What are wild cards in Canasta?
Wild cards are the flexible glue of Canasta. Used well they complete melds and canastas quickly, but leaning on them too hard costs you points and freezes the discard pile.
Which cards are wild
There are two kinds of wild card. Jokers, four of them across the two decks, are worth 50 points each. Twos, eight of them in all, are worth 20 points each. Both can substitute for any natural rank from four up to ace when you build a meld, which makes them powerful but expensive to hold.
The rules that limit wilds
Wild cards come with strict limits in the classic game. A meld must always contain at least two natural cards, so you cannot build a set out of pure wilds. A meld may hold no more than three wild cards in total. And a canasta that uses even a single wild is a mixed canasta worth 300, rather than the 500 you get for a clean one.
Wilds and the discard pile
Discarding a wild card carries a big consequence: it freezes the discard pile for everyone. A frozen pile can only be taken by a player holding two natural cards that match the top card. Because of that, experienced players time their wild discards to lock the pile away from opponents who are hungry to scoop it up.
The surest way to make this stick is to play a few hands. Try Modern American Canasta or Two-Handed 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
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.
When is the discard pile frozen in Canasta?
The discard pile is frozen when it contains a wild card or a red three, and it also stays effectively frozen against a side until that side has made its first meld. To take a frozen pile you must hold two natural cards matching the top card; a meld you already have on the table is not enough.
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.
What are the card point values in Canasta?
Each card carries a fixed value. Jokers are 50 points. Aces and twos are 20. Kings, queens, jacks, tens, nines and eights are 10 each. Sevens, sixes, fives, fours and black threes are 5 each. Red threes are bonus cards worth 100. These values count both in melds and against cards left in hand.