CANASTA RULES ™

Donna Miller-Small mahjonggcanasta@optonline.net

Welcome to Canasta! Canasta is a game played with 4 people (2 teams) and uses
2 decks of cards including jokers (108 cards).

BASIC INFORMATION
Types of Cards:
Wild cards: 2s and Jokers
Natural cards: from 4 up to Ace
Threes are bonus cards (explanation below in play)
Sevens and Aces are subject to some special rules and restrictions
Suits not important just # and ranks which means picture cards

Card Values
4 thru 7 = 5 points
8,9,10, J, Q, K = 10 points
Ace = 20 points
Jokers = 50 points
Deuces (2s) = 20 points Wild

Melds:
A meld is a combination of three or more cards of the same # or rank with or
w/o wild cards. It is laid face up on the table in front of the player. A meld must
include at least two natural cards and a maximum of two wild cards. Each team
can only have one meld per number and rank. Special rules for Sevens and Aces*
CANASTA - is a meld of 7 cards
Two types: 1- Natural is all pure cards of same rank or #
2-Mixed (Dirty) is with a minimum of 5 natural cards and no more
than 2 wild cards
Wild Card Canasta: consists of twos and jokers; penalty if not completed

Note: There is no meld beyond 7 cards. Once a canasta is made number/rank is

dead and can’t be melded. These cards are “dead” or safe cards to throw.

The Shuffle and Cut - The dealer can be determined by drawing cards – highest
wins. Thereafter the turn to deal rotates clockwise. Any player, who wishes, may
shuffle the deck, and the dealer has the right to shuffle last. After the shuffle, the
deck is cut by either opponent.

The Deal - The dealer gives 13 cards face down to each player, one at a time,
clockwise, beginning with the opponent on his left and ending with him/herself.
Meanwhile, an opponent from the other team takes the other half of the cut deck
and counts out eight cards, from the bottom and places them horizontally on the
table or tray. The remaining cards are laid on top vertically.

Stock - The un-dealt, remainder of the pack is placed face down in the center of
the table (or in the tray), on top of the last eight cards becoming the stock.

PLAY
Starts to the left of the dealer, then continues clockwise. A turn begins by drawing
the top card of the stock and throwing out a card, or picking from the discard pile
(see rules below) and then throwing out card. If the discard pile is empty, you
can’t discard an Ace, Seven, or card from a closed canasta.

Initial Melding: Are melds that equal the total points needed to open (also
referred to as “going down”) and the total points goes according to your team’s
score. All initial melds must include a minimum of one meld with only natural (or
pure) cards of same # and rank without wild cards. Only one person per team
needs to do this. All melds with their requirements must be laid down all at once.
Note: You must have two cards in hand after melding – one to throw, one to hold.
You must announce to others if you have three cards or less.
Wild Card Meld – is a meld of any combination of deuces and jokers. Once begun
it must be completed before a team can use wild cards on any other meld. There
is a penalty if it’s not completed.

Note: Wild cards can be used as the initial meld if it satisfies the opening points
needed. In this case, it can be used alone without other melds.

Note: If a player has a natural canasta in his/her hand, it automatically meets

the points needed and overrides the traditional opening melding requirements
detailed above.

*Sevens – are melded only without wild cards. There is a penalty if a 7s canasta is
not completed and if 3 or more are in a hand at end of game. Try to keep two in
hand at all times, but not 3 (strategy*). Don’t use three sevens as your pure meld!
*Aces – Two types:
1 – Mixed: Can be mixed/ melded with wild cards only on initial meld.
2- Pure: meld of seven aces. Note: if fewer than seven aces melded on table, a
penalty ensues at end of play. Penalty if 3 or more are in hand at end of game.
Try to keep 2 in hand (but not 3) at all times, if aces haven’t been melded (see
below strategy*).

Red & Black Threes - A player finding a red or black three in his hand must, on his
first turn, put it face up on the table and draws a replacement from the stock. A
player who draws a red or black three from the stock also lays it on the table face
up and draws a replacement. They can’t be discarded. Each three has a bonus
value of 100 points and more for multiples (see scoring) with certain conditions:
the value of the threes is credited to a side who has made at least two Canastas,
deducted if no Canastas, and neither +, or – if one Canasta.

Rules for “Picking the Pack” or discard pile: Instead of drawing from the stock
pile, a player can take all the cards on the discard pile. To do so it must be on
your turn and you must have two natural cards of same # /rank as card on top of
pile (no wild); must have either previously “opening melded” or be able to
opening meld not using the discard nor the two cards that match it. If this top
card matches a meld previously laid down, that meld must have less than five
cards as melds with more than seven cards aren’t allowed. A pair must be
shown/laid down and the card from top of pack added. Other cards in pack can
be put in hand or melded on table. You will be discarding on an “empty tray” and
can’t discard an Ace, Seven, or card that has been made into a Canasta
(considered a dead card.)

Talons – The person who puts down the first opening melds, then discards and
after that draws 4 cards from the stock. The second person draws three cards. If
a 3 is picked at this time, it is exchanged on the next turn.

End of Play - The play ends when a player “goes out” or the stock becomes
depleted.
You can “Go Out” if you can satisfy the following conditions:
1. Your team has completed two Canastas.
2. You are able to meld all but one of your cards and discard your last card.
3. Your partner agrees.

It is not legal to go out by melding all your cards - you must have a card to discard
at the end of your turn. This final discard is made face-down, and this is the only
case in which a wild card or three can be discarded.

GOAL - First team to score 8500 points - -need to play several rounds; points are
cumulative.

OBJECTIVES - Score as many points as possible and prevent opponents from

getting points. You do this primarily by forming melds.

Cumulative score Minimum count of initial meld

less than 2995 ..... 125 points
3000 to 4995 ..... 155 points
5000 or more ..... 180 points

* There is an important strategy for holding two sevens in one of each team
member’s hand that will be discussed. This is the case with aces when they
haven’t been melded with wild cards by either team on the initial melding.

These rules are property of Donna Miller-Small and cannot be duplicated.