A turn consists of drawing cards, melding cards, and ending with a discard. Flow of GameplayĬanasta is played in turns, starting with the player to the left of the dealer and moving clockwise. This objective adds a competitive element to the game, as players strategize and make decisions based on their progress towards reaching the target score. It is important to familiarize yourself with the specific target score before starting the game. The target score can vary based on the number of players and the variation of the game being played. In canasta, the game objective is to score a certain number of points before your opponents. The first player to reach a predetermined target score, such as 5,000 points in a four-player game, wins the game. To start the game, each player is dealt a hand of cards from a standard deck, and the remaining cards are placed face down to form a draw pile. A meld is a set of three or more cards of the same rank, while a canasta is a meld of seven or more cards.
The main objective of canasta is to score more points than your opponents by creating melds and forming canastas.
