chocccie Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Does anybody play? If so, can you give me a precis of the rules please?I used to play this with a friend and remember it used to be great fun (in part because of the whiskey that accomanied it!!)... but I can't remember how to play. I've look it up on the internet, but it seems very complicated (the rules I've found) ... and I remember it as being very simple.Can anybody help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Similar to rummy from what I remember, played with 4 people (well we've only played it with 4 people) and 3 decks of cards. You start with10 (I think) cards and have to lay out 4 cards on the table to begin scoring (eg 4 of a kind, straight run of 4 in the same suit). You take a card from the deck to start your go and then lay out a card on the discard pile. The next person either takes from the discard pile (plus all other cards there) if he can make a run with that card, or just takes from the deck.Then as the game progresses you can add to what you have laid down (or what others have) and the first to empty their hand and the game ends. You add up what you have laid down (11 points for ace, 10 for picture cards and so on). Others that have laid down also add their scores, but deduct what they have left in their hand.Haven't played for a while myself, but hopefully that will help jog your memory, or fill your mind with complete jibberish.It's a great game though. Edit: I seem to also remember it being played as partners and you have to be careful as not to go out as your partner could be caught with a lot in their hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini_man Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Choccie,I was brought up on Canasta many years ago both at home and at my grandparents house in Dartmouth where I would pass my summer and Christmas holidays. Needless to say I've also taught my children to play.It would help if you said if you wanted to play at 2, 3 or 4 as the play varies slightly.Incidentally, you can play it online at Yahoo games if you don't have a local partner. http://uk.games.yahoo.com/online-games/card/games_canasta.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Goodness! Takes me back 30+ yrs, when I used to play at work lunchtime in a regular 'school'. Regular partner, at least 3 groups of 4. Great game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocccie Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 I want to play with my husband mostly ... then with my friend when she comes to visit .... and as a four when a couple of friends visit! So, all of the above!I remember it as being wonderful entertainment.... .I wish I knew more card games, they're great! I have a book, but the rules are always soooo complicated and I loose interest after 2 or 3 pages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini_man Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 reply under construction ...... watch this space [8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini_man Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Choccie, sorry this has taken so long but I made a mistake –it’s not possible to write a précis of the rules because it’s all or nothingreally – and I dread to think what the forum “sm_ut squad” will make of thiswhat with all the “going downs” and “laying downs” etc [:$] but here goes anyway : Always play with 2 packs including jokers so 4 jokers intotal. The value of cards is: 2 (wild card) = 20 ptsBlack 3 = 5Red 3 = 100 (if dealt in the opening hand these should beplaced on the table face upwards at the beginning of each players first go. Ifpicked then it should be placed on the table immediately and a further cardpicked). Red 3’s count minus until the player has “gone down”.4 x red 3’s on the table = 800Joker = 504, 5, 6, 7 = 58, 9, 10, J, Q, K = 10Ace = 20 Shuffle well then all players cut the pack, the player withthe highest card goes first the others take their turns in a clockwisedirection. The objectives are to collect as many points on the table aspossible or to “go out” (lay down all your cards and finish the round) ifpossible before your opponent has gone down in which case all cards in theirhand will count minus. The points are added up at the end of each round and thefirst player to reach 5000 pts is the winner. Deal 15 cards each for 2 players, 13 cards each for 3 and 11cards each for 4, starting with the player to go first. After dealing turn overthe next card face up beside the rest of the cards which are face down in astack. If the card turned over is a 2 or a 3 or a joker then turn another andplace that on top of the first one. This is the start of “the pack” whereplayers place their discards each round. Examining what is in the pack at anytime is not allowed. Sort your hand into denominations. Any players holding red3’s place them face up on the table in front of them, starting with the personwho cut the highest card, and taking a replacement card for each 3 from thestack. The player going first has the choice of the discarded card or to take apick from the stack of undealt cards. When playing at 2 the player takes 2cards per time from the stack but only 1 when playing at 3 or 4. If the playerchooses the discarded card they also take any other cards below it – this iscalled “taking the pack”. In order to take the pack the player must be able to“go down” or have already gone down. Going down is slightly complicated so I’ll try and explainit here - Going down is laying some of your hand face up on the table. Whenfirst going down the player must have at least 3 cards of the same denomination– this may include the top card of the discard pack. In addition two cards ofthe same denomination may have a wild card (a two or a joker) laid down withthem. Examples: 3 aces = 60 pts3 queens + 2 eights and a two = 30 pts + 40 pts = 70 pts 4 queens and a joker = 90pts The cards laid down must total a minimum amount according tothe total number of points a player has from previous rounds. The amounts are:Current score: less than 1500 = 50 pts required to go down less than 3000 = 90 pts morethan 3000 = 120 ptsIf a player has a minus total score they may go down withany 3 cards alike. Once the first player has either picked 2 cards or pickedthe pack then they must “throw out”, that is discard 1 card from their handface up onto the discard pack. The next player now has the choice of picking upthe discarded card and any cards below it or picking 2 undealt cards from thestack but in order to pick up the top card they must have either 2 cards thesame in their hand or already have some of that denomination on the table. Andso it continues. Throwing out: If the discard is a black 3 the next player maynot pick it up even if they have 2 further black 3’s, it is in effect a deadcard. In desperation a wild card (2 or joker) may be thrown out, it must beplaced sideways on to the other cards in the pack so it can always be seen,this is called doubling the pack. The effect of doubling the pack is that thepack can only be picked up by a player who has two of the same denomination ofthe top card in their hand in order to take it even if they already have thatdenomination laid down. One and a wild card will not do. When a player doestake a doubled pack they take it all except if there is more than one wild cardin the pack in which case they take down to the next wild card and the packremains doubled. Points are amassed as cards are added to the hand on thetable. A canasta is 7 cards of one denomination which may include up to 3 wildcards and is worth 300 pts. A natural canasta is 7 cards of one denominationwithout wild cards and is worth 500 pts, if it is in the hand either picked ordealt, it’s worth 600 pts once it is laid down. The objectives are to collect as many points on the table aspossible or to “go out” (lay down all your cards and finish the round) ifpossible before your opponent has gone down in which case all cards in theirhand will count minus. Going out - you can only go out when it is your go (turn) andyou must first either pick cards from the stack or pick the pack. You must haveat least 2 canastas if playing at 2. You must be able to lay down all yourcards but 1 card may be thrown out onto the discard pack, this may not be ablack 3. If you have 3 or 4 black 3’s these may be added to your hand when yougo out and count 5 pts each. Scoring – this is done by both players after one has goneout. For the person who didn’t go out, count the value of the cards in theirhand and deduct an equivalent value from their cards on the table, then countthe value of what is left, that is there score for the round. If they haven’tgone down then the value of all their cards including any red 3’s is minus. Forthe person who went out, first count the bonuses, these are points for theircanastas and red 3’s plus 100 pts for going out, then add up the rest of thevalue of their cards (including the cards that make up the canastas), the totalplus the bonuses is their score for the round. The rules above are for 2 and 3 player games. It’s a verydifferent game when played at 4 and in my opinion is far better. I’ll let youhave the rules for 4 in a while. There’s plenty of gaps in the rules I’ve givenyou here and if you have queries please either let me know here or by PM and itdoesn’t matter how silly you might think the question is! There are variationson the rules of the game but these have worked very well for us for many years. OK well I’ve checked this through again and again and eventhough it’s far from complete I hope it will give you enough to get started, so…. Good luck and have fun [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocccie Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 Many kissis to Gemini Man [kiss] I can't wait to play this again. You've put a huge smile on my face! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini_man Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 [:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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