What is the main difference between Escoba and Scopa?

The capture rule. In Scopa you take a single table card of equal value or a group of cards that sums to your played card. In Escoba every capture must add up to exactly 15. Escoba's full name, Escoba de Quince, even means 'the broom of fifteen.'

Are Escoba and Scopa played with the same deck?

Yes. Both use a 40-card Latin deck with four suits of ten cards (ace through 7, plus Jack, Knight/Horse, and King). On a standard international deck you remove the 8s, 9s, and 10s. Card values are identical: ace = 1, number cards face value, Jack = 8, Knight = 9, King = 10.

Do Escoba and Scopa score to the same total?

No. A game of Scopa is traditionally played to 11 points, while Escoba usually runs to 21 (and sometimes 30 or 40). Both award the same five categories each round: most cards, most coins, the 7 of coins, the best prime, and each sweep.

What does scopa or escoba mean?

Both words mean 'broom' or 'sweep.' You score one by playing a card that captures every remaining card on the table, leaving it empty for your opponent. In both games, sweeping on the final play of a deal does not count.

Can I play Escoba and Scopa online for free?

Yes. You can play both free in your browser at lovecardgames.com with no download and no signup. Practice against smart bots or play live multiplayer against other people at /escoba and /scopa.

Escoba vs Scopa: The Spanish and Italian Fishing Games Compared

Escoba and Scopa look like twins. Both are 40-card "fishing" games where you play one card a turn, capture cards off the table, and earn a bonus point for a clean sweep. But under the hood they capture in completely different ways, and they even score to different totals. This guide lays the two side by side so you know exactly which is which, then you can play both free on lovecardgames.com.

What Both Games Have in Common

Escoba is Spanish, Scopa is Italian, and they share a common ancestor in the old Mediterranean family of "fishing" or capturing games that also includes the English-language Cassino. Before we get to the differences, here is everything the two games agree on:

A 40-card Latin deck. Both use four suits of ten cards: ace through 7, then Jack, Knight/Horse, and King. On a standard international deck you simply remove the 8s, 9s, and 10s.
Card values. Ace = 1, the number cards 2 to 7 are face value, Jack = 8, Knight/Horse = 9, King = 10.
The same turn structure. Three cards in hand, four cards face-up on the table, play one card per turn to capture, then redeal threes (without refreshing the table) until the deck runs out.
A sweep bonus. Clearing every card off the table earns a point: a scopa in Italian, an escoba in Spanish. Both words essentially mean "broom." In both games, sweeping on the very last play of a deal does not count.
Prized coins. Both reward the coins suit (diamonds on a standard deck) and crown the 7 of coins as the single most valuable card.

The Core Difference: How You Capture

This is the line that separates the two games, and it is the only rule you really need to remember.

In Scopa, you capture by matching value. Play a card and take a single table card of equal value, or take a group of cards whose values sum to your card. A 7 takes a 7, or a 7 takes a 3 and a 4. There is one strict catch: if an exact single-card match is available, you must take the single card rather than a combination.

In Escoba, every capture must add up to exactly fifteen. Your played card combines with one or more table cards, and if the total is 15, you take them all. Play a 7 onto an 8 (7 + 8 = 15), or a King onto a 4 and an ace (10 + 4 + 1 = 15). There is no equal-value shortcut at all; the magic number is always 15. Escoba's full name, Escoba de Quince, literally means "the broom of fifteen."

That one swap changes the feel completely. Scopa is about reading what is matchable and protecting valuable cards; Escoba is constant mental arithmetic, recognising every pair and trio that hits 15.

Scoring and Winning: Different Targets

Both games award the same five point categories at the end of each round, but the names and the finish line differ.

Most cards (Scopa: carte; Escoba: cartas) — 1 point.
Most coins (denari / oros) — 1 point.
The 7 of coins — the settebello in Scopa, the siete bello in Escoba — 1 point.
The prime — primiera in Scopa, setenta in Escoba — 1 point for the best high cards across the four suits.
Sweeps — 1 point for each scopa/escoba.

The big practical difference is the target score. A game of Scopa is traditionally played to 11 points. Escoba runs longer, usually to 21 points (some tables play to 30 or 40), with play continuing until someone passes the mark at the end of a hand. Escoba also has a fun opening quirk: if the first four table cards happen to total 15, the dealer sweeps them immediately for an instant escoba, and a total of 30 scores two.

Quick Reference: Escoba vs Scopa

Capture rule: Scopa = match equal value or sum to it. Escoba = always sum to 15.
Forced-capture quirk: Scopa makes you take an exact single match. Escoba has no equal-match rule.
Game length: Scopa to 11. Escoba to 21 (or higher).
Opening sweep: Unique to Escoba (table totals 15 or 30).
Skill emphasis: Scopa rewards table reading; Escoba rewards fast arithmetic.

Which Should You Play?

If you want the gentler on-ramp, Scopa's "a 7 takes a 7" matching is the easiest to grasp, and the shorter game to 11 means quick sessions. If you enjoy a bit of mental maths and a deeper hunt for combinations, Escoba's rule of fifteen is more cerebral and the longer game gives more room for comebacks. Honestly, most players who like one end up loving the other, since the rhythm of capture, sweep, and end-of-round scoring is identical.

Both belong to the wider world of Mediterranean classics. If you enjoy them, try the trick-taking Italian staple Briscola or Tressette, the Spanish Brisca, or the Indian fishing cousin Seep, which also captures to a target sum. Cassino is the English-language member of the same family and a natural next step.

Play now

You can play both fishing games free on lovecardgames.com, right in your browser, with smart bots and online multiplayer, no download and no signup required. Deal yourself into Escoba to hunt for fifteen, or sweep the table in Scopa and chase the settebello.