Beginner's Canasta Lessson III

Hi Canasta Lovers,

What a great time we had Monday at our third beginner's canasta lesson. I started both lessons with demonstrations of what to do and what not to do when your partner melds.  Let's say your partner meld with  two kings and a big joker, three eights, and three fours with a deuce. (Very nice all requirements have been met.) What should you do with the two kings, two eights and one four that you are holding? Would you lay everything down or would you hold back in hope that you might be able to pick up that big, beautiful, juicy pack?  We had a lively give and take and everyone seemed to understand the concept of keeping control of your hand by not immediately laying everything down or by not adding your singleton to a triple (hopefully you'll double up.)  After a little more discussion ("I still think canasta is as hard as Bridge") the cards were dealt and we began to play.

Near the end of the last hand of the day beginner Susie wanted to take the pack with her two sevens. She had a count of six but the other two sevens could have been anywhere. I usually advise against picking a pack like that if you are not sure, but Susie was adamant.  (I thought there might be a lesson here...who knew?  So Susie picked the pack, laid down her six sevens and discarded a five.  Her partner Sally, was holding two wild cards and that one important seven. Looked like everything was going to work out for the girls, but alas, Sally picked another wild card.  Because Sally had nothing in fifth position to put her jokers on, she had to put that sweet seven in the discard tray.  Goodbye lovely seven canasta, goodbye 3500 wonderful points. What a shame! What a good lesson!

Next week we will talk about special hands and add a little strategy to the mix.  Maybe one of the girls will make pairs. That would be exciting.  "Newbies" no more, they will soon be ready to join the ranks of Canasta Goddesses, playing their favorite game with friends, old and new.

Wishing all goddesses lots and lots of joker canastas.
Love, Barbara