Canasta Scoring and Penalties.
Once a round is over, each player counts the points accumulated during that round which are those on the table including values of canastas and 3's as well as face values of cards in melds and canastas.
Values of cards remaining in the hand of the player's partner who went out are subtracted from the team’s total score.
The losing team counts their points separately. Cards remaining in their hands are also counted as negative points against cards melded on the table as above. A negative score is possible.
Also see penalties below.
Teams add their points to their total game score. Download a Canasta Score Sheet.
The team that first reaches 8500 points wins! If neither team reaches that goal, another round is played until one team does.
If both teams go over 8500 points at the end of the same round, the team with the highest point count wins.
Penalties
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Aces (A's)
Aces (A's) may only be used in an initial meld with no more than two jokers. Once the initial meld is on the table (and the aces were not used) the aces must then be played as natural (clean) only.
There is a 1500 point penalty when three or more A's remain in a player’s hand at the end of the round.
There is a 2500 point penalty when there is an incomplete meld of A’s on the table at the end of the game.
Sevens (7’s)
Sevens (7’s) can only be melded as a natural canasta and thus can NEVER have any wild cards in the meld.
There is a 1500 point penalty when three or more sevens remain in a player’s hand at the end of the game.
There is a 2500 point penalty when there is an incomplete meld of 7’s on the table at the end of the game.
Wild Card Melds
There is a 2000 point penalty when an incomplete canasta of wild cards is on the table at the end of the game.
If 4 jokers are present in the wild card meld, there is a penalty of 2500 points.
There is no penalty for wild cards in a player’s hand.
Threes (3’s):
If a team has 3’s on the table without a canasta at the end of the round, all value of 3’s, along with the value of all the cards on the table as well as the cards in the hands, are deducted from the team's score.
If a team has 3’s on the table and only one canasta at the end of the round, the value of 3’s do not count but everything else does.
If the team has 3’s on the table and two canastas at the end of the round all points count.
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