Escoba – Escova / Escopa

Player: 2–4 (each for themselves, four also in teams) · Cards: Spanish-suited deck, 40 · Type: Fishing game (sum 15)

Play Escoba against the computer

Objective

Capture cards to a sum of 15; be the first to reach 31 points.

Equipment & setup

40 Spanish cards (no 8s and 9s). Everyone gets 3 cards face down, 4 lie face up. If the four table cards add up to 15, the dealer takes them at once – this is not an escoba.

Card ranking & card values

Ace to 7 by value; sota 8, caballo 9, rey 10.

Gameplay

1) The player to the dealer's right starts; play goes counterclockwise.

2) You play exactly one card. If it makes exactly 15 with one or more table cards, you take them – exactly one combination per turn; if there are several, you choose.

3) Otherwise the card stays face up.

4) When all hands are empty, everyone gets 3 new cards (no new table cards).

5) At the end, whoever captured last takes the remaining cards.

Special rules & special cards

Escoba: whoever takes all table cards at once gets 1 point.

Scoring & points

1 point each: each escova (table cleared), most cards, most oros, sete belo (7 of oros). All ten oros: 2 points. A normal capture is called a montinho.

End of game & winning

Whoever has at least 31 points after a round wins.

Origin & history

Escoba ('broom') is the Spanish relative of the Italian scopa and documented since the 19th century. Instead of cards of equal value, here you look for combinations that add up to 15.