Play Online Canasta

Although invented in 1940 in Uruguay (read about canasta history for more info about its origins), canasta still enjoys the huge popularity that it did in the fifties in USA. It is also highly popular around the world. Canasta is a term that basically means basket in Spanish. Also, canasta is also the name that is given to the biggest possible meld that you could do (7 cards).

Every canasta game is played with the use of 108 cards, out of which 4 are jokers. There is a minimum of 2 players that are needed and a maximum of 6 although the most common player number is 4. In such a case each player is to receive 11 cards. The object of this game is to be able to be the first that reaches a target score value. You will earn points when you are melding sets that are made out of a minimum of 4 cards, all having the same value. In order to be allowed to meld any set you need to first meld a canasta.

When it comes to a player’s turn to act he will have a number of options available. The most common one in the beginning of the game is the draw. By drawing you are taken the card that is first in the stock. Another option that you have is melding. This happens only in the circumstance that you can meld a canasta if it is your first meld or if you already have one canasta melded you can meld any combination that you want. You are allowed to add to melds that exist on the table and you can make as many melds as you want to in one turn. The last option that is available in canasta is the discard.

This move will also end your turn. The only situation in which this does not end your turn is the event in which you are left with no cards. In this case you have gone out and the score starts to be calculated. As we have already mentioned, the canasta game will only end when one player (or a team) will reach or go over the target score. If this does not happen a new hand will be played till we have a winner. Read about all the possible rummy game variations to learn more about these fun games.