Melds must consist of at least 3-cards to be valid. Melds are combinations of cards of the same rank. The side that first reaches a total of 5,000 wins a game. The main objective of the Spanish card game Canasta is for each team to create melds, which add to the score of each team. In the game of canasta a meld comprising seven or more cards, including at least four natural cards (called a 'base'), is a canasta. A player is not permitted to go out, however, unless there's at least one canasta. If the card drawn from the stock is a red three, the player must play it immediately and draw another card.Ī player 'goes out' when no cards are left after a meld or discard. A turn begins either by drawing the first card from the stock into the player's hand or by picking up the entire discard pile. The player to the dealer's left has the first turn, and play then proceeds clockwise. The dealer shuffles the pack, the player to the dealer's right cuts, and the dealer deals out 2 hands of 11 cards to each player.The remaining cards are left in a stack in the center of the table. The initial dealer in canasta is chosen by any common method, although it should be remembered that there is no privilege or advantage to being the dealer. How to play Canasta card game online free:
Many variations exist for two, three, five or six players, it is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. Canasta is part of the Rummy family of card games, which also includes Three Thirteen, Manipulation Rummy, and Gin Rummy.
