Canasta classica

International or special

108

From 2 to 6

It was one of the first games to become a rampant trend for its simplicity combined with great involvement. This is the original version, typically played in two pairs, which dates back to the immediate post-war period. In this version the deck of cards is the international one that also includes the Jokers, with the 2 (called pinelle) function as “jolly”.

The goal is to get rid of all the cards in the player’s possession by playing various combinations, the hand ends when a player manages to remain without cards.

Once the pairs to be matched are determined, the dealer hands out eleven cards clockwise to each player starting from the first one on his left. They then place the remaining cards face-down in the middle of the table to build the deck, and discovers the first card that forms the base of the discard pile.

The game starts and proceeds clockwise according to the traditional pattern related to the type of ramino. Each player performs three actions: draws a card from the deck, evaluates their own combinations of cards and (if they are able to do so) play a combination; then discards a card which they consider to be useless at their own game.

A player can perform several actions:
• Taking (or drawing) the card is mandatory. The hand player has the option to take from either the deck or the discard pile; but when a player decides to draw the card from the discard pile, they have to take all the cards in the pile. The conditions for seizing the discard pile are or that its upper card can immediately give rise to a valid play, or that the card can be placed in one of the columns previously laid by the hand player or their partner. In case the access to the pile is made by a player of a team that has not yet performed any play, the rule of 50 points minimum must be respected. The hand player detects the last discard of interest and, using it, makes their first play. The first play, including the newly acquired card, must have a value of more than 50 points.
• The play is optional. It depends on the cards in the player’s hand, any combinations obtained and their playing strategy.
• Discard is mandatory, except in the case where a player plays their entire card stash in hand and puts an end to the hand.

The first team to reach 5000 points wins the game of Canasta Classica. The final score shall be calculated as follows after each stripping.
• Each team adds up the values derived from: canasta made (500 points for natural ones; 300 for mixed ones); from red 3 declared (100 points each plus doubling for four 3s, that is 800 points); from the closing bonus (100 points for the normal one; 200 points for the hand one); and from the sum of the score of all cards laid down (Joker = 50 points; 2 = 20 points; Ace = 20 points; from King to 8 = 10 points; from 7 to 4 = 5 points; black 3 = 5 points; red 3 = 100 honor).
• The value of the remaining cards in the partner’s hand is subtracted from this sum.
• Penalty points are subtracted (see below).
• The balance of these values, which can also be negative, is the team’s score.

Penalties are applicable for the following errors.
• If the hand is over and a player has not exposed a red 3 in his possession the pair is penalized with 500 points.
• If a player takes the discard pile and then fails to make the drop, the pile is rebuilt and the pair has 50 penalty points.
• If a player takes the discard pile and makes the play without using the first card of the pile the pair has 200 points of penalty and their card become “penalized”.
• If a player draws from the deck or the discard pile when it is not their turn, the pair has 100 penalty points and the cards drawn become “penalized”.
• If a player makes a play out of turn has 100 penalty points if the game is to the opponents and 200 if it is to the partner.