A Written Down Rule

Hi Canasta Lovers,

I bumped into Lissy at Publix last week (Paradise is a very small town.)  Lissy usually comes up with some pretty interesting card concerns to discuss and, as usual, she didn't disappoint.  She related to me that she was playing at a table where one team needed  155 points to meld. Player A melded incorrectly with 150 points but showed three wild cards on her various melds before she had to pick up her cards.  She was penalized the usual 10 points for her mistake.  When her partner, Player B's turn came around she picked a card and then laid down six wild cards (two big jokers and four deuces).  The other team said that she was cheating and that move was not allowed because she knew from her partner's mistake that she could complete the canasta.  My initial thought was that is not illegal, who would not lay down 6 wild cards and worst case, she was making lemonade out of lemons.

It was an interesting enough issue, however, that I started asking random goddesses what they thought.  The results were mixed, about half saying it was a legit move and the other half saying it shouldn't be allowed.  One goddess told me it was a "written down rule!" " Written down where?" I asked.  Nobody knows. My suggestion to break the tie would be to make it a table rule to be discussed before playing.   BTW if it goes for joker canastas it should hold true for clean aces also.

What perplexed me even more, though, was thinking your opponents were cheating.  I  like to think that all the Canasta Goddesses here in Paradise and beyond are nice, honest girls who just want to get together for an afternoon of canasta and conversation.  We do not play for big enough stakes or celebrity to sully our reputations at a card table. 

Whew, now I will get down off my soapbox in time to wish all of my followers, their mothers, daughters, aunts and friends a very happy Mother's Day and a healthy summer season beyond.

With much love,
Barbara