Escoba: make 15 and sweep the table

About Escoba

2 to 4 players: with two or three, it's every player for themselves; with four, it's two teams, with partners sitting across from each other. The deck has 40 cards, with no 8s, 9s or 10s. To make 15, the ace counts as 1, the queen as 8, the jack as 9 and the king as 10; 2s through 7s count at face value. Everyone gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table; once everyone has played theirs, the dealer deals 3 more to each player, until the deck runs out. If the 4 table cards already add up to 15 (or 30), the dealer takes all four and scores 1 escoba (or 2). On your turn, play one card: if it makes 15 with one or more table cards, you capture them along with it; if there's more than one way, you choose. Capturing isn't required, and your card can stay on the table. But if it could have made 15 and you left it there, the next player can take that 15 at the start of their turn and then play as usual. Capturing every card on the table is an ESCOBA, and each escoba is worth 1 point. At the end of the round, whatever is left on the table goes to the last player who captured (it isn't an escoba), and points also go to whoever took the most cards (1 point; 2 if every opponent has fewer than 10), the most diamonds (1; 2 for all 10), the most sevens (1; 3 for all four, which already includes the point for the seven of diamonds) and the seven of diamonds (1). If there's a tie in any of these, nobody scores. The host picks whether the game goes to 21 or 31 points; if more than one player reaches the target in the same round, the highest score wins, and a tie at the top means one more round. Each player picks the deck design they see, from the Kingdom's four base decks. The table stays saved on the site: you don't all have to play at the same time, the game tells you when it's your turn, and anyone who opens the link after the game has started can watch. There's text chat and a rematch right there at the same table; with four, you can keep the teams or swap them.

In Selminha's words

“Escoba is a game for family tables and park benches: you learn it in one round, and from then on you can't stop adding up to 15 in your head. I wanted our own table for it, with the official rules and teams when there are four of you, plus bots for when you're short on players.”

How to play Escoba

1. Pick how many points the game goes to (21 or 31) and your deck, then tap OPEN A TABLE. Enter your name, tap CREATE INVITE and COPY the link. Send it to up to three people, or tap ADD A BOT on the open seats.
2. With at least two seated, the host taps START THE GAME (empty seats sit that game out). With all four seated, the host first picks a partner: the other two make up the other team.
3. On your turn, tap a card in your hand: it pops up, and the table lights up the cards that make 15 with it (if there's only one way, it's already marked). Tap the table cards you want to capture, then tap your card again, or CAPTURE. Dragging your card onto the table plays it too.
4. With no 15, or if you'd rather not capture, tap LEAVE ON TABLE. If the player before you left a 15 on the table, TAKE THE 15 shows up: take it before you play your card.
5. At the end of each round, the board shows everyone's escobas, cards, diamonds, sevens and seven of diamonds, plus the score; any player taps NEXT ROUND. The chat sits in the right-hand column (on phones, behind the chat button). P or Esc opens the menu (the table keeps going); M toggles sound.

Full rules for Escoba
More games to play with friends online

The rules

The deck

40 cards, no 8s, 9s or 10s. To make 15: ace 1, 2 through 7 at face value, queen 8, jack 9 and king 10.

The deal

3 cards each and 4 face up on the table. Once everyone has played all 3, the dealer deals 3 more to each player, until the deck runs out. If the 4 table cards add up to 15 or 30, the dealer takes them all and scores 1 or 2 escobas.

Your turn

Play one card: it captures the table cards that add up to 15 with it (if there's more than one way, you choose). With no 15, or if you'd rather not capture, it stays on the table.

The 15 left behind

If a card that could have made 15 was left on the table, the next player can take that 15 at the start of their turn and then play as usual.

Escoba

Capturing every card on the table: 1 point, even on the last play of the round. Whatever is left on the table at the end of the round goes to the last player who captured, with no escoba.

Scoring each round

Escobas

1 point each.

Cards

Most cards captured: 1 point; 2 if every opponent has fewer than 10.

Diamonds

Most diamonds: 1 point; 2 for all 10.

Sevens

Most sevens: 1 point; 3 for all four, which already includes the point for the seven of diamonds.

Seven of diamonds

Whoever captured it: 1 point.

Ties

If there's a tie in any of these, nobody scores.

Controls on phone and computer

Computer

Tap or click a card in your hand to pick it, then the table cards you want to capture, then your card again to play it, or drag it onto the table · use the CAPTURE, LEAVE ON TABLE and TAKE THE 15 buttons · ← → arrows browse your hand, ↑ jumps to the buttons and ↓ back to your cards; with a card picked, ↓ marks another 15 · Enter picks and plays · P or Esc opens the menu · M sound · F full screen · compatible controller: the D-pad browses cards and buttons, A or X picks and plays, Start menu, Back sound.

Touch

On phones the game plays in portrait; on tablets it adapts to the way you hold the device, portrait or landscape, and never asks you to rotate. Your hand sits large at the bottom; CAPTURE, LEAVE ON TABLE and RESIGN sit right above it. Invite with the COPY button: paste the link wherever you like (a chat, a message…).

The host's choices

Points

The game goes to 21 or 31. If more than one player reaches the target in the same round, the highest score wins; a tie at the top means one more round.

Who plays

2 to 4: with two or three, every player for themselves; with four, two teams, and the host picks a partner. For the rematch, you can keep the teams or swap them.