The game of every Italian Christmas table
Between Christmas Eve and Epiphany, Italian families play tombola: someone draws numbers from 1 to 90, everyone covers them on their cards, and the table shouts for every small win.
Here the computer draws the numbers and prints the cards. Under each number drawn you see its meaning from the smorfia napoletana, the old Neapolitan list where 33 is the years of Christ and 90 is fear.
Check any card by its number for the five prizes: ambo, terno, quaterna, cinquina and tombola.
How to play
Print the cards first, then start calling.
Choose how many cards to print and hand one to each player; every card has a number.
Press Call for each number, or turn on Auto call; read the smorfia out loud.
When someone claims a prize, type their card number to check it.
What is in the game
Everything you need at the table.
- Numbers 1 to 90 drawn fairly, with no repeats
- The smorfia napoletana meaning for every number, in Italian
- Up to 60 printable cards of three rows and fifteen numbers
- Card checks for ambo, terno, quaterna, cinquina and tombola
- A board of every number drawn so far
- Automatic calling and an optional voice
- An undo for the number called by mistake
Made for
Any table between Christmas and Epiphany.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve with the family.
Italian lessons in December.
A tombola night at a club or a parish.
Families abroad keeping the tradition.
A video call with relatives in Italy.
How the draw works
Each number is chosen by a secure random generator from those not drawn yet, so every number comes out exactly once.
The cards come from the game code: the same code always prints the same cards, so you can check any card by its number.
Good to know
The smorfia is shown in Italian, the way it is read at the table.
The game keeps no money and takes no bets: prizes are whatever the family agrees on.
Printed cards belong to the current game; a new game prints new cards.
Tips for the table
- Let the youngest player read out the smorfia; it is half the fun.
- Agree on the prizes before the first number: sweets, coins or chores.
- Use beans or dried pasta to cover the numbers, as Italian families do.
Tombola questions
What are ambo, terno, quaterna and cinquina?
Two, three, four and five numbers covered on the same row of one card. Tombola is the whole card.
What is the smorfia?
The smorfia napoletana is a traditional list that gives every number from 1 to 90 a meaning, used for tombola and for reading dreams.
How is tombola different from bingo?
The cards are like 90-ball bingo, but there are prizes for two, three and four on a row, and the numbers come with the smorfia.
Can I print the cards?
Yes. Choose up to 60 cards and print them; each has a number you can check later.
Is the draw fair?
Yes. A secure random generator picks each number from those still in the bag.