GVR Canasta Club Rules of Play (Adopted 8/04/2023)

Tables of four players; two teams. Establish a score keeper for the table. Each player draws a card; the high card deals. Second game the players to the right and left of the score keeper draw; high card then partners with the score keeper. 

Player to the right of the dealer cuts the cards. Dealer deals from the cut and the remainder of the deck goes in the center of the table. Deal 11 cards to each player. A perfect cut of 44 cards earns 100 points added to that person’s team score. 

Players place any red threes face up in front of them, in order of the play, starting with the player to the left of the dealer; the player draws one other card to replace each red three. Red three’s that are drawn count 100 points for the player’s team; all four red three’s count double or 800 points. Once red threes are on the table they can not be picked up. IF a team has red threes on the table, but they can’t meld and the hand is over, all the red three’s count negative against their score.


Black threes are safe discards. No player can pickup the discard pile when a black three is on top. 


To open for the team a player must place a meld on the table of these point values: 

A meld consists of three or more cards, including at least 2 naturals. They can have an equal number of wild cards and natural cards; with a maximum of three wild cards in an initial meld or Canasta. 

The player to the left of the dealer starts the play by drawing two new cards from the center deck or picking up the first card placed on the discard pile; ONLY in this first instance can the player pick up that card turned over in the discard pile and does NOT have to play the card. The play continues with each player in turn drawing two new cards from the center deck or picking up the entire discard pile. You must have two naturals or one natural and one wild card to pick up the discard pile; or if the team has a meld showing and the last player discards one of the same cards, the player can pick up the discard pile using that top card. (You don’t have to have two natural cards or one natural and a wild in your hand in this instance.) If the discard pile gets frozen with a wild card or a red three, no one can pick up the discard pile; unless they have two natural like cards in their hand. 

In order to go out, a team must have two Canastas. They can be natural Canastas (one without wild cards); count 500 points. Or, they can be dirty Canastas (one that includes wild cards); count 300 points. You MUST ask your partner if you can go out, and abide by their decision. (There are no exceptions to this rule.) If the player going out has 3 or more black threes in their hand, they can lay the black threes on the table and go out.

The goal is to reach 5000 points first, ending that game. Going out earns 100 points. 

Card Point Values:

When playing, be sure to sign-in & have your membership/guest card with you.