Overview
Canasta is a partnership melding game using two standard decks plus jokers (108 cards). Players collect sets of seven cards ('canastas') while strategically managing wild cards and the discard pile. It was a major fad in the 1950s and remains popular.
History
Canasta originated in Uruguay around 1939 and spread rapidly through South America. It reached the United States in 1949 and became an enormous fad, rivaling Bridge in popularity during the early 1950s.
Around the world
- Samba
- Bolivia
- Hand and Foot
Strategy
The discard pile is crucial
Build hands that can capture it.
Freezing the pile (with a wild card or black three) limits opponents' options.
Natural canastas are worth more
Avoid overusing wild cards.
Don't rush to go out
Accumulate more canastas if you're winning the hand.
Black threes are defensive cards
They block the pile temporarily.
Red threes are automatic bonus points (but penalize you if unmelded).
Frequently asked questions
Score points by melding sets of cards, especially canastas (7 cards of a kind). First team to 5,000 points wins.