Scopa

“Featured in The Wonderlyst #131 I’m learning to play Scopa. Scopa, which means “broom,” is the Italian card game where the objective is to sweep the cards from the table. So far, I’ve been playing online, which has proven to be quite the mental arithmetic workout. I’m guessing it will be much more fun—and considerably more humbling—when I start playing with the enthusiasts at my local Italian American club, which I’m honored to have recently joined.”

“While in Marseille, my husband and I purchased a beautiful deck of cards, only to discover it was not a standard 52-card deck but instead an Italian 40-card deck. So, we decided to learn a new game to play with the deck and that is how we discovered the marvelous game of scopa! Rules are easy and intuitive. Game is addictive. After learning the basics, we proceeded to play scopa every chance we got – on the beach, at bistros, while drinking spritzes… Now, we carry the deck with us everywhere we go. And I dream of visiting the Jersey shore and playing with some Italian grannies.”