Editing Scopa (section)

{{Short description|Italian card game}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Italics title}}
{{Infobox card game
| title = {{lang|it|Scopa}}
| subtitle = 
| image_link = Italian Playing Cards.jpg
| image_caption = [[Italian playing cards]] from a deck of "{{lang|it|Bergamasche}}" by [[Dal Negro]]
| alt_names = 
| type = Fishing
| players = 2, 3, 4, or 6
| ages = 
| num_cards = 40-card
| deck = Italian
| play = Counter-clockwise
| card_rank = R C F 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
| origin = [[Italy]]
| related = [[Cassino (card game)|Cassino]]{{*}}[[Escoba]]{{*}}[[Skwitz]]{{*}}[[Zwickern]]
| playing_time = 
| random_chance = 
| skills = 
| footnotes = 
}}

'''{{lang|it|Scopa}}''' ({{IPA|it|ˈskoːpa|lang}}; {{literally|broom}}) is an Italian [[card game]], and one of the three major national card games in Italy, the others being {{lang|it|[[Briscola]]}} and {{lang|it|[[Tresette]]}}.<ref>{{cite book |title=Oxford Dictionary of Card Games |first=David |last=Parlett |page=251 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1992 |isbn=0-19-869173-4}}</ref> It is also popular in [[Argentina]] and [[Brazil]], brought in by [[Italian diaspora|Italian immigrants]], mostly in the {{lang|it|[[Scopa#Scopa a Quindici|Scopa a Quindici]]}} variation.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.jogosdecartas.com.br/defaultb.asp?area=61&id=8&nome=Escopa |title=Escopa |work=Jogos de Cartas |language=pt |year=2014 |access-date=30 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504180034/http://www.jogosdecartas.com.br/defaultb.asp?area=61&id=8&nome=Escopa|archive-date=4 May 2015}}</ref> {{lang|it|Scopa}} is also played in former [[Italian empire|Italian colonies]] such as [[Libya]] and [[Somalia]] or some other countries like [[Tunisia]] and even [[Morocco]], with changed appearance in the cards. It is played with a standard [[Italian playing cards|Italian 40-card deck]], mostly between two players or four in two partnerships, but it can also be played by three or six players.

The name {{lang|it|scopa}} is an Italian noun meaning 'broom', since taking a {{lang|it|scopa}} means 'to sweep' all the cards from the table. Watching a game of {{lang|it|scopa}} can be a highly entertaining activity, since games traditionally involve lively, colorful, and somewhat strong-worded banter in between hands.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lifeinitaly.com/potpourri/scopa-italian-card-game |title=Scopa: A Traditional Italian Card Game |work=Life in Italy |year=2014 |access-date=30 November 2014}}</ref> However, skill and chance are more important for the outcome of the game.