How to play Canasta (the Canastapp way)
Canasta is a two-team card game played with two standard decks plus four jokers (108 cards total). The first team to score 5000+ points wins.
Card values
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker | 50 |
| A, 2 | 20 |
| K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 | 10 |
| 7, 6, 5, 4, black 3 | 5 |
| Red 3 (each) | 100 |
| All four Red 3s (bonus) | 800 |
Bonuses
- Natural Canasta (7+ same rank, no wilds): +500
- Mixed Canasta (7+ same rank, with wilds): +300
- Going Out: +100
- Going Out Concealed: +200 total (replaces the going-out bonus)
Opening meld threshold
Before your first meld in a round, your team's accumulated score must meet or exceed the threshold below. The threshold applies to the running total at the start of the round, not after the round's melds are scored.
| Team score (start of round) | Min meld |
|---|---|
| Negative | 15 |
| 0 to 1,499 | 50 |
| 1,500 to 2,999 | 90 |
| 3,000 or more | 120 |
Defaults shown. Each game can override its own thresholds on the settings page.
Penalties
Cards left in a team's hand at the end of a round are subtracted from that team's score. The Canastapp rounds modal has a "Cards left in hand" field — enter the total value of any un-melded cards still in your hand.
Round flow
- Both teams add their meld points (and bonuses, minus penalties) to the running total.
- The team with the higher running total is the leader; the leader's name is highlighted in the scoreboard.
- To go out, your team must meld at least the opening threshold for the round (based on your running total at the start of the round).
- The game ends when one team reaches 5000+ points or the owner manually marks the game complete.
Badges
Earn badges as you play. Each one marks a milestone in your Canastapp journey.
Gameplay
- First Game
Created your first game.
- First Finish
Completed your first game.
- First Win
Won your first game.
- First Canasta
Scored your first Canasta (natural or mixed).
- 500+
Reached a running total of 500 in a single game.
- 1000+
Reached a running total of 1000 in a single game.
Social
- Crowd Pleaser
5 players joined one of your games.
- Full Table
Played a 4-player game.
- Three's Company
Played with 3 distinct teammates.
Dedication
- 3-Win Streak
3 wins in a row.
- 7-Win Streak
7 wins in a row.
- 30-Win Streak
30 wins in a row.
- Veteran
Completed 10 games.
Rules paraphrased from the classic Canasta reference. The Canastapp engine only validates the opening-meld threshold and the going-out check; everything else is your responsibility at the table.