Play Canasta online for free
Canasta is a rummy card game for four players in two partnerships. You and your partner collect cards of the same rank, lay them down as melds and build them into canastas of seven cards. Here on Kitchen Table Cards you can play classic Canasta free in your browser, with a computer partner against two computer players. The cards are big, there is a Hint button and an Undo button, and nobody hurries you.
How to play · Melds and canastas · The discard pile · Scoring · Tips · Questions
How to play Canasta
Canasta uses two decks with four Jokers. Partners sit across from each other: on this site you play with June against Rosa and Walter. Everyone is dealt 11 cards. On your turn:
- Draw: take one card from the stock, or take the whole discard pile if you can meld its top card.
- Meld: lay down cards of the same rank, or add cards to your team's melds.
- Discard: put one card on the discard pile. That ends your turn.
A hand ends when a player goes out by getting rid of all their cards, or when the stock runs out. To go out, your team needs at least one canasta.
Melds and canastas
- A meld is three or more cards of the same rank, from 4s up to Aces. It needs at least two natural cards.
- Wild cards: 2s and Jokers can stand in for any card, up to three in a meld.
- One meld per rank: you and your partner share your melds, so add new cards to the meld already on the table.
- A canasta is a meld of seven or more cards. With no wild cards it is natural (500 points); with wild cards it is mixed (300 points).
- Your first meld each hand must add up to a minimum, which depends on your team's score.
| Your team's score | First meld needs |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | 15 points |
| 0 to 1,495 | 50 points |
| 1,500 to 2,995 | 90 points |
| 3,000 or more | 120 points |
Taking the discard pile
The discard pile can grow big, and taking it is often the best move in the game. To take it, you must meld its top card at once: with two natural cards of the same rank from your hand. Once your team has melded, one natural card and a wild card will also do, or you can add the top card to your team's meld of that rank. The rest of the pile comes into your hand.
A wild card in the pile freezes it: then only a natural pair will do. A black Three on top blocks the pile for one turn. Red Threes are put aside as soon as you get them, and you draw again.
Scoring
| What | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker | 50 |
| 2 or Ace | 20 |
| King down to 8 | 10 |
| 7 down to 4, and black Threes | 5 |
| Natural canasta | 500 bonus |
| Mixed canasta | 300 bonus |
| Each red Three | 100 (all four: 800), minus if your team hasn't melded |
| Going out | 100, or 200 if you meld your whole hand in one turn |
At the end of a hand each team adds up the cards it has melded and its bonuses, and takes away the cards left in its players' hands. The first team to reach 5,000 points wins.
How to play Canasta on this site
| Draw | Click the stock to draw a card, or the discard pile to take it. |
|---|---|
| Meld | Click cards in your hand to choose them, then click their spot in your team's area. Or drag them there. |
| First meld | Your first melds wait on the table until they add up to enough points. Then press “Lay down”. |
| Discard | Choose one card and click the pile, or drag the card onto it. |
| The pile | The number on the pile shows how many cards it has. It turns blue when the pile is frozen. |
| Hint and Undo | Hint suggests a move and explains it. Undo takes back a meld you made this turn. |
| Settings | Choose how fast the other players play and the table colour. |
Tips for winning at Canasta
- Watch the pile. A big pile can win the hand. Keep pairs that could let you take it.
- Don't feed the other team. Avoid discarding cards of a rank they have melded: they could take the pile with it.
- Freeze the pile when it's big. Discarding a wild card makes the pile much harder for anyone to take.
- Aim for natural canastas. They are worth 200 points more than mixed ones, so don't spend wild cards too early.
- Meld before the hand ends. Cards left in your hand count against you, and so do red Threes if your team never melds.
- Discard black Threes. They block the pile for the next player.
Canasta questions and answers
Is this Canasta game free?
Yes. Canasta on Kitchen Table Cards is completely free to play in your browser. There is no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.
Who am I playing with?
You play in a team with a computer partner, June, against two computer players, Rosa and Walter. Partners share their melds, so every canasta June makes counts for you too.
How many cards are used in Canasta?
Two standard decks with four Jokers: 108 cards. Each player is dealt 11 cards, and the rest make the stock, with one card turned face up to start the discard pile.
Which cards are wild in Canasta?
The 2s and the Jokers. A meld must have at least two natural cards, and it can have no more than three wild cards.
What is a canasta?
A meld of seven or more cards of the same rank. A natural canasta, with no wild cards, scores a bonus of 500 points. A mixed canasta, with one to three wild cards, scores 300. Your team needs at least one canasta before anyone can go out.
How many points do I need for my first meld?
It depends on your team’s score: 15 points if your score is below zero, 50 points up to 1,495, 90 points from 1,500 to 2,995, and 120 points from 3,000. Only the cards count, not bonuses.
When can I take the discard pile?
You must be able to meld the top card straight away, using two natural cards of the same rank from your hand. Once your team has melded, and while the pile is not frozen, one natural card and a wild card will do too, or a meld of that rank already on the table. Then the whole pile is yours.
What is a frozen pile?
When a wild card has been discarded, the pile is frozen: to take it, you need a natural pair matching the top card. On this table, the number on the pile turns blue and says Frozen.
What do red and black Threes do?
A red Three is put aside as soon as you get it, and you get another card. Each is worth 100 points (all four: 800), but they count against your team if it hasn’t melded by the end of the hand. A black Three on top of the pile stops the next player taking it.
How do you win Canasta?
Hands are played until a team reaches 5,000 points. Points come from canastas, the cards you meld, red Threes and going out (100 points, or 200 if you meld your whole hand at once). The cards left in your hand count against you.
Can I play Canasta on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Tap cards in your hand to choose them, then tap the spot for their rank in your team’s area, or drag them there with your finger. Tap the pile to discard.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. The game is saved on your device after every turn, so you can close the page and carry on later.
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