Can you go out concealed in Canasta?
Going out concealed is the showpiece play of Canasta. Pull it off and you dump your whole hand at once for double the bonus, but the conditions are demanding.
What concealed means
A concealed, or hidden, go-out is when you meld your entire hand in one turn and go out, having laid down nothing earlier in that hand. Crucially, you must produce a completed canasta as part of that single burst of melds. Because your side had no melds on the table before this turn, the whole thing appears from a hidden hand, hence the name.
The bonus and the conditions
Going out concealed doubles the standard going-out bonus from 100 to 200 points, on top of the 500 or 300 for the canasta you just built. In most rule sets, if your partner has not melded at all, you must have the full canasta in your own hand, and you may need to meet the initial-meld minimum in the same turn.
Is it worth chasing
Concealed go-outs are rare because they ask so much: a canasta plus enough matching cards to empty your hand in one move. Chasing one can leave you holding a heavy hand for many turns, which is risky if an opponent goes out first. Most players treat it as an opportunistic bonus rather than a plan, taking it only when the cards fall perfectly.
The surest way to make this stick is to play a few hands. Try Hand and Foot or Brazilian Canasta against the computer, keep the Canasta rules and glossary handy for anything unfamiliar, and browse the rest of the Canasta FAQ for more answers. When you are ready, put it to the test on the daily deal.
Related questions
How do you go out in Canasta?
You go out by getting rid of every card in your hand on one turn, but only if your partnership has already completed at least one canasta. You may meld, lay off onto existing melds, and finish with a final discard. Going out ends the hand immediately and earns a 100-point bonus.
What is a canasta (natural vs mixed)?
A canasta is a meld of seven or more cards of the same rank. A natural or clean canasta contains no wild cards and scores a 500-point bonus. A mixed or dirty canasta includes at least one wild card and scores 300. Your side must complete at least one canasta before anyone can go out.
What are the best Canasta strategy tips?
Strong Canasta play comes down to a few habits: aim for natural canastas when you can, control the discard pile by freezing it against opponents, keep safe cards like black threes to discard late, track which cards have gone, and only go out when the timing helps your side, not the opponents.
How is Canasta scored?
At the end of each hand you add the point values of the cards your side melded, plus bonuses: 500 for each natural canasta, 300 for each mixed one, 100 for going out, 200 for going out concealed, and 100 per red three. You then subtract the value of cards still in hand. Games run to 5,000 points.