Card Values:

Each cards scoring value is found to the right of its indice.

First Meld Requirement:

The first meld laid down by either member of a partnership must be worth at least
a certain number of points. This depends on your teams score at the beginning of
the hand:

How To Play 0 to 1495 points (start of game) 50 points

1500 to 2995 points 90 points
In 1950, after sweeping north from South America, Canasta became the biggest 3000 or more points 120 points
card game craze ever. Canasta means basket in Spanish and the game was named negative score (rare) any 3 card set
for the little wicker basket that the first players used to hold their cards. This
edition features custom cards that not only celebrate the heritage of the original Note: Bonus cards do not count towards your initial meld requirement.
game, they also make the game easier to learn and more fun to play!

Start To Play. Read As You Go

Read This First
The Deal:
Rules for 4 Players: Chose a dealer at random. After each hand, the deal passes to the player on the
Four players are teamed in partnerships. Partners sit opposite each other. The left. The dealer shuffles the cards thoroughly, offers a cut, and then deals each play-
rules are only slightly different when 2, 3, 5 or 6 play. Youll find these variations er 11 cards. Players hold their cards in hand. Bonus cards must be played immedi-
following the main rules. ately and replacement cards drawn (see Playing Bonus Cards). Place the remaining
deck face down to form the Draw pile. Turn over the top card of the Draw Pile and
How To Win: place it face up in the adjoining compartment. This card, called the up card, is the
Score points by laying down and adding to sets of cards of equal rank. 5,000 points start of the Prize pile (discards). If the up card happens to be a wild card or a Bo-
wins and it usually takes a few hands to do so. nus card, turn it sideways in the compartment (to indicate the Prize pile is frozen),
then turn over the next card of the Draw pile and place it on top of the Prize pile
How To Play: (until a natural card tops the Prize pile).
You are dealt a hand of 11 cards before each round of play. On each turn, you first
draw a new card orif you cantake the entire Prize pile (the discards). You
place, face up on the table (meld from your hand), sets of cards to score points.
Sets are three or more cards of the same rank, such as four Kings, six Fives or
three Sevens. Sequences, like 5-6-7, are NOT permitted in Canasta. You may add
to your sets during play. This is important because youll need at least one set of
seven or more cards (called a Canasta) in order to go out. Wild cards can be sub-
stituted for cards you need in a meld and they can also be used to freeze the Prize
pile (very important!). Bonus cards and Stop cards have special purposes. To end
your turn, you always discard one card to the Prize pile. You end the hand (go
out) by playing your last card. Your team will score points for each card melded
and may also be entitled to bonuses (or penalties!). On a single winning hand, your
team might score less than five hundred points, but your team could score in the The Play:
thousands! The player to the left of the dealer plays first. Then, play passes to the left. Play
continues until one player plays the last card in hand and goes out. Play is as easy
as 1-2-3:
The Cards:
There are 108 cards in play. Be sure to remove the Scoring cards and both Cali-
ente cards. The Caliente cards are added to the deck when playing the Caliente 1. To begin your turn, draw the top card from the Draw pile or take the
entire Prize pile (see Taking The Prize Pile).
variation (described at the conclusion of the rules).
2. Next, you may meld cards (required if you took the Prize pile).
Natural cards: There are 88 natural cards (eight of each rank: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace).
3. To end your turn, discard one card face-up onto the Prize pile.

Drawing Cards:
After drawing the top card from the Draw pile, if you are ableand you want to
you may meld cards from your hand, forming new sets or adding one or more cards
to your teams existing sets. If your team has not yet melded, your first meld must
meet the first meld requirement (see First Meld Requirement above).

Wild cards: There are 12 wild cardseight little and four big. The only
difference between the little and big wild cards is their scoring value. A wild
card can take the place of a natural card in any set, but a set must always have
more natural cards than wild cards. For example, this means you may have
only one wild card in a set of three cards. Once melded, a wild card cannot
be moved to a different set. Wild cards can never be melded in a set of their
own. As noted above, wild cards freeze the Prize pile when theyre discarded.
Taking The Prize Pile
Bonus cards and Stop cards (4 of each) cannot be melded in the usual If you wish to take the Prize pile, you can only do so by using the top card on the
way. Bonus cards are melded immediately upon being drawn. Stop cards are Prize pile (the up card) to make a meld. Having done so, you must then take the
discarded to prevent the next player from taking the Prize pile. They can only entire Prize pile (making more melds likely). This is an exciting feature of Canasta;
be melded as a set when going out. youll want to take the Prize pile often if you can. Taking the Prize pile is easiest
Scoring cards are handy to refer to when totaling scores. when the pile is not frozen. Its tougher when the Prize pile is frozen and before
your partnership has made its first meld.
Card Melds: Before Your Partnership Makes Its First Meld:
Natural Meld: a set of 3 or more natural cards of the same rank. You may take the up card* ONLY if:
Mixed Meld: a set that includes wild cards. No set may contain more wild you use it in a meld of 3 cards by combining it with two other natural
cards than natural cards. cards of its rank from your hand, and
Canasta: a set of seven or more cards. At least one Canasta is required you meld enough other cards to meet the first meld requirement.
before your team can go out. *Remember: You cannot use other cards in the Prize pile towards your first meld re-
Natural Canasta: a Canasta which does not contain any wild cards. quirement.
Mixed Canasta: a Canasta which contains at least one wild card. A mixed
After Your Partnership Makes Its First Meld:
1. If the Prize Pile is not frozen you may take the up card if:
you can use it in a new meld of 3 cards by combining it with two cards
of its rank from your hand (one can be a wild), or
you add it to your partnerships existing meld of the same rank.
2. If the Prize pile is frozen you may take the up card (unfreeze the Prize
pile) only if you combine it with two natural cards from your hand and make
a new 3-card meld. (Wild cards cannot be used to form a new with the up
card when the pile is frozen, nor may you add the up card to an existing meld
like you can when the pile is not frozen.)

Canasta may not contain more than three wild cards. A mixed Canasta scores Remember: If you properly take the up card and meld, then you take the entire Prize
fewer bonus points than a natural Canasta. Pile into your hand!

Combine into one set all cards of the same rank that either you or your part-
ner melds. One partner keeps all of the partnerships melds.
Discarding To End Your Turn: Next Deal:
End your turn by discarding one card from your hand onto the Prize pile. The new dealer collects all cards and shuffles thoroughly before offering a cut and
Nothing special occurs when you discard a natural card (which youll dealing as usual.
typically do).
End of the Game:
Discarding a Stop card prevents the next player from taking the Prize pile. When at least one team has scored 5,000 or more points at the end of a hand, the
Discarding a wild card freezes the entire Prize pile. To show that the pile game ends. The higher score wins.
is frozen, remember to place discarded wild cards at right angles in the
pile, so they will be visible after subsequent discards. Exclusive Variation! CANASTA CALIENTE
Tip: Freezing the Prize pile limits any players ability to take the pile. This is an important
strategy in this fascinating game. The word caliente means hot in Spanish, and thats just what this exclusive Ca-
nasta variation offers: hot game play for any number of players. Enjoy!
Playing Bonus Cards:
If you draw a Bonus card, place it face-up near your teams melds, and immediately
draw a replacement card. If you forget to play a Bonus card, you may do so on a 1. Add both Caliente cards to the deck before the game begins. A Caliente
subsequent turn and draw a replacement card at that time. If you forget to play a card, when played, enables a player with a depleted hand to rebuild it to
Bonus card when the hand ends, you are penalized 100 points for each Bonus card in exactly 11 cards.
hand.
You may never discard a Bonus card. The only way a Bonus card can 2. If you have a Caliente card in hand, you may play it face up on the table near
get into the Prize pile is if it was turned up at the beginning of the hand. your melds instead of drawing or taking the up card. However, you can only
do so if your team has not melded more sets than the opposing team
If you take the initial Prize pile and it contains a Bonus card, play it (or either opposing player, if playing a three-player game).
immediately. Do not draw a replacement card.
Bonus cards do not count towards your initial meld requirement. 3. Next, draw enough cards to bring your hand up to 11 cards total. If
insufficient cards are left in the Draw pile, take them all. If your hand has 11
Playing Stop Cards: or more cards, you draw nothing. It doesnt pay to play a Caliente card when
Discarding a Stop card prevents the next player from taking the Prize pile. your hand is large.
(They are not turned sideways in the pile.)
You cannot meld Stop cards except when going out, and then you must 4. You may next meld cards (but may not play a second Caliente card on this
meld three or four of them. Wild cards cannot be added to a meld of Stop turn) and then discard as usual to end your turn.
cards. (If you have just one or two Stop cards, youll need to discard them on
separate turns before going out.) 5. SCORING: A Caliente card will score minus 100 points if played. Thats the
price you pay for drawing more cards. If you are caught with a Caliente card
Going OutEnd The Hand: in hand at games end, you lose double the value of all cards left in your hand.
Once your team has at least one Canasta, either you or your partner may go out If youre holding both Caliente cards, the loss is tripled! For example, if you
(end the hand) by melding the remaining cards in hand or by melding all but one and hold cards worth 75 points and a Caliente card at games end, your loss
discarding your last card. If your team does not have a Canasta, you must keep one would be 150 points. Note: if the only card you hold is a Caliente card, your loss is 0!
card in hand after you discard. You may not go out.
Tip: It may not be an advantage to go out just because you can. You may be able to
score more points by keeping the game going, or avoid big penalties should your partner 6. A Caliente card acts as a Stop card if discarded.
still have many cards left in hand.
Tips: Early in the game, you may confidently meld most of your cards if you hold a Cali-
Before melding, you may ask your partner May I go out? Your partner ente card. Later in the game, try to play a Caliente card if your team is behind and your
must answer yes or no, and the answer is binding. If the answer is no, you hand is small. Towards the end of the game, discard a Caliente if you are close to going
cant go out. If yes, you may go out. out, especially if your team is in the lead.
If you dont choose to ask, you may go out at will.
Tip: Its a good idea to ask if you think your partner may be holding many high value VariationPrize Pile Always Frozen:
cards (which will reduce your score). In this variation, the top card in the Prize pile can only be taken if:
The hand ends immediately after a player goes out. Points are then totaled. a) you use it to form a set with two natural cards from your
hand, or,
What Happens if the Draw Pile Is Exhausted? b) you add it to an existing meld of six or fewer cards but
If you do not go out after drawing the last card in the Draw pile, play continues as not to a completed Canasta (7 or more cards)!
long as each successive up card is properly taken. The hand ends the moment a
player goes out or passes. You may pass if you cant claim the up card or if you Here are the only changes to standard Four-Player Canasta when two, three, five
choose not tounless you are forced to take it. You are forced to take the up or six play:
card if the pile is not frozen and you can add the up card to your teams meld. Nei-
ther team scores the 100 point going-out bonus when the hand ends on a pass. 2 Player Rules:
Note: If you draw a Bonus card as the last card of the Draw pile, play it as usual. The
hand ends; no further melds or discards are allowed. a) Deal 15 cards per player on each hand.
b) Each player plays for him or herself.
Scoring: c) When drawing from the Draw Pile, draw two cards .
Your partnerships points are now totaled: Discard one (as usual) at the end of your turn.
1. First, add the point values of all cards melded and subtract the value of cards d) To go out, a player must have at least two Canastas.
left in the hands of your partner and yourself. (Point values are found on the
cards themselves.) 3 Player Rules:
2. Next, add any special bonuses that apply: a) Deal 13 cards per player on each hand.
100 points if your team was the one to go out first. b) Each player plays for him or herself.
100 extra points for going out concealed - that is, either you or your
partner melded his/her entire hand in one turn, including one Canasta, 5 Player Rules:
and had not previously melded or added any cards to partners melds. a) One team will have two players, the other will have three.
This rarely happens.
b) One player on the three-player team sits out each hand.
500 points for each natural canasta
c) The player sitting out the hand may not advise his
300 points for each mixed canasta teammates but does handle the scoring.
100 points for each Bonus card, but only if your team has made its initial meld.
400 extra points if your partnership has played all four Bonus cards and has 6 Player Rules:
made its initial meld. a) Form two teams of three players each.
3. PENALTY: If your partnership did not make its initial meld, any Bonus card b) Rules are same as 5-Player Canasta except one player
melded counts minus 100 points (a total of minus 800 points if all 4 Bonus from each team sits out each hand.
cards were melded).
6 Player RulesExtra Deck:
Scoring Example: a) You may elect to have two partnerships of three players
You go out after melding three 7s, a mixed set of Jacks (two Jacks and one Big each, or three partnerships of two players each. Each
Wild), a natural Canasta of eight 10s, a mixed Canasta of 5s (six 5s and one Little player is seated between two opponents.
Wild). You have also played a Bonus card to the table. Your partner still has some
cards in hand: a 5, an 8, and a King. Heres your score: b) Add a third deck from either a second game or by
separate purchase from Winning Moves.
+ 15 points for the three 7s c) Deal 13 cards per player on each hand.
+ 20 points for the two Jacks d) Play for 10,000 points. When a team reaches 7,500
+ 50 points for the Big Wild points, it needs 150 points to make its initial meld on
+ 80 points for the eight 10s subsequent hands.
+ 30 points for the six 5s
+ 20 points for the Little Wild e) There is no extra bonus for having four Bonus cards, but
+ 100 point bonus for Going Out first five or six Bonus cards add an extra 600 points.
+ 100 point bonus for a Bonus card f) At least two Canastas are needed to go out.
+ 300 point bonus for a Mixed Canasta (of 5s)
+ 500 point bonus for a Natural Canasta (of 10s) Contact us at: Winning Moves Games
= 1215 100 Conifer Hill Drive
Now subtract the value of the cards left in your partners hand: Suite 102
Danvers, MA 01923
- 5 points for the 5 978-777-7464 EXT 114
- 10 points for the 8
2007 Winning Moves. CANASTA CALIENTE is a
- 10 points for the King Re gis t e red Tr ade m ar k of Winning M ove s I nc . ,
= 1190 Total Points 100 Conifer Hill Drive Suite 102, Danvers, MA. 01923.
All Rights Reserved. Colors and Par ts may vary.
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