If a player has a complete meld (seven or more cards of the same rank), they may play it on the table as a canasta. A meld must contain at least three cards, and a player can only play a meld if they have a natural pair (two cards of the same rank) in their hand.
The game is played with two standard decks of cards (including jokers), and the objective is to form melds (sets of cards of the same rank) and play them on the table. Modern American Canasta is a fun and exciting card game that is played with four players in partnerships. This guide is dedicated to Troy’s Gramma Ellis: Modern American Canasta Complete Rules Here is a beginner’s guide to playing Modern American Canasta, including a section on how to play a speed version of the game.