Pick how many play and deal in. Open with 40 points, go out first, stay under 101.
Scala 40
Pick how many play and deal in. Open with 40 points, go out first, stay under 101.
Scala 40
Card games · Open with 40 points, add to any meld and go out before Hops.
Play Scala 40 free online against Hops: the Italian rummy game for two to four players with two decks and four jokers. Open with 40 points, add to any meld on the table, swap jokers for the real card and go out first. Reach 101 and you're out, so every hand counts. Press Teach me and Hops will show the best move, or play online against friends.
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How to play
- Each player gets 13 cards from two decks plus four jokers. One card starts the discard pile.
- On your turn draw from the deck, or take the top discard if you can use it at once (to open, or in a meld once you have opened).
- Your first lay-down must be worth 40 points or more in one go: sets of 3–4 cards of one rank in different suits, or runs of 3+ cards in one suit. Aces are low or high, never both (Q-K-A works, K-A-2 doesn't). Ace 11 (1 in A-2-3), face cards 10, a joker counts as the card it replaces.
- Once you've opened you may add cards to any meld on the table, even your opponents', lay down new melds, and swap a joker for the real card it stands for (you keep the joker).
- End your turn with a discard. Empty your hand to go out. The others add up the cards they hold (Ace 11, face cards 10, joker 25, 100 if they never opened). At 101 you're out; the last one standing wins.
Tips to win
- Count your points before you open: 40 is easier with a set of high cards (three Kings is 30) plus a run.
- Don't open too early with a bare 40: a bigger hand lets you lay off more cards at once and go out sooner.
- Keep jokers for runs and sets you can't finish: they are worth 25 against you if you're caught holding them.
- Take the discard when it lets you open or finishes a meld; taking it just to see isn't allowed.
- Swap a joker out of a meld as soon as you hold the real card: it gives you a wild card to use.
- Throw high cards you can't use early: Aces and Kings left in hand are expensive.
- Learning? Press Teach me: Hops shows whether to draw or take the discard, what to open with and what to throw. Coached games are practice and don't count as wins.
Guides
Questions
How do you play Scala 40?
Two to four players get 13 cards each from two decks plus four jokers. You draw or take the top discard, lay down melds (sets of one rank in different suits, or runs in one suit), and discard. Your first lay-down must reach 40 points. The first to empty their hand wins the hand; the others score the cards they hold, and a player reaching 101 is out.
Why is it called Scala 40?
Scala means ladder or run, and 40 is the points you need to open. The game is a classic rummy from Italy.
Can I add to my opponents' melds?
Yes, once you have opened you may add cards to any meld on the table, whoever laid it down.
What does a joker do?
It stands in for any card, one per meld. If you hold the real card it replaced, you can swap it into the meld and take the joker for yourself.
How is a hand scored?
The player who goes out scores 0. Everyone else adds the cards left in hand: Ace 11, 10 and face cards 10, other cards face value, joker 25. A player who never opened gets 100 instead. Reach 101 and you are out.