Description

Cicera bigia or Ciccia or even Ciccera, is a card game closely related to the more common card game of "scopa" (broom). Cicera is played mainly in the province of Brescia (northern Italy). Cicera is a traditional game, with many local variants and an unspecific origin, so there isn't a standard set of rules, but there are many local or familiar differences, though the core rules are always the same.
To be able to play this game the specific deck of cards of brescia, which consist of 52 card (and not 40, as its common in other italian decks). The available cards are king, knight, knave, 10, 9,8,7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, ace(1). It's also possible to play with a standard french/international deck (taking out the jokers).

Preparation and goal:
You play with four players (but there is also a 2 player variant), in pairs, two against two, each sitting in front of his partner. Every player has an hand of 12 cards, the remaining 4 cards are put face up on the middle of the table. The dealer is initially chosen at random, but after each hand, the dealer turn passes to the person who is at his left hand (clockwise).
The first pair that reaches 51 (sometimes 41, 31 or 21) or more points at the end of the game wins. If both pairs reach 51 in the same hand the highest score wins.

The game:
The player to dealer's left plays first, and continue until you play all the cards in the players's hands.
A turn consists of playing one card from their hand on the table, face-up, and clearly visible, which can take (or not take) one or more cards placed on the table itself.
If the value of the card played matches that of a card (or a sum of cards) placed on the table, the cards on the table can be taken and put face down in front of you, to be scored at the end of the game.
The numeric cards from 1 to 10 have a value equal to the value of the card itself and can take 1 card of the same value or more than 1 card, but the sum of these cards must have a value equal to the played card.
The faces (king, knight, knave) can take only another card of the same face.
You can choose freely the card to play, you are also free to choose to take card(s) or not, and you can also choose which cards to take, as long as the values match.
After playing all the cards, the last player who has taken cards also takes all the cards remaining on the table.

The scoring system:
At the end of the game the players of a couple put together their own cards.
There are 6 points that are always assigned, each to one or the other player or pair, regardless of the conduct of the game (the so-called "Honours").
All the other points may or may not be assigned depending on the progress of the game.
Cards (2 points): The pair that takes more than half of the cards gets 2 points, in case of a tie (26 to 26) every pair gets one point.
Swords (1 point): The pair that takes more than half (7) of the cards of the swords gain 1 point.
Good cards (1 point for card): The 2 of swords, the knave of cups and the ten of coins are worth 1 point each.
Neapolitan(or Naples): If a couple takes the ace, two and three of swords, they get a number of points equal to the highest card of the swords captured which is present in an unbroken sequence of cards of swords: for example, if you made the following outlets: A-2-3-4-5 and 7 of swords, the score will be 5 because 5 is the highest card of the sequence uninterrupted.

You can also score points during the rounds (traditionally you keep track of this point by placing a face up card in front of you, while the card taken are normally face down):

Scopa (Broom): You realize 1 point when you leave the middle of the table empty of cards.
Picchiata (Hit) or Surprise: You realize 1 point for Hit if you play a card of the same value just played by the previous player (and take the two cards of the same value).
Similar: It produces 1 point if the card played and taken are all of the same suit and if their number is more than 3.
Quadrille: You realize 1 point for a quadrille if you play a card that takes a group of three or more cards (not necessarily of the same suit) from the table.

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