pagat describes these deck and play basics in its Scopa rules.
- Choose a dealer and 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. Players alternate, playing one card per turn.
- When both players have used their three cards, deal each player three more. Do not clear or redeal the table cards.
- Continue in three-card deals until the deck is exhausted and all dealt cards have been played.
A physical Scopa game from IELLO is described for 2 to 4 players on its Scopa product page; deck patterns can differ by region, so check that the cards and rules suit the version you intend to play.
Rank #2
- 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
What counts as a scopa?
A scopa, or sweep, happens when your capture removes every face-up card from the table. It earns one point. Keep the card that made the sweep face up in your capture pile as a reminder to count it later.
The final capture of the hand does not earn a scopa point in the basic rules described by Pagat. IELLO’s English rulebook also says that when the dealer captures the last table cards with the final card of the round, the capture proceeds normally but earns no extra scopa point (IELLO English rulebook, edition V06, March 2025).
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
End the hand and count points
After the last cards are played, any cards still on the table go to the player who made the last capture. Then score the hand. Each category is worth one point; ties in the majority categories and primiera score no point under the rules described here.
| Scoring category | How to score it |
|---|---|
| Scopas | One point for each recorded sweep. |
| Most cards | One point for the player with the most captured cards. A tie scores no point. |
| Most coins or diamonds | One point for the player with the most captured cards in the coins suit, or diamonds when using French suits. A tie scores no point. |
| Settebello | One point for capturing the 7 of coins, or the 7 of diamonds with French suits. |
| Primiera | One point for the best qualifying primiera, provided the player has at least one card in every suit. A tie scores no point. |
How primiera is calculated
For each suit, choose one captured card and use its primiera value—not its capture value. Add the four chosen values. The highest total wins the primiera point.
Rank #4
- 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.
| Card | Primiera value |
|---|---|
| 7 | 21 |
| 6 | 18 |
| Ace | 16 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 4 | 14 |
| 3 | 13 |
| 2 | 12 |
| King, horse or queen, jack | 10 each |
How to win the game
Keep a cumulative score across hands. The basic rules described by Pagat use a target of 11 or more points. If both players reach the target in the same hand, the higher total wins; if their totals are tied, play another hand. Players may agree to a different target before the game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which Scopa rules should you agree on?
Scopa has regional and table variations, so the rules above are a common basic version rather than a universal standard. Before the first deal, settle any differences that matter to your group:
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- Whether you are using Italian suits or French suits, and which cards represent the coins suit.
- Whether you are playing two players, three players, or in partnerships.
- Whether matching a single card takes priority over a combination, as it does in the version described here.
- Whether special ace rules or other local rules apply.
- Which scoring categories and target score your table will use.
For a related but distinct game, look into Scopone: it is a four-player game in which all the cards are dealt at once, rather than the three-card rounds used in this basic Scopa setup. Pagat’s rules page describes Scopa and related play.
Quick Recap
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