How to Play Canasta

The Objective of Canasta

Canasta is played in partnerships: two teams of two sitting across from each other. The goal is to be the first team to reach 5,000 points across multiple rounds.

Points are scored by melding cards — laying matched groups face-up on the table. A canasta is a meld of 7 or more cards of the same rank, which earns a large bonus.

Setup and the Pack

Players: 4 (in 2 partnerships)
Decks: 2 standard 52-card decks + 4 Jokers = 108 cards total

Deal 11 cards to each player. The remaining cards form the stockpile face-down. Flip the top card to start the discard pile.

Wild cards: All 4 Jokers and all 8 Twos are wild — they can substitute for any natural card in a meld. Wild cards cannot be used in sequences.

Red Threes: If you draw or are dealt a Red Three (3♥ or 3♦), immediately place it face-up in front of you and draw a replacement. Red Threes are worth 100 points each at the end — or -100 each if you never went out.

Building Melds

A meld is three or more cards of the same rank. Melds are placed face-up on the table and shared by both partners.

Rules for melds:
- Minimum 3 cards to start a meld
- Wild cards can substitute, but you cannot have more wild cards than natural cards
- Aces, 2s, and Jokers cannot be melded as their own rank (only as wilds, except Aces which can form natural melds)
- Partners share and add to each other's melds

Minimum meld value to open: Your first meld in a round must meet a minimum points value based on your current score:
- 0 to 1,499 points: 50 minimum
- 1,500 to 2,999: 90 minimum
- 3,000+: 120 minimum

What is a Canasta?

A canasta is a meld of 7 or more cards of the same rank.

| Type | Description | Bonus |
|------|-------------|-------|
| Natural canasta | 7+ cards, no wild cards | 500 points |
| Mixed canasta | 7+ cards, includes wild cards | 300 points |

You must complete at least one canasta to go out. Your partnership must complete one canasta to go out — two canastas give larger bonuses in some versions.

Taking the Discard Pile

On your turn you may take the entire discard pile instead of drawing from the stockpile — a powerful move that can supercharge your hand.

You can take the discard pile only if:
1. You can immediately use the top card in a new meld (with at least 2 other cards from your hand), OR
2. You have two natural cards matching the top discard and you can meld all three

You cannot take the pile if:
- The top card is a Black Three or a wild card (frozen pile)
- Your team has not yet made their opening meld
- The pile is 'frozen' (a wild card or Black Three was placed on it as a stop card)

Going Out and Scoring

You go out by melding all your cards (with at least one canasta on the table) and making a final discard — or melding your entire hand with no discard.

Before going out, you may ask your partner: 'May I go out?' They answer yes or no — you must follow their answer.

Scoring at end of round:

| Item | Points |
|------|--------|
| Each natural canasta | 500 |
| Each mixed canasta | 300 |
| Going out | 100 |
| Going out concealed (never melded before) | 200 |
| Each Red Three | 100 (or ×2 if you have all 4) |
| Each card in melds | Face value |
| Cards left in hand (opponents) | Deducted |