Canasta, which first appeared in Uruguay during the early 20th century, subsequently expanded its sphere of influence to encompass numerous nations, most notably South America and the United States. Typically, four players participate in two partnerships; however, variations are possible with two, three, or six participants.

The game is played with a total of 108 cards from two standard decks (jokers included). By forming melds of cards of the same rank and by placing cards from your hand onto existing melds, you attempt to score points in Canasta.

Key features of Canasta include:• Melds: A meld is a set of three or more cards of the same rank (such as three 7s or four Jacks). There are two types of melds in Canasta: natural melds (without wildcards) and mixed melds (with wildcards, usually jokers or deuces).

Melds are placed face up on the table. • Wildcards: Jokers and deuces (2s) serve as wildcards in Canasta.

They can be used to substitute for any other card to complete a meld. However, there are restrictions on how many wildcards can be in a meld.

• Canastas: A canasta is a meld of seven or more cards. Canastas are significant because they earn extra points and allow certain strategic moves, such as freezing the discard pile.

• Turns: Players take turns drawing cards from the stock or the discard pile and then attempting to meld cards from their hand. Each turn typically ends with the player discarding one card onto the discard pile.

• Going out: The game ends when a player "goes out" by playing all of their cards or by forming new melds with their last card. This triggers the end of the round, and players tally their scores based on the cards remaining in their hands.

Scoring in Canasta can be somewhat complex, with points awarded for various accomplishments, such as forming melds, forming canastas, and going out. The game is usually played over multiple rounds, with the goal of reaching a predetermined target score.

Canasta requires both strategy and skill, as players must decide when to draw cards, when to meld, and when to discard, while also paying attention to their opponents' actions. It's a fun and engaging game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages.

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