Barry Rigal

The variety of card games means that you can find one to suit most any situation. Most card players are familiar with some type of poker, though they may need to be reminded of how the hands are ranked. You can play some card games as long as all the players are happy to continue; others end at a particular score, and all are made more enjoyable when players adhere to card-game etiquette.

The object of Canasta is to pick up cards and fit them into groupings. You score points for the groupings, or melds, so the more melds, the merrier. The first team to score 5,000 points wins, and if both teams hit 5 grand on the same hand, the team with the higher score wins. Making melds Melds are combinations of three to seven or more cards of the same rank.

Canasta has some unique rules, but it's still a fun, competitive card game. Just like other aspects of the game, there are special rules that pertain to winning (or finishing) a Canasta game. Here's what you need to know to end a game. Going out You can’t get rid of all your cards and go out until your team makes a Canasta.

Discarding is a critical part of how you play Canasta; if the discard pile grows large, one false discard can be disastrous. Err on the side of caution by throwing out what you’re sure your opponents don’t want. Do so by watching what they throw away and by what they don’t pick up from the discard pile. Unfreezing the deck with the initial meld The discard pile is automatically frozen for your side at the start of the game until your team makes its initial meld; that does not mean you can’t use it — but you can only use it under specific circumstances.

Old Maid is a card game that allows you to keep card strategy and psychology simple, making it an ideal game for younger children. All you need to play Old Maid is the following: At least three players: There is no real upper limit, if you have enough decks of cards. One or more standard decks of 52 cards, with three queens removed: Use a single deck of cards for up to six players.

In Canasta, the 3s are treated differently from all other cards, and the red 3s are not treated the same as the black 3s. Read on for the special rules regarding 3s in a Canasta game. Laying down the red 3s The red 3s are like bonus cards — they play no major part in the strategy of the game, but they can score your side some extra points if you’re lucky enough to draw them.

At the end of a hand of Canasta, as soon as one player goes out, the scoring starts. Add up the points for the bonuses and melds and subtract the negative points from that score.The bonuses you may be eligible for are as follows: You get a 100-point bonus for going out. You get a 200-point bonus for going out concealed, which means going out without first putting down any melds.

One reason for canasta’s widespread popularity is its use of wild cards, which make the game high scoring and unpredictable. Canasta is also one of the few partnership games (other than Bridge and Euchre) where the players can work in unison, although it also functions perfectly well as a two- or three-handed game.