Canasta Card Game
1. INTRODUCTION:
Canasta is a unique South American card game of melds and strategy, and a member of the Rummy card family. It was introduced to the United States in 1949, having started in Uruguay. Within a few months, Canasta became an overnight sensation. For the next several years it was the #1 card game in America. Bridge players, in particular, were enthralled with this new game. The United States Playing Card Company (Bicycle) manufactured special edition decks. All kinds of thematic souvenir products were distributed–including coffee mugs, ash trays, place mats, key chains and other trinkets. Variations on the rules and structure of the game then followed. After a 10-year run, the interest gradually waned and traditional games such as Hearts, Spades, Bridge and Poker regained popularity. Canasta (which means “basket”) still has a loyal following. A similar game called “Hand and Foot” (see separate article) has attracted attention. Canasta is also played online at various sites. Here is the way to play this Classic game.
2. PAIRS: This is the most popular variation. Four players in two partnerships are required to play the basic game. Variations for 2 to 5 players are also popular. Two regular decks of cards and four jokers are combined into one deck. Partnerships may be determined by drawing cards or by prearrangement. The deck is shuffled and cut and 11 cards, face down, are dealt to each player. The undealt deck (called the “stock”) is then placed face down in the middle of the table and the top card is turned over. If the top card is a Joker, Deuce or Three, it must be returned to the stock and a new upcard drawn until a “Natural” card appears. The opponent to the left of dealer plays first and draws a card.
A canasta is a run of 7 cards of the same rank. There are two types of canastas, a “natural” and an “unnatural” canasta. To make a natural canasta a player must obtain 7 cards of the same rank with out the use of wildcards. Canasta is a card game of the rummy family of games believed to be a variant of 500 Rum. Although many variations exist for two, three, five or six players, it is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. Canasta, a game of the Rummy family was the most popular American game in the early 1950s.
POINT VALUE OF THE CARDS
Each Joker=50 Points
Each Deuce or Ace=20 Points
Each King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9 and 8=10 Points
Each 7, 6, 5 and 4=5 Points
Each Black Three=5 Points
Each Red Three=100 Points
Note: Jokers and Deuces (of all suits) are “Wild.” All other cards are designated as “NATURAL” cards.
3. RED THREES
Red Threes are “bonus” cards. If a players is dealt any red Threes, he must place these cards face down on the table before the hand commences and replace them from the stock. Subsequently, any player who draws a red Three from the stock (or by picking up the “pile”) must place the red Three on the table. If a team makes no melds when the hand is over, the point value of the red Three is deducted from their score. If any player does not drop a red Three at first opportunity, he is penalized 500 points!
4. OBJECT OF THE GAME
Points are scored by completing Melds and collecting Bonus cards. The typical game will have several deals. The point limit is determined prior to the start of the game. The standard limit is 5,000 points; this may be changed by mutual agreement.
5. MELDS
Melds (or “sets”) are made up of three or more cards of the same RANK, including wild cards. Sequences, as in Rummy, do not count in the standard game. A Meld must have AT LEAST TWO NATURAL cards and NEVER more than three wild cards. Black Threes are melded only when a player is going out of the hand. Finally, melds are counted ONLY if they are on the table (exposed).
6. MINIMUM COUNT
The initial meld of the hand must equal the designated point requirement for that hand. Remember, the individual cards have their own point VALUES. These are added together. The minimum count required for each team depends on their score prior to the deal in progress.
Here is the table:
TOTAL SCORE (POINTS)–MINIMUM COUNT
Negative or Minus Score=0 Points
0 to 1499=50 Points
1500 to 2999=90 Points
3000 (or more)=120 Points
The partnership plays as a Team. All melds and red Threes are placed in front of one member of each team. After making melds during a turn, a player then discards one card on to the discard pile. Players may drop cards onto their partner’s melds as long as said melds are on the table. Player MAY NOT drop cards onto their opponents’ melds.
Canasta online, free
7. CANASTAS
Canastas are melds with seven or more cards of the same rank. A partnership must have at least ONE Canasta in order to go out. There is Bonus for each Canasta. Natural Canastas (no wild cards) are worth 500 points and mixed Canastas (with wild cards) are worth 300 points.
8. MORE ON MELDS
Any cards left in a player’s hand are subtracted from their side’s score. A player must always meet the minimum point requirement for his side’s first meld. Illegally melded cards will result in a 100-point penalty. A side may not pick up or take the discard pile until they have completed their first meld.
9. THE PILE
A side may use the top card of the discard pile to make their first meld. The pile is said to be “FROZEN” if it is topped by a black Three or a wild card. Other cards are then discarded on top of the pile. The pile remains frozen until a player holding a natural matching pair takes it. The pile can always be refrozen by dropping a black Three or another wild card.
10. GOING OUT
When a player discards his last card by melding or dropping a card onto the pile, he “goes out,” meaning the hand ends and the deal is scored. His side must have at least one Canasta on the table.
There are Bonuses that apply here:
Going out=100 points
Each red Three=100 points
Each natural Canasta=500 points
Each mixed Canasta=300 points
Points which remain in the partner’s hand are subtracted from the points claimed for melds and bonus cards. It is possible for a team to have a minus score. There is a lot of strategy in this game. The idea is to create as many different melds as possible. Taking the pile is usually good technique; however, it may backfire if you get stranded with a fistful of penalty points for cards in your hand!
This article is only a primer on this fascinating and complex game. I suggest that you reference one of many published books on the game. As stated above, Variations for 2 to 5 players are popular and worth exploring. Check out these (related) games at your convenience:
Pennies From Heaven
Hand and Foot
Mexicana Canasta
CANASTA Rules – 10 EASY STEPS
Written By Joseph Andrews, Spnosored and Copyright Newt’s Games & Playing Cards
No unauthorized reproduction.
Canasta: from Uruguay, via Argentina and the United States to Poland
Imagine ... The beginning of the 20th century, a small village in the south of Uruguay. Two farmers are trying to relax after a hard day's work. They have a deck of cards handy. They make up the basic principles canasta, little realizing that their game will in the future be popular all over the world. Believe it or not, this is a true story really happened – and thus was born one of the classic card games. It is played in many parts of the globe, and with greatest passion in South American countries.
Canasta Card Game Origin
The canasta game then and now
Rules For Canasta Card Game
The very name of canasta comes from the Spanish language, and its simple translation is “basket”. It has this name from the goal of the game, which is for the players to collect defined combinations of cards. Canasta moved quite quickly from Uruguay to Argentina, and after the Second World War gained fans in the United States. Interestingly, compared to other games such as poker or thousand, the rules of canasta, have not changed much over the years, except for changes in the melds and the number of cards. Of convenience for every canasta fan is the availability of games on the internet. You need only to register on the portal GameDesire, a process that takes less than five minutes, in order to join the hundreds of canasta fans waiting for you at the table to play.
Canasta online: game rules
Canasta Card Games Free Download
The rules of canasta resemble to a great extent those of other card games, especially rummy, so mastering them is not usually overly difficult. However, there are some rules that are found only in canasta, and you should know these before playing. The game begins with each participant being dealt a hand of 15 cards (if the game is played more than three people, they are dealt 13 cards). The remainder are placed face down on a separate stack, so that their values cannot be seen. The top card of the stack is then turned up, and placed to begin a second pile, called the discard. Combinations known as melds are the key to winning in online canasta. A meld is a minimum of three cards of the same value, for example Q ♠ Q ♣ Q ♥. The aim of the game is to get rid of your cards and gain 5 000 points from melds, canastas and red threes. During the game, you can also lose points if you do not get rid of your cards before rivals. The game consists of a few hands.
In canasta there are what are commonly known as wild cards, which are twos and jokers. These can replace any other card. However, the melds of each player must contain a minimum of two natural cards, which should always outnumber the wild cards. Therefore, melds consisting only of twos and jokers are not allowed, with the exception of wild canastas. A good meld in canasta online would be, for example, two aces, of hearts and spades, and a joker. If your meld contains more than seven cards, then it is called a canasta. For this, a player receives bonus points. A canasta with natural cards is scored higher than a canasta with a mix of wild cards. However, the highest number of points are awarded for a wild canasta, a meld of seven wild cards, which must be played in one move.
A hand in online canasta ends at the moment when one of the players gets rid of all their cards, or when the stack of face down cards runs out. The winner is the person who has gained 5,000 points or more. The points position is taken into account after the completion of the deal, not during it. If several people have the same points, the result is a draw.
Canasta Card Game App
Canasta: how to play?
The first move after shuffling and dealing the cards must be taken by the player to the dealer’s left, who draws a card from the stack (or the discard pile), with the option of picking up three cards of the same value. The same player then drops one card onto the discard pile.
Canasta Card Game Supplies
If the player draws from the stack a red three they must set it aside and take another card. If a red three is drawn from the discard pile, it is not exchanged for another card. Bonus points are awarded for the red three at the end of the hand. By contrast, black threes can be melded only last, and with no wild cards.
Canasta: a game for hours
Canasta Card Game
With simple rules, a little calculation, luck of the cards and addictive action, this game can provide real card game excitement for the beginner and advanced player alike, around the clock. Now it's your turn to play canasta online!