Some Scopa Basics

It is generally accepted that, in the second half of the fourteenth century, the Arabs introduced playing cards to Europe, by way of the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas.

It is also generally accepted that European playing cards evolved from the suit system and composition of these cards.

From a simple point of view regarding playing cards, Italy is divided roughly into three parts: the north, north-east, and south. In the south Italo-Spanish suit signs prevail.

These souterhen Italo-Spanish suits are the images you will be seeing in this blog.

You can make an ‘Italian Deck of Cards’ out of a standard deck of cards by simply removing the 8’s, 9’s, and 10’s from your standard deck of cards.

Now you have a deck of 40 cards: Ace through 7, Jack, Queen, and King.

Note: If you are learning to play Scopa or Quindici, you may find it better to remove the Jacks, Queens, and Kings from your standard deck.

Now you have a deck of 40 cards: Ace through 10. The Ace stands for 1, 2 for 2 and so on to 10.

Given that Scopa and Quindici are trick taking games rooted in mathematics, this is a great way to learn the game.

If you did this, the 8’s take the place of the Jack’s, the 9’s take the place of the Queen’s, and the 10’s take the place of the King’s.

 Table One / Card Values for Scopa and Quindici*

The King = 10     The Queen = 9       The Jack = 8           7 = 7         6 = 6 

5 = 5        4 = 4          3 = 3          2 = 2            The Ace = 1

*Scoring is an entirely separate matter.

KEEPING SCORE

Knowing how the score points will introduce you to Scopa (and Qunidici) strategy.

1. The most valuable card in the deck is il sette di bello, the seven of diamonds, in your standard deck.  The sette di bello scores: 1 point. In the examples of play the sette di bello will be represent like so: 7*.

2. If one player is able to collect 6 or more denari, (six or more cards of the diamond suit in your regular deck), that player gets 1 point.

3. If a player wins the la premiera*; that player gets 1 point.

*We will define la premiera in just a moment.

4. If one player takes 21 or more cards that player gets 1 point.

Now you know there are 4 points in each hand.                                                                                   

All 4 points may or may not be awarded depending upon the outcome of the hand.

5. There is another way to score points and that is to make a Scopa.                                                    

Let’s say there are only two cards in the table; a 5 and a 2.

You have a 7 in your hand.

You use your 7 to take the 5 and the 2 (5+2=7).

You have swept all the cards off the table in a single play: that is a Scopa!

Each Scopa scores 1 point.

As you capture cards you place them face down and in a pile near you. You count your points at the end of the hand. During play if you score a Scopa place the card you used to make the Scopa, face up when you put it in your pile of captured cards.

Each face up card stands for a Scopa and therefore each face up card (each Scopa) is worth 1 point. (A face up sette bello would be 2 points; 1 for the Scopa and 1 for the sette bello itself.)

Now let’s take a closer look at Scopa Strategy.

Think of it this way; 4 out of the available 5 points are about which cards are taken, not how many cards are taken.

Your goals: the sette di bello  / the seven of diamonds   six or more diamonds   as many 7’s as you can, 7’s have a high ‘la premiera’ value  and finally cards in general.

These are your objectives. Always look for a way to set up a Scopa and  will always calculate the way to sweep the most cards from the table in a particular play but acquiring the most cards is your final consideration.

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