How to Play Escoba

Play a card and sweep up table cards that add up to 15.

Also known as Escoba de quince · Escoba del 15 · La Escoba

👥 2–4 players · Easy difficulty

Learn Escoba for 2–4 players: the 40-card Spanish deck, captures that make exactly 15, escobas and the five kinds of point. Work through one capture, then play in your browser.

A 6 with two ways to make 15

6♠7♦2♥4♠5♣

The table shows 7♦, 2♥, 4♠ and 5♣. You play the 6♠, which needs 9 more: it can take 7♦ and 2♥, or 4♠ and 5♣. Take shows each capture in turn; choose 7♦ and 2♥, since the 7 of oros is a point on its own and counts towards most oros and most sevens. The 4♠ and 5♣ stay, and the next player clears them with a 6 for an escoba.

Four plays with the 40-card deck
Situation	Result
6♠ played on 7♦, 2♥, 4♠, 5♣	Two captures make 15: 7♦ + 2♥ or 4♠ + 5♣; you must take one
You take 7♦ and 2♥	The 7 of oros, an oro and a seven go to your pile; 4♠ and 5♣ stay
Next player holds a 6	6 + 4 + 5 = 15 clears the table: an escoba, 1 point
A rey (10) played on the empty table	Nothing to capture: the rey is laid on the table
Last card of the deal, cards still on the table	The last player who captured takes them, without an escoba

Oros are shown as ♦ in the app. At the end of the deal count 1 point per escoba and 1 each for most cards, most oros, the 7 of oros and most sevens; a tie in a category scores for nobody, and the first side to the target, 21 by default, wins.

Practise this game in your browser

🎯 Objective

Be the first player or partnership to reach the target score, 21 by default, over several deals by capturing the right cards and making sweeps.

🃏 Escoba Setup & Rules

The app uses the 40-card Spanish deck shown with French suits: oros (coins) as ♦, copas (cups) as ♥, espadas (swords) as ♠ and bastos (clubs) as ♣, with no 8s, 9s or 10s. Cards 1 to 7 count their face value, the sota (jack) 8, the caballo (queen) 9 and the rey (king) 10.
2 or 3 players play for themselves; with 4, partners sit opposite each other and their captures score together.
Each player gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table. If those 4 cards total 15 the dealer takes them at once as an escoba, and as two escobas if they total 30. The player to the dealer's left goes first.

▶ How to Play Escoba

On your turn, play one card from your hand. If it plus one or more table cards adds up to exactly 15, you take those cards together with the card you played.
A card that can capture must capture. When it can make 15 in more than one way, you choose which capture to take; only a card that takes nothing is laid on the table.
If your capture leaves the table empty, you have made an escoba, worth 1 point. The next player must then play a card onto the empty table.
When everyone has played their 3 cards, the dealer deals 3 more to each player from the stock; no new cards go to the table.
After the final card of the deal is played, the last player who captured takes whatever is left on the table. That does not count as an escoba, and neither does clearing the table with the very last card.
The deal is scored, the deal passes to the left, and play continues until a player or partnership reaches the target.

🎬 Watch: How to Play Escoba

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📖 Detailed Guide

Setting up your table

From the game menu choose Escoba, then pick 2, 3 or 4 seats and fill the empty ones with AI players. With 4 seats, partners sit opposite each other and score together.
Set the target score: 21 by default, with 15 and 31 the usual alternatives; the setup screen accepts any target from 5 to 31.
The 40-card Spanish deck is shown with French suits: ♦ for oros (coins), ♥ for copas, ♠ for espadas and ♣ for bastos. Cards 1 to 7 count their face value, the sota (jack) 8, the caballo (queen) 9 and the rey (king) 10.
Each player gets 3 cards and 4 go face up on the table. If those 4 total 15, the dealer takes them as an escoba at once; if they total 30, as two escobas.

Capturing

Tap a card to raise it: the table cards it would take light up. Play takes them together with the card you played.
A card can take one table card or several: a caballo (9), for example, takes a 6, or a 4 and a 2.
When a card can make 15 in more than one way, Take cycles through the captures and Play takes the one shown. A card that can capture must capture.
Only a card that takes nothing is laid on the table, where it stays face up for anyone to use.

Sweeps and new deals

If your capture leaves the table empty, you have made an escoba, worth 1 point; the next player then has to play onto the empty table.
When everyone has played their 3 cards, the dealer deals 3 more to each player from the stock. No new cards go to the table.
After the final card is played, the last player who captured takes whatever is left on the table, without scoring an escoba.
Clearing the table with the last card of the deal is not an escoba either.

Scoring and winning

Each deal awards 1 point per escoba and 1 point for the most cards captured.
Further points go for the most oros (♦), for the 7 of oros and for the most sevens. A tie in any category gives that point to nobody.
Points are added to your running total after every deal, and the deal passes to the left.
The first player or partnership at or past the target wins; if two sides pass it in the same deal, the higher total wins.

📊 Escoba Scoring

At the end of each deal: 1 point per escoba, and 1 point each for most cards, most oros (♦), the 7 of oros (the siete de velo) and most sevens. A tie in a category scores nothing for anyone. Points accumulate deal by deal, and the first side at or past the target wins: 21 by default, or any target from 5 to 31 set at setup. The app plays 2, 3 or 4 seats; 4 play as two partnerships.

❓ Escoba — Frequently Asked Questions

How many players do you need for Escoba?

Escoba is played with 2–4 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.

How many players can play Escoba in the app?

2, 3 or 4. With 2 or 3 seats everyone plays alone; with 4, partners sit opposite each other and their captures score together.

Do you have to capture in Escoba?

Yes. A card that can make 15 with 1 or more table cards must capture, though you choose which capture when there is more than 1. Only a card that takes nothing is laid on the table.

What counts as an escoba?

Any capture that leaves the table empty, worth 1 point, except at the very end of a deal: the leftovers given to the last capturer and a capture made with the last card are not escobas. If the 4 opening table cards total 15 the dealer takes them as an escoba, and as 2 escobas if they total 30.

How many points do you need to win Escoba?

21 by default. The setup screen lets you choose any target from 5 to 31, with 15 and 31 the usual alternatives. Each deal is worth 1 point per escoba plus up to 4 more for most cards, most oros, the 7 of oros and most sevens, and a tie in a category scores for nobody.