Canasta point values - the whole chart
Everything below is exactly what the online game enforces; the complete Canasta rulebook covers the frozen pile, permission to go out and every edge case in depth.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Natural canasta (no wilds) | 500 |
| Mixed canasta (with wilds) | 300 |
| Red three | 100 each · 800 for all four |
| Going out | 100 |
| Going out concealed | +100 extra |
| Joker | 50 |
| Two (wild) | 20 |
| Ace | 20 |
| Eight – King | 10 |
| Four – Seven | 5 |
| Black three | 5 |
The initial meld table
Your team's first meld of a hand must reach a minimum that grows with your running total - card values only, bonuses never count:
| Running total | First meld must be worth |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | 15 |
| 0 – 1495 | 50 |
| 1500 – 2995 | 90 |
| 3000 and up | 120 |
Frequently asked questions
How do you score a hand of Canasta?
Each team adds its bonuses (500 per natural canasta, 300 per mixed canasta, 100 per red three - 800 for all four - and 100 for going out, plus another 100 if the going-out hand was concealed), then adds the face value of every melded card and subtracts the face value of every card left in hand. Write the hand score in the score column and keep a running total; first team past 5000 with the lead wins.
What are the card values in Canasta?
Jokers 50, twos and aces 20, eights through kings 10, fours through sevens 5, black threes 5. Red threes are not melded cards - they are a 100-point bonus each, 800 for all four, and they count against a team that never managed a meld.
What is the initial meld requirement?
It depends on your running total: below 0 you need only 15 points of card values, from 0 to 1495 you need 50, from 1500 to 2995 you need 90, and from 3000 up you need 120. Bonuses and red threes never count toward the requirement - only the card values of the melds themselves. The table is printed on the sheet.
What is the difference between a natural and a mixed canasta?
Both are melds of seven or more cards of one rank. A natural canasta contains no wild cards and earns a 500 bonus; a mixed canasta contains one to three wilds (twos or jokers) and earns 300. The bonus is on top of the face value of the cards inside it.
How many points do you need to win Canasta?
The game ends when a team finishes a hand at 5000 or more with an outright lead. If both teams cross 5000 in the same hand, the higher total wins; a tie plays another hand.
Is there a way to play Canasta without keeping score by hand?
Yes - the free online Canasta on this site plays the classic four-player partnership game, enforces the initial-meld table, tracks the frozen pile and totals every hand automatically. This printable is for table play with real decks.
More score sheets and games
Playing the five-deck family variant instead? Use the Hand and Foot score sheet. The Yahtzee score card covers dice night, and Canasta, Hand and Foot and Buraco all play free in the browser with automatic scoring.