Card Game 101 #16: Canasta

Canasta is a rummy-style card game that is typically played by four players. Be the first to reach 5000 points to win! Read on to learn the basics of the card game Canasta.

✔ Two 54-card decks (with two jokers in each deck)

✔ 4 players

First of all, choose the dealer. The dealer can be selected by the players themselves, or using the following method:

- Each player draws one card from the deck. The player who draws the highest number gets to deal (for this purpose, count aces as 1, jacks as 11, queens as 12, and kings/jokers as 13). If two or more players tie for the highest number drawn, have the tying players re-draw from the deck.

Each player is then dealt 11 cards, one card at a time. The remaining deck is placed into the middle and the top card is flipped up to start the discard pile.

Canasta is played with four players divided into two opposing teams, with teammates sitting across from each other. The objective is to be the first team to reach 5000 points. Points can be scored from melds and red 3s, as well as going out.

The player to the left of the dealer plays first. If a player has a red 3 in their hand, or if a red 3 is drawn at any point during the round, it will be played onto the table immediately and another card is drawn to replace it.

Each player's turn starts by drawing one card. The top card of the discard pile may be drawn if a player is able to either meld it or add it to an existing meld.

A meld is three or more cards of the same rank. 2s and jokers are wild cards and can have any value. However, a meld may never have more wild cards than natural cards.

If the player melds the top card of the discard pile, they will get all other cards in the discard pile. A player must draw from the draw deck if the top card of the discard pile cannot be melded. Players are not obliged to draw from the discard pile - they may draw from the deck even if the top card of the discard pile can be melded.

Then, the player will lay down any melds they have in their hand. The cards have the following point values:

✔ Jokers: 50 points

✔ Aces and 2s: 20 points

✔ Kings to 8s: 10 points

✔ 7s to 4s: 5 points

✔ Black 3s: 5 points

The first melds by a team must have at least 50 total card points. After a team reaches 1500 game points, their first melds must have at least 90 total card points. After a team reaches 3000 game points, their first melds must have at least 120 total card points. If multiple melds are laid down in the same turn, the total point value comes from all those melds.

After a player has drawn and melded, they will end their turn by discarding a card. If a black 3 is discarded, the discard pile is blocked and players can no longer draw from it. A wild card "freezes" the discard pile and is placed horizontally on the discard pile. Players cannot draw from the frozen discard pile unless they are able to make a natural meld (with no wild cards) with the top card. The top card of a frozen discard pile may not be used to add to an existing meld.

A player may end the round if and only if their team has a meld of seven cards (called a "canasta"). If a player from a team with a canasta ends their turn with no cards left in hand, the round is over.

Teams score points as follows:

✔ Points are scored from melds and deducted for the cards left in hand, using the point values listed above.

✔ For each natural canasta (with no wild cards), 500 points are scored. For each mixed canasta (with wild cards), 300 points are scored.

✔ For each red 3, 100 points are scored. If a team has all four red 3s, they will score 800 points.

- However, if a team has no melds at the end of a round, they will get points deducted for red 3s instead.

✔ 100 points are scored for going out.

The first team to 5000 points wins the game.

✔ If a red 3 or a black 3 is flipped up from the discard pile during setup, another card will be flipped over.

✔ If a wild card is flipped up from the discard pile during setup, it is placed horizontally, freezing the discard pile.

✔ You are permitted to have melds of more than seven cards, but you will only score points for seven cards and extra points may only be scored from the cards added later.

✔ Black 3s may be melded when going out.

The next blog in this series will be about the card game Palace. Expect it to come within a week.

Thanks for reading!