Canasta

The distinctive feature of Canasta, as opposed to other Rummy games, is that making a seven-card meld, called a canasta, gives the player a huge bonus, and the number of canastas made usually decides the game. Another distinctive feature is that in Canasta, when a player picks up cards from the discard pile, the player picks up the entire pile, as opposed to only the top card in most other Rummy games (but see also 500 Rum).

These differences in rules produce differences in play. Whereas in ordinary Rummy, the goal is to go out fast, and having cards in your hand is generally bad, the goal in Canasta is to build canastas, which requires many cards, and thus picking up the pile is usually advantageous to the player.

Card Values

Each card has a function and a value that is used throughout the game.

• Joker: Wild card. Worth 50 points
• Deuce (2): Wild card. Worth 20 points
• Ace: Natural card. Worth 20 points
• Red 3: Worth bonus points at the end
• Black 3: Worth 5 points
• 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K: Natural card. Worth 10 points
• 4, 5, 6, 7: Natural card. Worth 5 points

Setup

The classic game is played with four players in two teams of two, although variations exist for 2-6 players. If playing with a partner, sit across from them.

Use two complete decks, including the jokers to make a shuffled 108 card deck. Deal out 11 cards to each player and place the remaining cards face down on the table to form the draw pile. Take the top card from the draw pile and place it face up on the table to start the discard pile. If that card is a joker, a deuce or a red three, turn over another card. Repeat as necessary. Any player who was dealt a red three must place them face up in front of themselves and draw an equal number of cards to replace them.

Meld

A meld is a collection of at least 3 cards of the same rank. A meld must contain at least 2 natural cards and at most 3 wild cards. A canasta is a meld with 7 or more cards.

A black three cannot be melded except when going out at the end of the game.

If a partnership has not yet played any melds, the first meld they play must meet a minimum point tally based on their current cumulative score. For 0-1495 points the minimum initial meld is 50 points. For 1500-2995 it's 90 and over 3000 is 120. If the team score is negative there is no minimum initial meld requirement. The initial meld must also use at least 2 natural cards from the players hand.

Play

On a player's turn, they may draw a card into their hand, or pick up the entire discard pile if possible. To pick up the discard pile, the player must be able to use the top card in an existing meld or in a new meld combined with at least 2 cards from their hand. If the discard pile is frozen (see below) then it can only be taken by playing the top card with 2 natural cards from your hand.

If a red three is drawn, it must be immediately placed in front of the player and a new card drawn.

After drawing or taking the discard pile the player then plays any melds that they wish.

The player then discards one card to end their turn. If they discard a black three, it prevents the next player from taking the discard pile. If they discard a wild card, then this freezes the pile. Place the wild card at a right angle sticking out so you can see that it is frozen. It will be frozen for all players and can now only be taken if the top card is used with 2 natural cards from the player's hand.

Going Out and Scoring

To end the game, a player must goes out by playing or discarding all of their cards. This can only be done if the partnership has at least 1 canasta (a meld with 7 or more cards). If your partnership has no canastas yet, then it is illegal to go out. You must retain at least 1 card in your hand at the end of your turn.

Once a player has legally gone out, you can tally the score based on the value of the cards melded by each partnership. Subtract points for any cards that remain in each player's hand. Add bonus points:

• +100 For going out.
• +100 If when going out, the player had previously played zero cards.
• +300 For each mixed canasta (contains wild cards).
• +500 For each natural canasta (no wild cards).
• +100 For each red three
• +400 For having all four red threes

If a partnership has no canasta when the other team goes out, then the bonus points for red threes are counted as negative points instead.