Overview
Canasta is a partnership rummy game in which players build groups of the same rank. A group of at least seven cards is a canasta. Unlike Buraco, Cardems Canasta uses rank groups rather than suited runs, and there is no morto reserve hand.
This guide follows the classic-style rules implemented in the Cardems app. It includes the opening thresholds and pile restrictions used there. You can play in the app; this page currently contains the rules rather than a browser game.
Objective
Make canastas, reduce the cards left in your hand and finish a round ahead on points. A team needs at least one canasta before a player can go out. At the end of a round, reaching 5,000 points wins if your total is higher; a tie continues the match.
Setup
Four players sit in two opposing partnerships. Shuffle two 52-card decks plus four Jokers: 108 cards. Deal 11 cards each. Put the remainder in the stock and start the discard pile. Red threes are displayed separately and replaced from the stock whenever possible.
How to Play
- Draw from the stock or legally take the entire discard pile.
- Lay down a new meld or add cards to your team's shared melds.
- Discard one card to end your turn, unless you legally go out by melding all remaining cards.
A meld needs at least three cards, including two natural cards of the same rank. Twos and Jokers are wild; a meld can contain at most three wild cards. A natural canasta has no wild cards, while a mixed canasta contains at least one.
How do you pick up a frozen pile?
The pile is frozen for your team before you have opened, or when it contains a wild card or red three. You need two natural cards in hand matching the top discard and must meld them with that card. Your opening must meet its point threshold without relying on the other cards in the pile. A top wild card or three blocks pickup. A black three blocks while on top; it does not permanently freeze the pile.
When the pile is unfrozen and your team has opened, its top natural card may instead extend an existing meld, or form a valid new meld using your hand.
Important Rules
Your team's cumulative score sets its initial meld minimum. Use card values, without canasta or red-three bonuses, to meet it.
| Team score before the round | Opening minimum |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | 15 |
| 0–1,499 | 50 |
| 1,500–2,999 | 90 |
| 3,000 or more | 120 |
Black threes may be melded only as a group of three or four when going out, without wild cards. Asking your partner for permission to go out is optional; if you ask, the answer binds that turn.
Scoring and Winning
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Joker | 50 |
| Ace or two | 20 |
| 8 through King | 10 |
| 4 through 7 and black three | 5 |
Add melded card values and bonuses, then subtract cards left in hand. A natural canasta earns 500, a mixed canasta 300, and going out 100; a qualifying concealed finish earns 200 instead of 100. Red threes earn 100 each, or 800 for all four, if the team has opened; otherwise those values are penalties.
Strategy
Keep natural pairs to challenge a frozen pile. Place wild cards where they help complete seven cards, while preserving promising natural canastas. Watch the opening threshold before discarding a valuable card, and consider your partner's remaining hand before going out.
Compare Buraco for suited sequences and morto, Rummy 500 for open meld scoring, or browse rummy games.
FAQ
How many cards are in a Canasta deck?
Cardems uses 108 cards: two standard decks and four Jokers. Each of four players starts with 11 cards.
What is a canasta?
A meld of at least seven cards of one rank, with allowed wild cards. A natural canasta has no wild cards and earns 500 bonus points; a mixed one earns 300.
Can I take a frozen discard pile with a Joker?
A Joker cannot replace the two natural matching cards required for frozen-pile pickup. You must meld the top natural discard with a natural pair from your hand.
Does a black three freeze the pile?
It blocks pickup while it is the top discard. Unlike a wild card, it does not keep the pile frozen once another card covers it.
What is the difference between Canasta and Buraco?
In Cardems, Canasta builds same-rank groups and plays to 5,000. Buraco Aberto builds suited sequences, uses morto reserve hands and plays to 3,000.
Can you go out without a canasta?
No. Your partnership must have at least one seven-card canasta before either player can finish their hand.
Can I play Canasta on this page?
This is a Canasta rules guide with scoring tables and strategy. Play in the Cardems app; a playable web table is not included yet.
