Objective of the Game

Scala 40 is an Italian card game, somewhat similar to Rummy games. The objective is to be the first player to lay down all your cards by forming sets or sequences. The player with the fewest points at the end of the game wins.

Equipment

The game is played with two standard decks of cards, making a total of 108 cards. The cards have the following values: - Aces to Tens are worth their respective number (Ace = 1, Two = 2, etc.). - Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King) are each worth 10 points.

Game Setup

1. Shuffle the cards well.
2. Each player draws a card; the player with the highest card is the dealer.
3. The dealer deals 13 cards to each player.
4. The remaining cards form the "draw pile", placed face down on the table.
5. The top card of the draw pile is flipped over to start the discard pile.

Gameplay

The game is played clockwise. The player to the right of the dealer starts.

1. Draw a Card: Each player begins their turn by drawing either the top card of the discard pile or the draw pile.
2. Lay Down Cards: The player may lay down cards on the table by forming a set (three or four cards of the same rank in different suits) or a sequence (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit).
3. Adding Cards: Once combinations are on the table, a player may add cards to these combinations.
4. Discard: At the end of their turn, the player must discard one card to the discard pile.

Special Rules

• Opening: A player can only lay cards on the table if they achieve a total of at least 40 points with their laid-down cards. Until this condition is met, they may only draw and discard cards.
• Joker: Jokers can substitute for any other card but only one Joker per combination is allowed.

End of the Game

The game ends when a player lays down all their cards. The points from the remaining cards of the other players are recorded. The game is played over several rounds until a player reaches a pre-set score (e.g., 100). The player with the fewest points wins the game.

Strategic Tips

• Save Jokers for valuable combinations as their versatility is crucial.
• Watch the discard pile card of your left neighbor as it gives clues about what they are collecting.
• Balance gathering cards for a bigger opening and the risk of keeping too many points in hand.

Enjoy playing Scala 40!