CANASTA for Two players
Canasta is a card meld game where the goal is to “go out” with the most accumulated meld points.
When at least one of the players accumulates 5000 points, the match is over, and the player with the highest score wins.
Highlights
- The game uses two regular decks of cards including the two jokers, for a total of 108 cards.
In two player Canasta, each player is dealt 15 cards. Players draw, play meld, and/or discard till they either :
- Meet the minimum meld score and number of canastas (see below) and have no more cards in their hand, OR
- All the cards in the deck have been drawn.
- Meld consists of sets and red threes only. Sets are three or more cards of the same value. The number of naturals must be the same or greater than the number of wild cards in the run at all times.
- A “Canasta” is a run of 7 or more cards. Depending on the options, you will need 1 or 2 canastas in your meld before going out.
- Jokers and 2s are treated as wild cards and can be used to represent other cards, as long as the total number of wild cards in a single run are no more than the number of natural cards in that run.
- Jokers and 2s played on the discard pile freeze the pile permanently, or until the top discard card is picked up by two naturals in the player’s hand.
- Black threes played on the discard “freeze” the discard pile for one turn.
- Normally, the top card in a discard pile can be combined with one wild and natural in your hand for meld, except when the pile is frozen. Then you must have two naturals in your hand to pick up the discard pile.
- Red Threes that are drawn, automatically go to your meld, and are replaced by another drawn card.
- To start your meld, you must meet a minimum value, based on your current score. Once you have laid down meld, you can then start a new run with at least three cards, or add to an existing run in meld you already played.
Rules Summary:
- Your Turn.
When it is your turn, you can either :
- Draw a card from the card deck (1 or 2, depending on the options set)
- Take the entire discard pile, IF you can use the top card in the discard pile in your meld, either by adding to an existing run that has less than 7 cards, or by creating a new run with cards from your hand and the top card is not a wild card or three.
- Meld out. Meaning, meet the minimum meld points and canasta requirements and play all the cards in your hand to your meld, without or with a discard.
Once you have draw a card from the deck or discard, you must discard a card to end your turn, unless you have only one card left, and you have not yet met the minimum requirements to go out (one or two canastas).
- Game Flow
- Beginning of Game :
Cards are shuffled, and one card in the deck is put in the discard pile, face up. If the card is a “wild” card (Joker or 2), the discard pile is considered frozen, and cards are drawn from the deck till an ordinary card is revealed.
- First Player takes turn.
- Second player takes turn.
- Hand continues until either one player melds out, or there are no more cards in the deck to draw.
- Special Cases
- Black Threes :
Threes of Clubs or Spades cannot be used for a run UNLESS, your hand contains only black threes, and you can meld out with the threes.
- Red Threes
The point value of threes of hearts or diamonds does not count towards fulfilling your minimum meld.
- Scoring
- When a hand is complete, your score consists of :
Going out Bonus.
Meld plus bonuses ( such as canasta or four red threes).
Minus any penalty for cards still in your hand.
Minus any points for Red Threes if you have no other meld
And is added to your score.
- Going out Bonus :The first player to meld out and end the hand gets a 100 pt bonus for going out if they have previously played meld, or 200 pt bonus if they go out concealed – meaning you have played all your meld and gone out in the same hand.
- Meld plus Bonuses. Meld consists of the point value for cards :
| Black threes | 5 points |
| 4, 5, 6, 7 | 5 points |
| 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K | 10 points |
| A | 20 points |
| 2s | 20 points |
| Jokers | 50 points |
| Red Threes | 100 points |
There are Bonuses for Canastas and red threes.
| Natural Canasta (all Naturals) | 500 points |
| Mixed Canasta (all others) | 300 points |
| All four Red Threes | 400 points, which gives a total of 800 points for four red threes. |
- Minus any penalty for cards still in your hand. Only the value of the cards are counted, not the bonuses.
- Minus any points for Red Threes if you have no other meld. The penalty is 100 points per Red Three, and
if you have all four Red Threes, the penalty is a total of 800 points.
- Minimum Meld
The minimum meld points to start for each hand is based on your accumulated score from the previous hand:
| SCORE | Meld Required |
| 0-1495 | 50 pts |
| 1501-2995 | 90 pts |
| 3000 and up | 120 pts |
| Any Negative Score | 15 pts |
