At the end of a hand of Canasta, as soon as one
player goes out, the scoring starts. Add up the points
for the bonuses and melds and subtract the negative
points from that score.
The bonuses you may be eligible for are as follows:
You get a 100-point bonus for going out.
You get a 200-point bonus for going out
concealed, which means going out without first
putting down any melds. If you can go out with
a concealed hand after your opponents pick up
a large pile, you can reduce the damage caused
by the points left in your partner’s hand.
Every Canasta is worth 500 if it has no wild
cards, or 300 if it is a mixed Canasta, with wild
cards. A Canasta of wild cards is worth 1,000
points.
Every red 3 your team has is worth 100 points.
If you have both pairs of red 3s, you get a 400-
point bonus for 800 points in all. If your side
hasn’t made a meld, you subtract the bonus
values of the red 3s from your score.
Then you add up the score for your melds and
subtract from that the total negative points that go
against you, for the cards left in your hand. Each
card has a scoring value, which isn't too
complicated:
Jokers: 50 points each
2s and aces: 20 points each
Kings through 8s: 10 points each
7s through the 3 of Spades and 3 of Clubs: 5
points each
You can’t use red 3s in melds.
Consider going out if you can to leave yourself just
below one of the critical points of moving into a new
zone for the initial meld requirement. You are better
off having a total score of 1,495, rather than 1,525
because you need fewer points to get started on the
next hand.
Modern American Canasta is a younger cousin of the
game of Canasta explained here. The game is played
to a score of 8,500 and has many variations. For the
full story, visit this Web site, but following are some
of the main differences:
Melds of 7s and aces are subject to special
rules. You cannot use wild cards to make a
meld of 7s at all. Additionally, if you start a
meld but do not complete the Canasta, you are
subject to penalty. A meld of aces cannot
contain wild cards unless it is the initial meld.
Again, if you start a meld and do not complete
the Canasta, you are subject to penalties.
Initial point requirements exist for your first
play, but you can get around them by making
your first play a natural Canasta or a Canasta
of wild cards.
Certain special hands allow you to go out after
drawing, without discarding.
A Straight contains one card of every rank
from ace to king plus a joker.
Pairs has seven pairs of cards; no jokers
or 3s allowed. Also the hand must either
have no wild cards or include a pair of 2s,
7s, and aces.
Garbage consists of two sets of four of a
kind and two sets of three of a kind.
player goes out, the scoring starts. Add up the points
for the bonuses and melds and subtract the negative
points from that score.
The bonuses you may be eligible for are as follows:
You get a 100-point bonus for going out.
You get a 200-point bonus for going out
concealed, which means going out without first
putting down any melds. If you can go out with
a concealed hand after your opponents pick up
a large pile, you can reduce the damage caused
by the points left in your partner’s hand.
Every Canasta is worth 500 if it has no wild
cards, or 300 if it is a mixed Canasta, with wild
cards. A Canasta of wild cards is worth 1,000
points.
Every red 3 your team has is worth 100 points.
If you have both pairs of red 3s, you get a 400-
point bonus for 800 points in all. If your side
hasn’t made a meld, you subtract the bonus
values of the red 3s from your score.
Then you add up the score for your melds and
subtract from that the total negative points that go
against you, for the cards left in your hand. Each
card has a scoring value, which isn't too
complicated:
Jokers: 50 points each
2s and aces: 20 points each
Kings through 8s: 10 points each
7s through the 3 of Spades and 3 of Clubs: 5
points each
You can’t use red 3s in melds.
Consider going out if you can to leave yourself just
below one of the critical points of moving into a new
zone for the initial meld requirement. You are better
off having a total score of 1,495, rather than 1,525
because you need fewer points to get started on the
next hand.
Modern American Canasta is a younger cousin of the
game of Canasta explained here. The game is played
to a score of 8,500 and has many variations. For the
full story, visit this Web site, but following are some
of the main differences:
Melds of 7s and aces are subject to special
rules. You cannot use wild cards to make a
meld of 7s at all. Additionally, if you start a
meld but do not complete the Canasta, you are
subject to penalty. A meld of aces cannot
contain wild cards unless it is the initial meld.
Again, if you start a meld and do not complete
the Canasta, you are subject to penalties.
Initial point requirements exist for your first
play, but you can get around them by making
your first play a natural Canasta or a Canasta
of wild cards.
Certain special hands allow you to go out after
drawing, without discarding.
A Straight contains one card of every rank
from ace to king plus a joker.
Pairs has seven pairs of cards; no jokers
or 3s allowed. Also the hand must either
have no wild cards or include a pair of 2s,
7s, and aces.
Garbage consists of two sets of four of a
kind and two sets of three of a kind.
