What are the card point values in Canasta?
Every card in Canasta is worth a set number of points, and knowing them by heart helps you meet the minimum meld, judge a risky discard, and count a hand quickly.
The value chart
Card values are grouped into a few simple tiers.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker (wild) | 50 |
| Ace and two (two is wild) | 20 |
| King, queen, jack, ten, nine, eight | 10 |
| Seven, six, five, four, black three | 5 |
| Red three (bonus card) | 100 |
Why these values matter twice
Card values do double duty. When you meld cards they add to your score, so a meld of high cards helps meet the initial-meld minimum quickly. But the same values count against you when the hand ends and those cards are still in your hand. Holding a joker and two aces feels safe, yet it is 90 points you will lose if an opponent goes out first.
Counting on the fly
Fast players group cards mentally: high cards (aces and twos) at 20, middle cards at 10, and low cards at 5. That makes it easy to check whether a planned initial meld clears 50, 90 or 120 points, and to weigh whether hanging on to a heavy hand for one more turn is worth the risk of getting caught.
The surest way to make this stick is to play a few hands. Try Cuban Canasta or Hand and Foot 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 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.
What is the minimum meld requirement in Canasta?
Before a partnership can lay down its first melds, those melds together must reach a minimum point value that depends on your current score. It is 15 when below zero, 50 from 0 to 1,495, 90 from 1,500 to 2,995, and 120 at 3,000 or more. After the initial meld, no minimum applies.
What are wild cards in Canasta?
Wild cards in Canasta are the jokers and the twos. A joker is worth 50 points and a two is worth 20. Each can stand in for any card inside a meld, but a meld must keep at least two natural cards and hold no more than three wild cards, and wilds can never form a meld on their own.
What do red threes do in Canasta?
Red threes are pure bonus cards. Each is worth 100 points, and holding all four is worth 800. Whenever you get a red three you place it face up immediately and draw a replacement from the stock. You never meld or discard them, but your side must have a canasta for them to count in your favor.