Canasta
Objective:
The objective of Canasta is to score the highest number of points by forming melds of cards and emptying your hand.
Number of Players:
Canasta can be played by two to six players, ideally played with four players in partnerships.
Deck:
Canasta is played with two standard decks of 52 cards, including four jokers, totaling 108 cards.
Card Values:
In Canasta, the cards have the following values:
- Ace: 20 points
- Number cards (2-10): Face value
- Face cards (Jack, Queen, King): 10 points each
- Joker: 50 points each
Gameplay:
- Dealing: The dealer shuffles the deck and deals 11 cards to each player in a two-player game, and 13 cards to each player in a game with three or more players. The remaining cards form a draw pile.
- Objective: The players aim to form melds by either picking up cards from the draw pile or the discard pile and forming sets or runs.
- Turns: On their turn, players have the option to either:
- Draw Cards: Players can draw two cards from the draw pile. However, if the top card of the draw pile is a red three or a wild card, they can draw only one card.
- Pick Up the Discard Pile: If a player can form a meld with the top card of the discard pile and they have two natural cards of the same rank, they can pick up the entire discard pile. The top card of the discard pile must be used immediately in a meld.
- Forming Melds: Melds are either sets (three or more cards of the same rank) or runs (three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive rank order). At least three cards are required to form a meld.
- Red Threes: Red threes are special cards that cannot be melded but instead have point values. They are laid aside and replaced with new cards from the draw pile.
- Wild Cards: Jokers and twos are wild cards that can substitute for any other card in a meld.
- Scoring: Scoring varies in Canasta based on different aspects such as melds, red threes, wild cards, and going out. It is important to refer to the specific scoring rules for Canasta variation being played.
- Going Out: To go out, a player must have at least one meld and discard their final card. Going out allows the player to score bonus points and end the round.
- Winning: The game continues for multiple rounds until a predetermined target score is reached. The player or partnership with the highest cumulative score at the end of the game is declared the winner.
Canasta is a game of melding, strategy, and careful observation. Players must form melds, keep track of their opponents' melds, and make decisions on when to draw, pick up the discard pile, and go out to maximize their scoring potential.