Canasta
Card Games · 8 playsCanasta
Lay down melds, build seven-card canastas and outscore Vera to 5,000 in the two-handed version.
Quick start
Pick up two cards or the whole heap, lay down groups of three or more matching ranks, then throw one away. Twos and Jokers are wild. Seven of a rank make a canasta, worth 500 clean or 300 with wilds. Red threes go down on their own for 100 apiece. A wild thrown away locks the heap until someone holds a natural pair for its top card. No going out without a canasta. The match goes to 5,000.
Controls: Tap or click
About this game
A mid-century living-room craze, here in its two-handed form against Vera. On your go, pick up two from the stock or scoop the entire discard heap, put down groups of at least three matching ranks, then throw one card away. Both twos and Jokers act as wild cards, red threes are set out the moment they arrive for a bonus, and the real prize is a canasta, seven of one rank: 500 if all natural, 300 if wilds are mixed in. A wild discard locks the heap. Going out needs at least one canasta, the opening requirement climbs with your score, and 5,000 takes the match. Free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.
Family tips
The discard heap is often the richest prize on the table. A big scoop can fund several melds at once, so keep a natural pair ready to grab it.
Lock the heap with a wild discard when Vera looks ready to take it. She’ll then need the exact natural pair to pick it up.
Don’t rush to go out. Every canasta and meld adds to your score, so when you’re ahead it often pays to build another canasta before finishing the hand.
