Canasta is a game of cards from the Rummy family. Its goal is to form groups of 3 or more cards of the same value. Groups of 7 identical cards are called Canastas.
The main objective of the game is to meld all cards as soon as possible, to finish the game before the other player or team, and achieve the highest score.
Characteristics
1. Canasta is played with two decks of Poker cards; each deck has 53 cards and two Jokers. It is possible to play a 2 players or a 4 players game. With 4 players, the game is played in couples. The computer decides who draws automatically.
2. The needed score to win the game, is established when you create the table. The most challenging games are up to 5,000 points.
Game Development
1. Eleven cards are dealt to each player (13 cards in 2 player games). The players discard the red threes they have received, taking the corresponding cards from the deck (this is done automatically during the game).
2. Once the cards are dealt, the first card from the deck is taken and placed on the table facing up; this card becomes the first card of the discard pile.
3. The game begins with the first player drawing a card from the deck, or the discard pile in case the player can meld using this card. Then, the player discards a card into the discard pile. Each player in each turn should perform the same action, draw (take) a card from the deck and discard it to the discard pile. Once the player placed a card into the discard pile, he can no longer meld, and the turn of the next player to his/her right begins.
4. When playing with two players, 2 cards in the deck are drawn at every turn instead of 1.
Melding the cards
1. The main objective of the game is to meld as quickly as possible, to end the game before the other players and to achieve the highest score.
2. Melding means putting on the table the cards that match: triplets (three or more identical cards, using wild cards if necessary), and adding the necessary points if it is the initial meld. The value of the card from the discard pile can be used to reach the necessary score, when the player is melding by taking the discard pile.
3. Once the cards are on the table, they cannot return to the player's hand.
Mandatory score
1. To meld for the first time, it is mandatory to meld with a minimum of 50 points; or 90 points if the score of the player or the pair of players is 1500 points or more and with 120 points when the score is 3000 points or more.
2. The value of the Red threes or Canastas that the player has melded are not considered for the count of the mandatory points.
3. Melding is not mandatory, except when you want to take the discard pile.
4. Once one player has melded with the score needed, his/her partner, in the case of a four player’s game, doesn't need to reach the required score to meld or to take the initial discard pile.
Card values
1. The value of the cards is 5 points for the 3, 4,5,6,7; 10 points for the 8,9,10, J, Q, K; 20 points for Aces; 20 points for the 2 (wild card), and 50 points for the Jokers.
Red Threes
1. The Red Three have a special value of 100 points, they are not used at all during the game, and should be placed on the table when you get one and draw another card from the pile.
2. If a player or couple gets the four red threes, they will be assigned 800 points.
3. The Red Threes will be counted as negative points if the player does not make any Canasta before the hand finishes.
Wild Cards
1. The Twos (2) in each suit and the Jokers are wild cards, and they can take the value of any card.
2. They can be used to complete triplets, pairs, to make Canastas (by adding them to exiting melds), and to draw from the discard pile (using one card and one wild card, but only if the pile is not frozen).
3. You can also make groups or Canastas using only Wild Cards in any combination of 2s or Jokers.
4. You cannot take the discard pile using only Wild Cards.
Triplets or Melds
1. The triplets are sets of 3 or more identical cards, with or without corresponding wild cards.
2. Canasta is a meld of at least 7 cards, whether pure or mixed (with wild cards).
3. A Clean Canasta is one that comprises only cards of the same rank.
4. A Dirty Canasta is one that comprises both pure and wild cards.
5. It is possible (though not always convenient) to meld with two or more triplets of equal cards but in different melds. (For example, two Qs and a wild card and three Qs in other meld). The triplets separated in this way cannot be grouped together.
6. Valid melds have more pure cards than wild cards, and up to 3 wild cards. Exceptionally 2 cards and 2 wild cards are allowed as a valid meld.
7. The cards, once they have been melded, must stay on the table.
Canastas
1. Canasta are made with 7 identical cards, when the meld does not contain wild cards, it is a Clean Canasta and it worth 500 points.
2. When the Canasta is made adding wild cards, it is called a Dirty Canasta and is worth 300 points. A maximum of 3 wild cards per Canasta is permitted.
3. Canastas cannot be made with 7 wild cards or 7 Black Threes.
Melding
1. The partner or the player himself, may in the following turns add more cards to the existing melds or create new melds.
Discard Pile
1. It is understood by discard pile, the card (s) that will be placed next to the stock pile, which may be taken to do melds according to the following rules. The discard pile will increase with every passing turn, each player discarding a card into the discard pile.
The Initial Discard Pile
1. While the discard pile has not been taken by any of the players it is called Initial Discard Pile, and can be picked only with two pure cards (no wild cards), regardless of the existing melds the player has melded.
2. If the player has two identical cards in his hand, and they are equal to the on top of the discard pile; and the top card is not a joker or a black three, that entitles him to take the discard pile. Provided that the player has the corresponding mandatory points
3. Once the Initial discard pile has been taken, his partner is does not need to reach the mandatory score to pick up the pile.
4. When the discard pile is no longer initial, it is possible to pick the pile, when the top card is the same to any of your melds, and with an identical card and a wild card, except that the discard pile is frozen.
Frozen Discard Pile
1. It is said that the Discard Pile is frozen when the discard piles contains a wild card.
2. In this case, it will be necessary to have two identical cards in your hand, to take the pile; as if the pile was an Initial pile.
Blocked Discard Pile
1. When the top card of the discard pile is a Black Three or a wild card, it is said that the pile is Blocked and cannot be taken by any combination of cards.
2. Placing a black three or a wild card in the pile is a way to block the pile, and thus prevents the next player to take it.
3. The wild cards, besides blocking it, they also Freeze the pile as was discussed above.
4. Another way to block the pile is by playing a card for which a Canasta exists. For example if a player has made Canasta of 7, any 7 can be used to block the pile.
Black Threes
1. The Black Threes cannot be used to meld except in the following case.
2. You can only meld the Black Threes at the moment that the player discards itself to “go out”.
3. You can only be able to meld the Black Threes, if you have three or four Black Threes. You cannot meld the black threes together with wild cards or Jokers.
Finishing the round (“Going out” or "Knocking")
1. The player has the right to "go out", when he has melded all his cards, or all but one (which is discarded into the discard pile), and has at least on one Canasta.
2. The one who "goes out" is awarded 100 extra points for himself or his/her team.
3. When the deck is completed, the hand is over and nobody scores the extra 100 points for the termination.