Canasta

For other uses, see Canasta (disambiguation).
Canasta
OriginUruguay
TypeMatching
Players2–4
SkillsTactics and strategy
Age range11 and up
Cards108 cards
DeckFrench
Rank (high→low)Red-3 Joker 2 A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Black-3
PlayClockwise
Playing time60 minutes (1 hour)
ChanceMedium
Related games
Buraco • Biriba

Canasta (/kəˈnæstə/; Spanish for "basket") is a card game of the rummy family of games believed to be a variant of 500 rum.[1][2][3][4][5] Although many variations exist for two, three, five or six players, it is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. Players attempt to make melds of seven cards of the same rank and "go out" by playing all cards in their hands.

  1. ^ Carlisle, Rodney P. (2009). Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society, Volume 1, p. 615. Sage. ISBN 978-1412966702. "Canasta developed from 500 Rum."
  2. ^ Morehead, Albert Hodges and Hoyle, Edmond; eds. (1991). The New Complete Hoyle, Revised: The Authoritative Guide to the Official Rules of All Popular Games of Skill and Chance, p. 70. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385249621. "This [500 Rummy] is also called Pinochle Rummy, and its family includes the popular games of Canasta, Samba, Persian Rummy, Michigan Rum, and Oklahoma."
  3. ^ Spadaccini, Stephanie (2005). The Big Book of Rules, unpaginated. Penguin. ISBN 978-1440626883. "500 Rum: A direct descendant of basic rummy, and an ancestor of Canasta."
  4. ^ Root, William S. (2016). Fun With Games of Rummy, unpaginated. ISBN 978-1473356696. "500 Rum: From this popular form of Rummy have developed the new games of Canasta and Oklahoma; also Persian Rummy."
  5. ^ Morehead, Albert H.; Mott-Smith, Geoffrey; and Morehead, Philip D. (2001). Hoyle's Rules of Games. Penguin. ISBN 978-1101100233. "Canasta is the culmination of many minor features tacked onto Five Hundred Rum." One direction of conquain variations, "emphasize melding, leading to Five Hundred Rum, Canasta, Samba, etc."