Plan for four

You need four completed Canastas/Rumastas to go out — keep several melds growing at once.

Big piles are big chances

Taking a fat discard pile can swing a round. Hold pairs that could prove the top card.

Use safe discards

Black Threes and dead cards can't be picked up — great for blocking. Don't forget the ❤️!

Freeze with care

Discarding a wild freezes that pile for everyone — useful to slow opponents down, costly to give away.

Clean pays more

A clean Canasta is 600 and a clean Rumasta 500 versus 300 with wilds. Swap wilds out when you can.

Watch your hand

Cards left in hand count against you at the end of a round. Don't hoard high cards late.

Don't feed the table

Avoid discarding cards that fit an opponent's visible melds.