Summary
Introduction

Rules of the game

How to play

Few words about Naples

License agreement

How to register


Introduction

Welcome to SCOPA, a traditional Neapolitan game. People have played it for centuries, first in the Reign of the two Sicilies and then in Italy, and now you can play it against your computer.

This is an easy game: it is often played by children and I think that it is also an educational game because of simple mathematics involved in it.

SCOPA is distributed as expensesware, so you can evaluate it for a short period of time (you can decide how long, I'm not a fuss-pot). If you enjoy yourself and you  continue to use it,  you should register.

Please, read license agreement before using the software


Expensesware
that is, you get the software, you try it  and, if you like it,  you should register sending me a symbolic contribution to my expenses. In this case the contribution required is (only) 1$ (or its equivalent in your currency) and your comments about the game (few lines of text) .

Thank you in advance !!


Rules of the game

The game is simple to learn and has few rules.

Neapolitan cards are 40. In a match, each player gets 3 cards at each of the 6 rounds; the remaining 4 are on the table at the beginning of the match.

The players play their cards alternately, getting the cards on the table whose sum is equal to the value of the card played. The king is equal to 10, the knight is 9, the knave 8. The player can't  get more cards if there is a card, on the table, equal in value to the card played.

At the end of the match, players count their cards and points are assigned.

The player who first collects eleven points wins the game; a game is done of several matches. In each match players collect some points. Points can be gained in 5 ways:

Scopa

It occurs when a player gets, by mean of the card he has played, all cards that were on the table. There is an exception: the last card of the match can never get "scopa", even if that card gets all cards on the table;

Carte

It means cards; this point is assigned to the player who, at the end of the match, collects the greatest number of cards;

Carte denari

It means money cards; same as above, but a greater number of money cards (of course money is the seed of the cards);

Primiera

The players take the best card for each seed: the hierarchy of the cards is 7, 6, "asso" (1), 5, 4, 3, 2, "figure" (cards with men on it, like king). The player who collects the best cards gains one point;

Settoro

It means 7 money; the player who collects this card gains one point.


How to play

The software is simple and you can play without knowing the rules of the game: all you have to do is pushing new game button, clicking on the card you want to play and, when you want to play it, pushing the play button.

When you click on a card, you can see a red border that signals you  have selected that card; if you can see a red border around one or more cards on the table it means that you could get them by playing the card selected. If you click several times on a card of yours, and there are on the table several combinations of cards you could get, you will cycle among them. When you have decided about the combination you want, push play button.

At the end of the match it will appear the score window, that shows you match and total score. To return to the game DON'T push new game button but click instead on the main window. Each time you click the new game button a new game will start, even if the previous is not over.

If your computer has a sound card, you can hear the typical noises and voices of a match, plus a traditional Neapolitan song, "Funiculì funiculà", that plays when you start the application.


Few words about Naples

Many people know Naples as the land of pizza, songs, mandolino and spaghetti. This is true, but not all.

When you come to Naples you can find all you have ever looked for: beautiful islands like Capri and Ischia, attractive places like Amalfi and Sorrento with their coasts as well as Vesuvius volcano and Campi Flegrei, and the famous gulf of Naples.

Besides its natural beauties, Naples has a long history that has left its trace under the form of ancient ruins, castles, churches, palaces. In the center of the city there are the ruins of the ancient Greeks city, many churches full of works of art, medieval castles, squares, parks; on the surroundings, the ruins of Pompei and Ercolano, ancient Romans holiday places (once called "Campania felix" and visited by rich citizens of Roma who came here attracted by its beauty), the royal palace of Caserta and Capodimonte.

It surely deserves a visit. I suggest you to plan your next holidays in this unique, beautiful city.


License agreement

TERM:
The license to use this program is effective until terminated and is non-transferable.  You may terminate the license by destroying all copies of this program.  Failure to comply with any of the terms of this license will also result in termination.

WARRANTY:
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY  EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.
In addition, the author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to defects in the program license granted herein.  In no event shall the author be liable for any claims for lost profits or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damage.


How to register

This product is expensesware.

The registration fee is only 1$, or equivalent in your currency, plus a short comment about the program. To register, send them in a closed envelope to:

Thank you in advance!!