Canasta Online — the Classic Partnership Card Game

Play instantly in your browser, no download — quick match or invite friends with a room code.

Play now — it's free

Canasta is the classic rummy-style card game from the 1940s, played by four players in two partnerships with two full decks plus jokers — 108 cards in all. Build melds of a kind, turn a seven-card meld into a canasta, grab the whole discard pile when it is live, and go out before your opponents do.

Here you can play Canasta online free, straight from the browser: hit Quick Play to join a table in seconds, or create a room and share its code to play with friends. Hands are scored exactly like the classic rules — canasta bonuses, red threes, going out — and the match is played to 5,000 points.

→ Full Canasta rules · Glossary

Canasta in a nutshell

Four players, two partnerships, 108 cards (two 52-card decks plus four jokers), eleven cards each. On your turn draw one card from the stock — or take the whole discard pile when you can use its top card — then meld sets of equal-ranked cards and discard one card. A meld of seven or more cards is a canasta: 500 points if it is all natural, 300 if it contains wild cards. Once your team has a canasta you may go out by emptying your hand for a 100-point bonus (200 if concealed). Hands accumulate to 5,000 points.

Frequently asked questions

How many cards are used in Canasta?

Two 52-card decks plus four jokers — 108 cards in all.

How many players play Canasta?

Canasta is best for four players in two fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite each other.

How many cards are dealt to each player?

Eleven cards each, plus one card turned up to start the discard pile.

What is a canasta?

A meld of seven or more cards of the same rank. A natural (pure) canasta has no wild cards and scores 500; a mixed canasta contains wild cards and scores 300.

How many wild cards can a meld contain?

At most three, and a meld must always contain at least two natural cards. Melds of only wild cards are not allowed.

What do red threes score?

100 points each, and all four together score 800 — provided your team melded during the hand. If the team never melded, red threes count against it at the same values.

What does a black three do?

It stops the next player from taking the discard pile, but does not freeze it. Black threes can only be melded when going out, three or four at a time with no wild cards.

When is the discard pile frozen?

While it contains a wild card or a red three, and against any team that has not yet melded. A frozen pile can only be taken by pairing the top card with two natural cards of the same rank from hand.

How do you go out in Canasta?

Empty your hand by melding (optionally with one final discard) — your team must already have at least one canasta. Going out scores 100, or 200 if concealed.

What is the target score in Canasta?

5,000 points, accumulated over several hands. If both teams pass 5,000 in the same hand, the higher total wins.

Can I play Canasta online for free?

Yes — you can play Canasta online free at canasta.yeeqia.com directly in your browser, no download or sign-up required.