Scopa Rules

SCOPA
The Great Italian Card Game
For 2-4 Players

AGES 10 and up
ABOUT THE GAME

The Italian word Scopa means to sweep. In the game Scopa
you are awarded points for achieving certain goals at the end of
each round (each deal). It is thrilling to sweep all the cards on
the table during play. This is known as a Scopa.
About The Unique Scopa Deck
A Scopa Deck has 4 suits (Coins, Cups, Clubs, Swords). Each
suit contains cards numbered 1 through 10.
The best cards to win during play are the 7s and the cards of
the Coin suit. It is also helpful to win the most cards in the
deck (regardless of suit).
There is a second value on each card, called its Primiera
value. Youll only refer to it at the end of a round when de termining who has taken the highest valued cards in each suit.
If four are playing, he deals nine cards to each, one at a time.

Players sitting opposite become partners.
4. The dealer then places four cards face up in a row in the
center of the table.
The Four SCOPA Suits
Coins
Cups
Clubs
Swords
Primiera Value is shown in the top right-hand and

lower left-hand corners of the cards
SETUP at the Beginning of a Round

partners
hand
CONTENTS:
Deck of 40 unique Scopa cards, 2 scoring cards (for your reference), pad of score sheets
four cards face up on the table
3. The dealer shuffles the remaining 40 cards.

If two or three are playing, he deals three to each player,
one at a time, beginning with the player on his left*.
scopa rules.indd 1
opponents
hand
opponents
hand
Example:
The players hand contains: 5 of Coins, 7 of Swords and the 2
of Cups. On the table are the 1 of Swords, 6 of Clubs and 5
of Cups.
The player could:
Place the 2 of Cups on the
table, or
SETUP AND INITIAL DEAL

1. Pick a scorekeeper.
2. Remove the two scoring cards from the deck.
HOW TO PLAY
The player to the dealers left begins play. This player MUST
either add one card to the table (called trailing) or play one
card that allows him to make a match and capture cards. To
make a match, a player must play a card that is the same value
(regardless of suit) as a card on the table. If he cant, he may
play a card that equals the sum of two or more cards on the
table. The card from the players hand and the captured card(s)
are won and placed face down in front of the player. These
cards are out of play until scores are recorded at the end of
the round.
Take the 6 of Clubs and 1

Swords by playing the 7
Swords (6+1=7) then place
three cards down in front
him, or
of
of
all
of
T
ake the 5 of Cups by playing his
5 of Coins and place both cards
face down in front of him.
Note: In a four-player game, one partner should collect all the matched cards won by either member of
the partnership.
Scopa - Must Make a Match Rule
You may not trail a card that has the ability to make a match.
For example, if a 2 and 5 are on the table, a player holding a 7
must either make this match, or play a different card from his
hand.
Scoring for a Scopa
When a player makes a match that removes all the cards on
the table, hes achieved a Scopa. Since the table is now empty,
the next player is forced to trail a card onto the table. A Scopa
is worth one point and is scored whenever one occurs during
play. (This is the only way you can score points during a round.)
Single Card Capture, Single Card Play
Whenever a card played may capture either a single or many
cards, the player is forced to capture only the single card. A
PLAYER MAY NEVER PLAY MORE THAN ONE CARD PER
TURN.
In the next example, the 7 of Cups could be played to
capture the 4 of Clubs and the 3 of Cups. If there were a 7
on the table, he would have to take it with his 7, rather than
take the 4 and the 3.
This player could not play two cards from hand (the 1 and 8
of Clubs) to take the 9 of Coins.
your hand
9/29/11 2:07 pm
SCORING
Players will have already scored 1 point for each Scopa. Up to
four additional points are now awarded.
PRIMIERA VALUE CHART

Card rank
Value
(b) Award 1 point for capturing the greatest number of Coin

cards. (No point if tied.)
(c) Award 1 point for capturing the Seven of Coins (known as
sette bello).
(d) Award 1 point for winning the Primiera. (No point if tied.)
Continuation of the Round

In a two or three player game, after all players have played all
three cards, the dealer deals three more to each player (beginning with the player to his left). Play then continues.
Note: No more cards are dealt in a four-player game
as they have all been dealt before play begins.
Additional cards are never dealt to the table. This process is
repeated until the deck is completely exhausted.
End of the Round
After the dealer has played the last card of the round, the player who made the last match receives all cards remaining on the
table (if any). (If no match is made in the final round, none of
these cards are taken.) Points are now calculated.
scopa rules.indd 2
Scoring the Primiera

From the cards you won in the round, pull out the one from
each suit with the highest Primiera value. Add these four values
together.
In this example, the players Primieras value is 56 points.
Note: The 7s, 6s and 1s are the most valuable for this
calculation, not the 8s, 9s and 10s. The highest possible
Primiera total is 84 (capturing all four Sevens).
21 points
15 points
10 points
10 points
Total Primiera: 21 + 15 +10 +10 = 56 points
21
18
16
15
14
13
12
10 each
7
6
1
5
4
3
2
8, 9 and 10
(a) Award 1 point to the player/team who captured the most

cards. (No point if tied.)
WINNING
In a two-player game, play until one player has at least 11
points AT THE END OF A ROUND.
In a three-player game, play until one player reaches or
exceeds 8 points at the end of a round.
In a four-player game, play until one partnership reaches or
exceeds 15 points at the end of a round. If more than one
player/partnership exceeds the games requirement, the most
points wins.
Play another round if no player/team reaches the goal
at the end of this round.
SCORING
Scoresheet
Player 1 or Team 1
SOPHIE
1s
1s
1
1
4
1
5
1 point
1 point
1 point
1 point
1 point
Player 2 or Team 2
RICK
1
1
2
1s
1
1
1
6
Each Scopa (s)

7 of Coins
Most Captured Cards*
Most Coin Cards*
Winning Primiera*
Player 3
* Traditional Italian Play

If you wish to play SCOPA as it is played in Italy, deal cards to
the RIGHT. Play also passes to the RIGHT, not the left, during
play.
Contact us:
Winning Moves Games
75 Sylvan Street, Suite C-104
Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: 800-664-7788 ext. 114
Fax:
978-739-4847
Email: wmoves@winning-moves.com
Item # 1161
SCOPA is a trademark of Winning Moves Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2011 Winning Moves Inc., Danvers, MA 01923 Colors and parts may vary.
Made in CHINA.
9/29/11 2:07 pm

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SCOPA

The Great Italian Card Game

For 2-4 Players

ABOUT THE GAME

If four are playing, he deals nine cards to each, one at a time.

Primiera Value is shown in the top right-hand and

SETUP at the Beginning of a Round

four cards face up on the table

3. The dealer shuffles the remaining 40 cards.

SETUP AND INITIAL DEAL

Take the 6 of Clubs and 1

PRIMIERA VALUE CHART

(b) Award 1 point for capturing the greatest number of Coin

Continuation of the Round

Scoring the Primiera

Total Primiera: 21 + 15 +10 +10 = 56 points

(a) Award 1 point to the player/team who captured the most

Each Scopa (s)

* Traditional Italian Play

SCOPA is a trademark of Winning Moves Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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