How to play broom, rules of this popular card game, necessary decks, number of players and foreplay for a game.
Origins of the game of the broom
The broom is a typical Italian game dating back to around the 15th century.
It is played in all the regions in the different variants, among which the scientific scopone, the fifteen broom, the Ax broom, the naughty or bona are distinguished. Also in Greece, Turkey, France and Spain there are games similar to that of the broom, perhaps imported from our peninsula.
The name of this game derives from the fact that one of the necessary moves to obtain the victory, consists precisely in sweeping the deck of all the cards that are in it, taking them with one of their own cards which acts, in this case, as a broom.
Deck of cards
A broom is played with a normal Italian deck of 40 cards. The 40 cards will be made up of four groups of cards of different suits, cups, money, sticks and swords, of 10 cards each.
Each group will have an ace, a 2, a 3, a 4, a 5, a 6, a 7 and three figures.
It will also be possible to use a deck of French cards by removing the jokers, the 8, the 9 and the 10. The latter will be replaced by the figures of the horse, the woman and the king.
Players
The broom can be played in two or four. In the second case, the players come together in two pairs.
The formation of the pairs can be formed according to the pleasure of the participants, or by following different methods, such as the extraction of the highest card or two cards of the same suit.
The two players from each pair will sit facing each other at the same table.
preliminaries
The cards are shuffled thoroughly and then dealt by the dealer or cartaro, that is, by a player chosen to perform this function.
To choose the dealer there are various ways, besides of course the one in which the players agree among themselves.
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One of the methods is the draw.
For example, after choosing a card by mutual agreement, one of the players deals one card face up to each of the participants, counterclockwise and including himself, the one to whom the chosen card will fall in front, will be the predestined.
At this point, the dealer, once the cards are shuffled, hands the deck to the player on his right.
He "raises" or "cuts" the deck, that is, he removes some cards, at least three, which he then lays on the table next to the deck.
With the cards that the player has not raised, the dealer covers the others, then takes the recomposed deck in his hand and begins the deal by delivering three cards to each player including himself, and placing four, face up, on the table.
Whenever all four players, including him, have played all three of their cards, it will be up to the dealer to deal the cards again to each player throughout the game, without putting the four cards back on the table, which occurs only in the first hand.
Score
For the purposes of scoring, "gold" means all the cards of money or, if you are playing with a French deck, those of diamonds.
- The pair that at the end of the game will have at least 6 or more golds, that is more than half of the 10 in the deck, will score one point.
- A point goes to the pair who manages to accumulate more than 20 cards, that is more than half of the cards that make up the deck.
If both pairs have, at the end of the game, the same number of golds and cards respectively, it is customary to say that they have "negotiated" or that "has gone a draw", that is, that they have gone even. In this case, the point will not be awarded.
- A point goes to the couple who conquered the settebello, that is the 7 denarii card.
- A point goes to the pair who made the "primer", that is, who, among the players, is in possession at the end of the game, of four cards of different suits and of the same value, who add more points than any quartets of the other players.
The concept of primrose originates from a card game called prime or primero, widespread in Spain since the 16th century. This game had at the base the same score that is used today for the calculation of the primer in the broom and in the scientific scopone.
For the purposes of the first course, the score is as follows:
- 7 is worth 21 points
- 6 is worth 18 points
- The ace is worth 16 points
- 5 is worth 15 points
- The 4 is worth 14 points
- The 3 is worth 13 points
- The 2 is worth 12 points
- Each figure is worth 10 points.
From this table it is clear that whoever holds the number greater than 7 and, secondarily, 6, will score more points.
For this reason, great attention must be paid to playing the 7 and 6. For example, if there is a 4 and a 2 on the table and we have a 6 in hand, it will be better to resist the temptation to take them, because later on in the game it can happen on the table a nice 6, and therefore by letting two of them come into the deck, there will be more chances to make the point of primer.
In some Italian regions it is customary to reward with a point even those who own, at the end of the game, the king of money, or paintings, called the "rebello".
How to make a broom
The first player plays one of his cards by picking up one of the four cards from the table, taking a card of the same value, or two or more cards whose values, added together, exactly match the value of the card he is playing.
The played card and the collected card or cards form the pack of cards that the player holds face down in front of him.
If, on the other hand, among the cards that the player has in hand, there is not one that allows him to take any of the cards that are on the table, then he must place one of his next to them, possibly by lowering a card that you prepare one trick in the next round.
It is good to be careful not to drop on the table cards that allow the opponent a good grip, for example, if there are a 4, a 5 and a woman on the table, it is good not to play a 2, because the opponents could take the 5 and 2 with the precious card of 7, maybe the settebello.
In general it is better not to put on the table and leave the lowest value cards, and cards whose sum is equal to 7.
Instead the numeric or nominal value of the kings is the maximum, even if it is not for the purposes of scoring, therefore they represent an excellent antidote against brooms, as they cannot be taken through the sum of their numerical value with other cards.
You make a broom when, with one of your cards, you take the card or all the cards that are on the table.
To report this, put the card that allowed you to make a broom, face up, under your bunch.
The cards that remain on the table at the end of the hand are taken by the player who made the last trick.
The game, which includes multiple hands, is won by the one who reaches 11, 21 or 31 points first, depending on what was established at the start of the game.
This is why the rule of "calling out" is accepted, that is: the player who, mentally counting, believes he has reached the score necessary for the victory, has the right to stop the game by saying, I am called out, proclaiming himself, so, winner.
