Printable Canasta
Sometimes you want Canasta at the kitchen table, away from a screen, and nobody can quite remember whether a joker is worth 20 or 50. This page is a compact reference you can print or keep open on your phone: the card point values, the big bonuses for canastas, red threes and going out, and a quick turn sequence to settle any "whose turn is it and what do I do" debates. When you would rather have the site handle the shuffle and scoring for you, you can always play free in your browser instead.
Heads up: Canasta.now does not offer a downloadable PDF yet. This page collects the scoring and the turn order so you can print it or copy it out, and it links straight to the online games whenever you want to play.
What this reference covers
These numbers are the classic two-deck partnership rules: two 52-card decks plus four jokers, 108 cards in all. Most Canasta variants use the same card values and the same bonus ideas, so this sheet works as a handy baseline even when you move on to Samba, Bolivia or Hand and Foot. For the full walkthrough of every variant, see the Canasta rules hub.
Card point values
Every card counts toward your meld total at these values, whether it is in a meld or left in your hand at the end of the deal.
| Card | Points | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Joker | 50 | Wild card |
| Ace | 20 | Natural card |
| Two | 20 | Wild card |
| King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8 | 10 | Natural card |
| 7, 6, 5, 4 | 5 | Natural card |
| Black three | 5 | Stop card (blocks the discard pile) |
| Red three | 100 bonus each | Bonus card, laid face up (see below) |
Bonus scores
These bonuses are added on top of your card points at the end of each deal. They are where most of a big score comes from, so plan your melds around them.
| Bonus | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Natural (clean) canasta | 500 | Seven or more cards of one rank, no wild cards |
| Mixed (dirty) canasta | 300 | Seven or more cards of one rank, including wild cards |
| Red three | 100 each | All four red threes together score 800 |
| Going out | 100 | Your side needs at least one completed canasta first |
| Going out concealed | 200 | Melding your whole hand in a single turn |
Careful with red threes: they are worth 100 each only if your side has made a canasta. If you finish the deal with no canasta, those same red threes count against you at minus 100 each.
A turn, step by step
Canasta turns always follow the same three-beat rhythm. Keep this list handy and nobody at the table will lose their place.
- Draw. Take the top card of the stock, or take the whole discard pile if you can legally claim it (you must be able to use its top card in a meld right away).
- Lay down red threes. Any red three you drew goes face up in front of you at once, and you draw a replacement card from the stock.
- Meld or lay off. Optionally put down new melds (three or more of a rank, at least two natural cards) or add cards to melds your side already owns. Your first meld each hand must reach the minimum count set by your score.
- Discard. End your turn by placing one card face up on the discard pile. If you have gone out, you skip the discard.
Remember: to go out your side must have at least one completed canasta (two in some variants), and a black three on top freezes the pile so no one can take it.
Or just play in your browser
No printer and no decks handy? Every variant deals and scores itself for you online, for free, with no download. Try Classic Canasta, Hand and Foot, or the quick Two-Handed game and the site handles the shuffle, the melds, and the running score for you.
Printable Canasta FAQ
Do you have a printable Canasta PDF?
Not yet. For now, this page gathers the card values, the bonuses, and the turn sequence in one place so you can print it or copy it out, and you can always play the full games free online.
How many points is a canasta worth?
A natural (clean) canasta of seven or more cards with no wilds is worth a 500-point bonus. A mixed (dirty) canasta that includes wild cards is worth 300. Those bonuses come on top of the individual card points.
What is the target score in classic Canasta?
Classic partnership Canasta is played to 5,000 points, though the South American and modern variants set higher targets, up to 15,000. You can see each variant's win condition on the rules hub.