Modern American or classic?
Canasta began in Uruguay in 1939 and swept America in the 1950s, and the rules standardized during that boom are what most people now call classic canasta. Many clubs and teachers today play Modern American Canasta instead, which changes the deal, the scoring and the way 7s and aces work. If your group talks about the 7s rule, special hands or a turn card, you're playing the modern game.
| With four players | Modern American | Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Cards dealt to each player | 13 | 11 |
| Points to win | 8,500 | 5,000 |
| Canastas needed to go out | 2 | 1 |
| Wild cards allowed in a meld | Up to 2 | Up to 3 |
| Sevens and aces | Special melds, worth 2,500 when finished | Played like other ranks |
| Threes | Scored by color, for you or against you depending on your canastas | Red threes score 100 each, or 800 for all four |
Some things are the same in both games: jokers and 2s are wild, a canasta is a meld of at least seven cards of one rank, and four players play in two teams of partners. When you know which game is yours, learn Modern American Canasta or classic canasta step by step. Hand and Foot, a cousin of canasta played with two sets of cards, has a page of its own, and so does Hand, Knee and Foot, which adds a third.
Free score sheets and rules cards
Both canasta games and Hand and Foot have a free score sheet and a one-page rules card, Modern American Canasta adds a sheet of its special hands, and Hand, Knee and Foot has a score sheet of its own. That's eight sheets, each on one letter-size page, with the values and penalties printed at the bottom so nobody has to look them up mid-game.
Find a game near you
Looking for people to play with? Our where to play page lists clubs, library groups and beginner classes for canasta and Hand and Foot, state by state, and we check each one by hand. Many of them teach new players.
Questions about the games
What is the difference between classic canasta and modern canasta?
Modern American Canasta deals 13 cards instead of 11, plays to 8,500 instead of 5,000, and needs two canastas to go out instead of one. It also gives 7s and aces rules of their own, with big bonuses and penalties, and it scores threes by how many canastas your team finished. Classic canasta scores each red three as 100, or 800 for all four.
Which canasta do American clubs play?
Many American clubs and canasta teachers now play Modern American Canasta. Classic canasta follows the rules standardized around 1950, during the game's first American boom, and it's still the version most general rules pages describe.
Is Hand and Foot the same as canasta?
No. Hand and Foot is a separate game in the canasta family. Each player gets two sets of cards, a hand and a foot, and plays through the hand before picking up the foot.
Updated September 25, 2026.