| Cards | Point value |
|---|---|
| Jokers | 50 points each |
| A, 2 | 20 points each |
| K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 | 10 points each |
| 7, 6, 5, 4 | 5 points each |
Canasta is normally played with standard 52 card decks plus two jokers.
The cards A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 are called natural cards. All of the deuces (twos) and jokers are wild cards. With some restrictions, wild cards can be used during the game as substitutes for a natural card of any rank.
The threes have special functions and values: Black threes are used as discards as they cannot be picked up. Black three's (3♠ / 3♣) held in a player's hand at the end of the game count minus 100 points (subtracted from the player's score). Red threes (3 ♥ / 3 ♦) are not to be used to meld a Canasta, but are set into the meld area and have a value of 100 points each. Black three's may only be melded by the player going out at the end of the hand.
Read more about this topic: Ponytail Canasta
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