Escoba is a variant of the Italian :Category:Fishing card games|fishing card gameScopa, which means "broom", a name that refers to the situation in the game where all of the cards from the board are "swept" in one turn. The game is usually played with a deck of traditional Spanish playing cards, called naipes.
Objective
The object of the game is to be the first player to score 15 points through capturing cards. Points are scored in a variety of ways as detailed below. It does not necessarily follow that the player with the most captured cards in any particular round will get the greatest score.
Deal
A traditional Spanish deck of 40 cards is used to play. For traditional decks which have 1 through 12 of each suit, the 8 and 9 of each suit must be removed, leaving 40 cards. A standard deck of playing cards can be modified by removing the 8, 9, and 10 of every suit, leaving 40 cards. At the start of each round the dealer will deal three cards to each player, face down. After all the players have been dealt cards, four board cards are dealt, face up, in the center of the table, and play commences. On rare occasions where the four initial cards dealt to the board add up to 15, they are taken by the dealer and added to his scoring pile.
Play
Play commences with the person to the right of the dealer. Each player in turn attempts to match one card from their hand with one or more cards on the board to produce a total of 15. When using a traditional deck, all cards are worth their face valueexcept forthe 10sota, 11 caballo and the 12 rey, which are reduced in value to 8, 9 and 10, respectively. All cards matched, including the one from the player's hand, are removed from the board and placed in a scoring pile beside the player. If the player is unable to make a total of 15, they must discard one of the cards from their hand, adding it to the available cards in the centre of the table. After either scoring a hand or discarding, the play then moves to the next player in clockwise fashion. If the player can combine one card from his hand with all of the cards on the board to total 15, this player has scored an Escoba, worth one additional point at the end of the round. Each escoba scored is typically noted by the player turning one card of their pile face up. After each player has exhausted their hand, the dealer will then deal a fresh hand of three cards each just as in the beginning of the round. The last hand in any particular round is the one which exhausts the deck. At the end of this round, the last player to have taken cards from the board receives any remaining cards regardless of their value. After this, the round is scored, and the deal progresses to the next player on the left.
Scoring
Points are determined at the end of each round. Players score points based on the following categories:
Most Cards: The player with the most cards in their score pile gets one point.
Most Coins: The player with the most oros gets one point.
Most Sevens: The player with the most sevens gets one point.
Seven of Coins: The player with the seven of coins gets one point.
All of the Sevens: If a player has managed to capture all of the sevens, they get one additional point.
Players also get one additional point for each Escoba they have obtained.
If two or more players score the same in any category, none of them is awarded a point in that category, e.g., if two players each take 5 coins, neither scores a point. The first player to reach a score of 21 is declared the winner. If two players reach at least 21 on the same hand, the player with the most points wins. If there is a tie, play continues until the tie is broken.
The game is played until someone reaches 31 points. These points are gained by completing some objectives. When the deck cards are finish, each player counts their own points.
each escova = 1 point
to have all diamond cards = 2 points
to have most of the diamond cards = 1 point
to have most of the cards = 1 point
to have the sete belo = 1 point
The "sub-objective" of escova is to do escovas and montinhos. To do an escova, the player must have a card that matches with all of the cards in the middle of the table to make 15, e.g., the cards on the table are 3♠ 2♣ 1♥ and 4♦ and the player has a 5♠. If he sums 5+3+2+1+4, he will have 15. To do a montinho, a player must have a card that matches with any card on the middle of the table to do 15.
Deck
Escova is played with Spanish playing cards. But, it can be played with the Anglo-American one. If played with the Anglo-American one, the 8, 9 and the 10 should be removed. Escova has no coringas.
Card values
Most of cards have the same value of the number. These cards are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The rest of cards have different values:
Ace, As = 1
Jack = 8
Horse = 9
King = 10
Since the special card in the Spanish 40 cards suit is the caballo while there is no Queen it is recommended to use the Queen for the caballo if no Spanish card deck is available.
Play
Each player receives 3 cards. And other 4 cards go to the middle of the table, where all players can catch up. The player at the right of the one that shuffled the cards start the game.
Layout
At the start of the game, there are four cards on the table. If the player does not have any card to make 15, he places one of his cards on the middle of the table. When the cards of all players finish, a re-deal is made. When the stock exhausts, the owner of them is the last player that made an escova or a montinho.
Diamonds
The diamond is the "super-suit" of escova. So the players should always try to collect the majority of diamond cards, specially the 7♦, called sete belo and worth 1 point.
