How to play Escoba
Escoba — Escoba de 15, Spain's beloved cousin of Italian Scopa — is a fishing game: you capture cards from the table by combining them with one card from your hand to sum exactly 15. It is played with a 40-card deck, ranks ace to 10 in every suit, each worth its face value. Diamonds stand in for the Spanish oros (coins), the deck's money suit.
- The deal — everyone gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table. When hands empty, 3 more are dealt each until the deck is gone. If the opening table itself sums to 15 (or 30), the dealer sweeps it at once for one (or two) escobas.
- Your turn — play exactly one card, by clicking it or dragging it to the table. If it can make 15 with table cards, the capture happens; when several combinations exist, you pick which cards to take. A card that cannot capture is laid on the table for others to fish.
- Capturing is mandatory — the card you play must capture if it can. You may hold a capturing card back by playing a different one, but you can never discard a card that makes 15.
- Escoba! — clear the whole table with one capture and you score a bonus point. The swept pile glows to keep the count.
- The round ends — when the deck and hands run out, whoever captured last takes the leftover table cards. Then the round is scored: escobas (1 each), most cards (1), most coins ♦ (1 — or 2 for all ten), the seven of coins (1), and most sevens (1 — or 2 for all four). First to end a round on 21+ points, ahead of everyone, wins; ties play on.
Escoba strategy tips
- Count to 15 before you discard. Every discard changes the table total. Never leave a table summing 5–14 if you can help it — any single card worth the difference sweeps it for an escoba. Pushing the table above 14 is the safest parking spot.
- Fight for the guindis. The 7♦ is worth a point by itself and counts toward sevens, coins and cards — up to four categories from one capture. Take any capture that includes it, and never discard it while you have a choice.
- Sevens and coins beat raw cards. When you choose between capture combinations of equal size, prefer the one with sevens and diamonds. The cards point is one point; the suit and rank points stack up faster.
- Remember what is gone. Only 40 cards exist and all captures are public. If three sevens are buried in piles, the last one decides the sevens point — plan your captures around it.
- Mind the dealer's last say. The last capture of the round takes everything left on the table. Near the end, a small capture that makes you the last capturer can quietly swing the cards and coins points.
- Bait with low cards. Discarding an ace or two rarely builds a 15 for your opponent immediately, while tens and nines make the table dangerous. When forced to feed the table, feed it small.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Escoba de 15?
Escoba uses a 40-card deck (ranks ace to 10 in every suit; every card is worth its face value). Each player gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table. On your turn you play exactly one card: if it can combine with table cards to sum exactly 15 you capture them; otherwise you add your card to the table. When hands are empty, 3 fresh cards are dealt to everyone until the deck runs out, and the last player who captured takes whatever remains on the table. Rounds are scored and the first player to finish a round on 21 or more points, ahead of everyone else, wins.
What is an escoba and how much is it worth?
An escoba ("broom" in Spanish) is a capture that sweeps the table completely clean. Each escoba is worth one point at the end of the round. If the four cards dealt to the table at the start of a round already sum to 15, the dealer captures them immediately for an escoba — and two escobas if they sum to 30.
Do I have to capture in Escoba?
You are never forced to play a particular card, but if the card you choose to play can make a capture, you must capture with it — you may not simply discard it to the table. If you want to hold a combination back, play a different card that has no capture instead.
How does scoring work in Escoba?
At the end of each round: every escoba is worth 1 point; most cards captured is 1 point; most coins (diamonds) is 1 point, or 2 points for capturing all ten; the seven of coins (the guindis, 7 of diamonds) is 1 point; and most sevens is 1 point, or 2 for all four sevens — 3 points in total with the guindis included. Ties in a category score nothing.
Why is the seven of coins so important?
The 7 of diamonds — the siete de velo or guindis — is the only single card worth a dedicated point every round. It also counts toward three other categories at once: most sevens, most coins and most cards. Capturing it swings up to four categories in your favor, so fight for it.
How many players can play Escoba?
This version supports 2, 3 or 4 players, just like the classic game — you against one, two or three computer opponents. The deal always comes out even: the 36 cards left after the opening deal are exactly enough for full 3-card hands all the way to the end.
More free card games
Enjoy the fishing? Try Go Fish for a lighter catch, or match sets and runs in Gin Rummy and Rummy.