Card values
Each card scores its value when it is in a meld, and costs the same if it is still in your hand when the hand ends.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker (wild) | 50 |
| 2 (wild) | 20 |
| Ace | 20 |
| King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8 | 10 |
| 7, 6, 5, 4 | 5 |
| Black 3 | 5 |
Bonuses
| Bonus | Points |
|---|---|
| Natural canasta (7+ cards, no wild cards) | 500 |
| Mixed canasta (7+ cards, 1–3 wild cards) | 300 |
| Each red 3 | 100 |
| All four red 3s | 800 |
| Going out | 100 |
| Going out concealed | 200 |
Penalties
| Penalty | Points |
|---|---|
| Each card left in your hand | minus its value |
| Red 3s when your side hasn’t melded | −100 each (−800 for four) |
First-meld minimum
Your side’s first meld of each hand must add up to at least this much, based on your score at the start of the hand. Only card values count — not bonuses.
| Your score | First meld needs |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | 15 |
| 0 – 1,495 | 50 |
| 1,500 – 2,995 | 90 |
| 3,000 or more | 120 |
Quick numbers
- Game: first to 5,000 points.
- Canasta: a meld of 7 or more cards.
- Meld: at least 2 natural cards and no more than 3 wild cards.
- To go out: 2 canastas with 2 players, 1 canasta with 4 players.
- Cards dealt: 15 each (2 players), 13 (3 players), 11 (4 players).
How to score a hand: worked example
Team A has a natural canasta of Queens, three Aces, four 6s with a joker, and two red 3s.
- Cards in melds: Queens 70 + Aces 60 + 6s and joker 70 = 200
- Natural canasta: 500
- Red 3s: 200 · Going out: 100
Team A scores 1,000.
Team B has a mixed canasta of five 9s and two wild 2s, three 4s and one red 3. They are caught holding a King, a 7 and a joker.
- Cards in melds: 9s and 2s 90 + 4s 15 = 105
- Mixed canasta: 300 · Red 3: 100
- Cards in hand: −10 −5 −50 = −65
Team B scores 440.
Add up in this order and you won’t miss anything: canasta bonuses, red 3s, going out, cards in melds, then subtract cards in hand.
Canasta scoring questions
How many points is a canasta worth?
A natural canasta (seven or more cards with no wild cards) is worth a 500 bonus. A mixed canasta (with one to three wild cards) is worth a 300 bonus. The cards inside it also score their normal values.
How much are red 3s worth in canasta?
Each red 3 is worth 100 points, and all four together are worth 800. If your side has not melded anything by the end of the hand, they count against you instead.
How many points do you need to win canasta?
The first player or team to reach 5,000 points wins. If both sides pass 5,000 in the same hand, the higher score wins.
What is the going-out bonus in canasta?
Going out earns 100 points. Going out concealed — melding your whole hand in one turn, including a canasta, without having melded before — earns 200 instead.
Do cards left in your hand count against you?
Yes. When the hand ends, every card still in your hand is subtracted from your score at its normal value, so a joker caught in your hand costs 50.
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