Canasta Rules

Canasta is a well known game which is a different form of Rummy. Canasta does come in different variations and this helps to accommodate players and help them to find one they will enjoy. However, the basics of the game are the same and this allows players to go from one type to another easily. Canasta is a game which can be played by two players or by as many as six players. Here are the basic rules to the wonderful and entertaining game of Canasta:

The object of the game is for a player to become the first player to earn 8500 or earn the highest score. Canasta is a game which is played in rounds and each one of the players gets to take a turn.

There are two piles which cards are drawn out of. One of the piles will consist of traditional draw cards and the other pile will be the pile where other players have discarded their unwanted cards.

As the game goes around each player will take a card. If that card is from the discard pile then the player has to use it immediately. If the card the player wants is buried down the pile then the player needs to also pick up all the cards in the way. The player will be trying to form “sets” which consist of cards which create specific patterns. The player will choose an unwanted card to discard, which will indicate it’s the next players turn.

Each card is only as important as the cards it plays with. The players will be trying to make sets which use as many of the cards in their hand as possible. A set must have at least 3 cards and can go up to as many as 7. S complete set of 7 is a Canasta. Canasta is a little different than other types of rummy games because there are natural cards and wild cards. Jokers and 2’s are the wild cards. The 3 cards get collected and will help players to rack up more points which will help at the end of the game.

Once all of the players have made all the sets they can or the main pile cards are all gone, the game will come to an end. Each player will have their sets and cards counted up which will add up to their ending game points. The player with the highest count will win the game.

Canasta is a game of a lot of fun and excitement.