How many players can play Scopa?

Scopa is most commonly played by two players, but it also works well with three or four. With four players it is usually played in two partnerships of two, with partners sitting opposite each other and pooling their captured cards for scoring.

What is the settebello in Scopa?

The settebello is the 7 of coins (the 7 of diamonds on a standard deck). It is the most prized single card in the game because capturing it is worth its own point at scoring time, on top of helping you win the coins and primiera points.

How do you win at Scopa?

You score points after each round for most cards captured, most coins, the settebello, the best primiera (prime), and each scopa you made. The first player or team to reach a cumulative total of 11 points over multiple rounds wins the game.

What happens if my card matches both a single card and a combination?

If your played card exactly matches a single card on the table, you must capture that single card. You are not allowed to choose a combination of cards that adds up to the same value when an exact single match is available.

Can I play Scopa online for free?

Yes. You can play Scopa free in your browser at lovecardgames.com with no download and no signup. You can practice against smart bots or play live multiplayer against other people.

How to Play Scopa: Italian Card Game Rules & Strategy

Scopa is Italy's most beloved card game, a fast, tactical capturing game whose name means "sweep" - the satisfying moment you clear every card off the table. With a 40-card deck, simple turns, and surprisingly deep scoring, it is easy to learn in five minutes but rewarding to master over a lifetime. This guide covers the full rules, scoring, and the strategy that separates beginners from sharks, then you can put it into practice for free on lovecardgames.com.

What Is Scopa?

Scopa is a traditional Italian "fishing" card game for two to four players. On each turn you play one card from your hand and try to "capture" matching cards from the table. The aim is to collect valuable cards - especially the coins suit and the famous seven of coins - and to score the occasional scopa, a clean sweep of every card on the table. It belongs to the same family of Mediterranean games as Briscola, and if you enjoy capturing and trick play you will likely also enjoy Belote.

The Scopa Deck

Scopa uses a 40-card deck. If you are using a standard international deck, simply remove the 8s, 9s, and 10s, leaving four suits of ten cards each. The card ranks and their numeric values for capturing are:

Ace = 1
2 through 7 = their face value
Jack (Fante) = 8
Queen (Cavallo/Donna) = 9
King (Re) = 10

Traditional Italian decks use the suits coins, cups, swords, and clubs (batons). On a standard deck, coins map to diamonds, which matters because diamonds/coins carry scoring weight.

Setting Up the Game

Choose a dealer. The dealer gives three cards to each player and places four cards face-up in the center of the table. If three or more of those four table cards are Kings, the deal is usually reshuffled. Play proceeds counter-clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer's right.

How a Turn Works

On your turn you play exactly one card from your hand. That card can do one of two things:

Capture by match: If your card equals the value of a single card on the table, you take both - for example, a 7 captures a 7.
Capture by sum: If your card equals the combined value of two or more table cards, you take all of them - for example, a 7 captures a 3 and a 4.

There is one crucial rule: if a single card matches exactly, you must capture that single card rather than a combination. You cannot choose the sum when an exact single match is available. Captured cards (yours plus the table cards) go face-down into your scoring pile.

If your played card captures nothing, it simply stays face-up on the table, adding to the cards available for future captures. When all three cards in everyone's hand are gone, the dealer deals three more to each player (no new table cards). This continues until the deck runs out.

Scoring a Scopa

A scopa happens when your capture clears the table completely, leaving it empty for your opponent. Each scopa is worth one point and is tracked by setting one captured card face-up in your pile. Note: capturing the final cards on the very last play of a deal does not count as a scopa. When the deck is exhausted, any cards still on the table go to the player who made the last capture.

How to Win: End-of-Round Scoring

The game is not won simply by capturing the most cards. After each round, players (or teams) compare piles and award points for:

Most cards: 1 point to whoever captured the most cards overall.
Most coins: 1 point for the most cards in the coins (diamonds) suit.
Settebello: 1 point for capturing the 7 of coins (the single most prized card).
Primiera (prime): 1 point for the best "prime." Take your highest card in each suit and total their prime values: 7 = 21, 6 = 18, ace = 16, 5 = 15, 4 = 14, 3 = 13, 2 = 12, face cards = 10.
Scopa: 1 point per sweep you scored during the round.

Add scopa points to the four category points. The first player or team to reach a cumulative total of 11 points across multiple rounds wins.

Scopa Strategy Tips

Once you know the rules, these tactics will sharpen your play:

Chase the settebello and coins. Three of the five point categories revolve around 7s and the coins suit. Prioritize capturing the 7 of coins and any coin cards even when other captures look bigger.
Watch the table total. Avoid leaving the table summing to a value an opponent can sweep - especially totals reachable with common cards. Leaving the table empty or awkwardly high denies easy scopas.
Count the sevens. Sevens dominate the primiera score. Track which sevens have been played so you know whether the prime point is still contestable.
Hold your aces. An ace can only capture a single ace, but it is valuable in the prime and useful for setting up clean tables late in the deal.
Think one deal ahead. Because new hands are dealt without refreshing the table, the cards you leave behind become the next hand's opening position. Set yourself up, not your opponent.

If you like the capture-and-count rhythm of Scopa, you may also enjoy trick-taking classics such as Spades, Hearts, Euchre, and Court Piece, or fast matching games like Crazy Eights. South Asian favorites Callbreak and Twenty-Nine reward the same forward-planning instinct, and Solitaire is always there for a quick solo session.

Play now

Ready to sweep the table? Play Scopa free on lovecardgames.com - right in your browser, with smart bots and online multiplayer, no download and no signup required. Deal yourself in and chase that settebello.