Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Back from the School Shock

Hello Blog, how's it going? It's been quite a while since I posted so I was hoping I'd get to post a story.

This is more recent and hasn't really followed the timeline I had been sharing but I want to share our love for Scopa.

For those of you whom are Non-Italian probably do not know what this card game is, if you do then you haven't seen a family play it like ours. Scopa is italian for "Sweep" and is a commonly played card game. There are some key differences, such as the 40 card deck that is used rather than the 52 card deck. (There are no 8s, 9s, nor 10s. In a Napoletane deck it follows Ace-2-3 and so forth to 7, then goes to Jacks, Knights, and Kings. Sometimes the Jacks are portrayed as Women or Queens. The suits are also as follows: Swords, Clubs, Coins, and Cups, Coins being the most valuable.)

To sum the game up, you try to obtain cards based on 4 categories through matching. You must try to collect as many as the following as you can: Coins, the Sevens, the Seven of Coins, and as many cards as you can. There is also another way to earn points, called a Scopa, in which you clean the entire board by a single match. You are dealt 3 cards at the beginning of a round, and 4 are placed on the table to begin. Each player places 1 card and tries to collect what he/she can until they run out, in which they are dealt 3 more cards. After all the cards are split, scores are tallied and the first person to arrive at 11 points wins.

Scopa is played very much in our family. During or after our fruit we always have a few games for the "Campionato" and thus much taunting and intoxicated playing insues upon the plastic covered dinning room table. Even after coffee the games continue. Heated 3 player games, face offs, or even team 4 player games are bound to be at any gathering.

Currently one of my Uncles claims this title but Nonno (Grandfather) seems to beat him out. I am confident I am a stable player but maybe not as good as the "Champion". Infact, I visited some second cousins and removed cousins and easily swept the floor clean! I love to hear the groan when the 7 of coins is picked up, as that's worth a whole point!

When I return to New York I will bring my new tricks I have learned upon them. I downloaded a app for my phone called "La Scopa" and have been practicing there! It is such a quick game and takes a little bit to learn but with any type of determination it becomes a nice strategy game to play with a bit of a lucky streak. You always could use that seven of coins!

One of my infamous tips that I've learned comes straight from my Nonno. He always reminds me that if I have 2 cards of the same number I should always play them immediately to prevent a Scopa.

That's all I've got for now, I've got to get back to some school work. Hopefully you can challenge me on La Scopa!

12 comments:

Jackson.k said...

great tip with the two cards of the same number. :) I really enjoyed the read. Great blog! +followed

Matthew Prindiville said...

Very interesting. :D

Ashlyyy said...

Indeed never heard of the card game! But sounds realy fun, gonna try it out for sure thanks (A)!

Dragmire said...

Scopa sounds like a fun game. I want to play it now.

Publius said...

Sounds like a fun game! you Italianos always know how to have fun!

pv said...

interesting tale mate :)

revilo251 said...

sounds like a gd game, ill have to give it a try sum time :)

Scott said...

Sounds like an interesting game. Hah, I have italian on my grandpa's, I'll ask him about it.

Kyle said...

Sounds like a game I'd like to learn how to play. Would love to try it out.

Anonymous said...

nice read!

gog magog said...

ive played scope-catholic school-lots of italians!

Pan-man said...

Nice story :)

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