Canasta Score Sheet
Classic four-player partnership Canasta to 5,000. Fill in each side's canastas, red 3s and cards in the calculator and the deal's score is written for you.
Now: deal 1
No scores yet. Enter the first deal below.
High score wins · game ends when someone reaches 5,000
Teams (2–2)
- 1
- 2
| Deal | Team 1First meld 50 | Team 2First meld 50 |
|---|---|---|
Deal 1 | ||
| Total | 0First meld 50 | 0First meld 50 |
Saved automatically in this browser, so a refresh or a closed tab won't lose the game. Press Enter to jump to the next box; tap ± to make a score negative.
Hand calculator: deal 1
Score one side at a time: canastas, red 3s and going out, then the cards melded minus the cards left in both partners' hands.
- Team 1 first meld this deal: 50 points
- Team 2 first meld this deal: 50 points
Bonuses
Natural canastas × 500
Mixed canastas × 300
Red 3s 100, all four 800
Cards melded on the table (cards inside canastas too)
Jokers × 50
2s × 20
Aces × 20
8 – K × 10
4 – 7 × 5
Black 3s × 5
Cards left in both partners' hands (subtracted)
Jokers × 50
2s × 20
Aces × 20
8 – K × 10
4 – 7 × 5
Black 3s × 5
- Canastas
- 0
- Red 3s
- 0
- Going out
- 0
- Melded cards
- 0
- Cards left in hand
- 0
- Round score
- 0
How Canasta scoring works
Canasta is played by two partnerships with two full decks and four Jokers. A deal ends when a player goes out. Each side then scores the deal in two parts and adds them together:
- Bonuses: 500 for each natural canasta, 300 for each mixed canasta, 100 for each red 3 (800 for all four), and 100 for going out, or 200 if the player went out concealed.
- Card count:the value of every card the side has melded, including the cards in its canastas, minus the value of every card left in both partners' hands.
Card values
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Jokers | 50 |
| 2s | 20 |
| Aces | 20 |
| K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 | 10 |
| 7, 6, 5, 4 | 5 |
| Black 3s | 5 |
Red 3s are never melded. A player who draws one lays it face up straight away and draws a replacement, so they are scored as a bonus rather than as card points.
Red 3s when a side hasn't melded
The red 3 bonus depends on the side having made at least one meld during the deal. If the deal ends before a side has put down anything, its red 3s count against it: two red 3s become −200, and all four become −800. Tick This side made no melds in the calculator and the sign flips for you.
Minimum first meld
A side's first meld in each deal must reach a minimum count, set by the side's total before the deal starts. The requirement is shown under each side's name on the sheet and at the top of the calculator.
| Side's score | First meld needs |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | 15 points |
| 0 – 1,495 | 50 points |
| 1,500 – 2,995 | 90 points |
| 3,000 or more | 120 points |
Only the card values of the cards being melded count toward the minimum; bonuses for red 3s or canastas don't.
A worked example deal
Deal 1. North–South go out (not concealed). Their side has:
- 1 natural canasta and 1 mixed canasta: 500 + 300 = 800
- 2 red 3s: 200
- Going out: 100
- Melded cards: 2 Jokers, 3 twos, 5 Aces, 12 cards from 8 to King and 4 cards from 4 to 7: 100 + 60 + 100 + 120 + 20 = 400
North–South score 1,500. East–West made 1 mixed canasta (300), have 1 red 3 (100), 180 points of melded cards, and are left holding an Ace, two Kings and a black 3 (20 + 20 + 5 = 45). East–West score 300 + 100 + 180 − 45 = 535.
Going into deal 2, North–South are on 1,500 and need 90 for their first meld; East–West are on 535 and need 50.
Rules that affect the score
- You need a canasta to go out.A side can't go out until it has completed at least one canasta, so going-out bonuses always come with a canasta bonus.
- Mixed canastas hold at most three wild cards. Every meld needs at least two natural cards and may contain no more than three wild cards, canastas included.
- Black 3s can only be melded by a player who is going out, and never with wild cards. Otherwise they count 5 each in hand.
Like Canasta but want more cards? The Hand and Foot score sheet covers its team-based cousin. For other games, browse the game night hub.
Frequently asked questions
How do you score a hand of Canasta?
Each side adds its bonuses (500 per natural canasta, 300 per mixed canasta, 100 per red 3, 100 for going out or 200 for going out concealed), adds the value of every card it has melded, and subtracts the value of the cards left in both partners' hands. That number goes on the score sheet for the deal.
How many points do you need to win Canasta?
5,000. The game ends after the deal in which a side reaches 5,000 or more. If both sides pass 5,000 in the same deal, the higher total wins.
What is the minimum first meld in Canasta?
It depends on the side's total before the deal: 15 points if the total is below zero, 50 from 0 to 1,495, 90 from 1,500 to 2,995, and 120 at 3,000 or more. The sheet shows each side's current requirement under its name.
How much are red 3s worth in Canasta?
100 each, and 800 if one side has all four. They count for the side only if it has made at least one meld that deal. A side that has melded nothing when the deal ends loses the same amount instead.
What is the difference between a natural and a mixed canasta?
A canasta is a meld of seven or more cards. A natural (clean) canasta has no wild cards and earns 500. A mixed (dirty) canasta includes at least one wild card, a 2 or a Joker, and earns 300. A mixed canasta needs at least four natural cards, so it can hold no more than three wild cards.
What does going out concealed mean?
A player goes out concealed by melding their entire hand in one turn, including at least one complete canasta, without having melded anything earlier in the deal. It earns 200 instead of the usual 100.