Canasta is a rummy game, so if you know Rummy you already know the idea: lay down sets, empty your hand. Canasta adds partners, two decks and a long game to 5,000 points. Rummy is the simple version.
| Canasta | Rummy | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 4, in two teams | 2 to 6 |
| Played with | 2 × 52 cards + 4 jokers | 52 cards, no jokers |
| Type | Rummy | Rummy |
| Level | Hard | Medium |
| The goal | With your partner, meld cards of the same rank, grow them into canastas of seven, and go out. First team to 5,000 wins. | Be the first to get rid of all your cards by laying them down in sets and runs. |
| How you win | The first team to reach 5,000 points wins. | Deal again and keep a running total; the first player to reach the agreed target (for example 100) wins. |
Choose Canasta if
- you have four players and enjoy partners
- you want a deeper game with two decks and jokers
- you are ready for a hard game: Canasta is rated hard here
Choose Rummy if
- you have two to six players
- you want to start with one standard deck
- you want a medium-level game rather than a hard one
