Variant Filter:
3 Decks Draw 2
Classic Samba
The traditional 3-deck Canasta variant. Build sequences in suit (Sambas) and sets of equal rank (Canastas). No Foot hands; race to 10,000 points with classic initial meld point brackets.
3 Decks (162 Cards)10,000 points
6 Decks Draw 3
Modern Samba
A high-stakes Hand & Foot variant featuring 6 decks, draw 3, and strict 7-card book closures. Includes dedicated Sevens and Wildcard books (+2,000 each) and individual foot release.
6 Decks (324 Cards)Highest score after 3 or 4 rounds
7 Decks Draw 5
Super Samba
The ultimate 7-deck marathon. Draw 5 cards per turn, build monumental 11-card Super Sambas (+5,000 bonus), trigger team-wide Foot releases on your first closed book, and race to 100,000 points.
7 Decks (378 Cards)100,000 points cumulative
The Turn Progression
1
Draw Phase
Click the draw deck to receive your turn cards (2 cards in Classic, 3 cards in Modern, 5 cards in Super Samba), or pick up the discard pile if eligible.
2
Meld Phase
Select 3 or more cards in hand and click Meld. You can also click cards in hand then click an existing table meld to add cards. (Optional)
3
Discard Phase
Select 1 card and click the discard pile to end your turn. In Modern and Super Samba, discarding concludes your turn and triggers post-discard Foot collections.
At-a-Glance Specification Comparison Matrix
Side-by-side rules engine parameters across Classic, Modern, and Super Samba
View Matrix
Meld Classifications & Bonuses
Super Samba
+5,000 PTS11 consecutive cards of the same suit (4 through Ace) with strictly zero wildcards.
Classic: Not available in Classic Samba.
Modern: Not available in Modern Samba.
Super: Primary signature meld! Grows from 7 cards to 11. Closes at 11 cards. Awards +5,000 bonus.
Samba
+1,500 PTS7 consecutive cards of the same suit (4 through Ace) with strictly zero wildcards.
Classic: Awards +1,500 bonus. Sequence bounds are 4 through Ace. No wildcards permitted.
Modern: Awards +2,000 bonus. Closes strictly at 7 cards. Max 1 Samba per suit per team.
Super: Awards +2,000 bonus if closed at 7 cards. Can be extended to 11 for a Super Samba.
Wildcard Book
+2,000 PTS7 wildcards (any combination of Jokers and Twos).
Classic: Wildcards cannot form an independent meld or book in Classic Samba.
Modern: Awards +2,000 bonus. Closes at exactly 7 wildcards. Essential quota to go out.
Super: Awards +2,000 bonus. Closes at exactly 7 wildcards. Essential quota to go out.
Sevens Book (7s)
+2,000 PTS7 natural Sevens with strictly zero wildcards. Wildcards can never be added to Sevens.
Classic: Scores as standard set (no extra special book bonus).
Modern: Awards +2,000 bonus. Strictly natural 7s. Required quota book to go out.
Super: Awards +2,000 bonus. Strictly natural 7s. Required quota book to go out.
Clean Book (Natural Canasta)
+500 PTS7 natural cards of the exact same rank containing zero wildcards.
Classic: Awards +500 bonus. Can add additional matching natural cards.
Modern: Awards +500 bonus. Closes strictly at 7 cards; no extensions permitted. Quota: 5 clean books.
Super: Awards +500 bonus. Closes strictly at 7 cards; no extensions permitted. Quota: 5 clean books.
Dirty Book (Mixed Canasta)
+300 PTS7 cards of the same rank containing wildcards (Twos or Jokers). Naturals must always outnumber wilds.
Classic: Awards +300 bonus. Maximum of 2 wildcards allowed per set.
Modern: Awards +300 bonus. Up to 3 wildcards allowed (min 4 naturals). Closes at 7 cards.
Super: Awards +300 bonus. Maximum of 2 wildcards allowed. Closes at 7 cards.
Initial Meld Requirements
Classic (Score-Based)
Negative score (below 0)15 pts
0 to 1,495 points50 pts
1,500 to 2,995 points90 pts
3,000 to 6,995 points120 pts
7,000 points or more150 pts
Modern (Round-Based)
Round 150 pts
Round 290 pts
Round 3120 pts
Round 4150 pts
Super Samba (Round-Based)
Round 170 pts
Round 290 pts
Round 3120 pts
Round 4+150 pts
Card Point Values
Joker50 pts
WildcardTwo (Deuce)20 pts
WildcardAce20 pts
Natural High CardEight through King (8-K)10 pts
Natural Mid CardsFour through Seven (4-7)5 pts
Natural Low CardsBlack Three (3♠, 3♣)5 pts
Discard StopperRed Three (3♥, 3♦)100 pts
Special Bonus / PenaltyFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Classic, Modern, and Super Samba?
Classic Samba uses 3 decks (162 cards) with no Foot hands and a 2-card draw; the target is 10,000 points. Modern Samba uses 6 decks (324 cards) with Hand & Foot (15+15 cards), a 3-card draw, strict 7-card book closures, and dedicated Sevens/Wildcard books. Super Samba uses 7 decks (378 cards) with Hand & Foot, a massive 5-card turn draw, 11-card Super Sambas worth 5,000 points, team-wide foot release, and a 100,000-point winning target.
How many cards do you draw each turn?
Turn draw counts differ by variant: In Classic Samba, you draw 2 cards from the stock. In Modern Samba, you draw 3 cards. In Super Samba, you draw 5 cards. You always discard 1 card to conclude your turn across all variants.
When and how do you get your Foot in Modern vs Super Samba?
In Modern Samba, foot release is individual: A player's Foot is released when they make or add to any team meld, but they must discard first before picking up their Foot for their next turn. In Super Samba, foot release is team-wide: When your team closes its first book of any kind, both partners' Feet unlock simultaneously; the player who closed the book discards first, while their partner may pick up their Foot immediately when their turn arrives.
What are the requirements to pick up the discard pile?
In Classic Samba, you can take the entire pile if you have a natural pair matching the top card (even if frozen), or if the top card matches an open team meld (if unfrozen). In Modern and Super Samba you must have at least 3 cards in your hand before pickup, the pile must contain at least 7 cards (unless it's your initial meld), and the top discard must form a valid set or sequence meld.
What freezes the discard pile?
In Classic Samba, discarding a wildcard (Two or Joker) permanently freezes the pile for all players until a player with a matching natural pair takes it. In Modern and Super Samba, discarding a wildcard or Black Three freezes the pack for one turn for the next player only. Furthermore, in Modern/Super Samba, discarding a wildcard is prohibited unless you have only wildcards remaining in your hand.
What is a Samba vs a Super Samba?
A Samba is a sequence of 7 consecutive cards in the same suit (4 through Ace) with strictly zero wildcards, awarding 1,500 points in Classic or 2,000 points in Modern/Super. A Super Samba is an extended sequence of 11 consecutive cards in the same suit (zero wildcards), exclusive to Super Samba, and awards a massive 5,000-point bonus.
Can cards be added to a book after it closes?
In Classic Samba, additional matching natural cards may be appended to completed Canastas. In Modern Samba and Super Samba, all set books (Clean, Dirty, Wild, 7s) close strictly at 7 cards; once closed, no further cards may ever be attached. The only exception in Super Samba is a 7-card sequence, which may continue growing toward an 11-card Super Samba.
How do Red Threes score and when are they a penalty?
Red Threes are automatically laid on the table when drawn and immediately replaced with a new card from the stock. Each Red Three is worth 100 points (1,000 for all 6 in Classic). In Classic Samba, if your team does NOT meet the quota of at least 2 completed Canastas/Sambas when the hand ends, the Red Threes turn into negative penalty points. In Modern and Super Samba, Red Threes are always scored as positive points.
What are the quotas required to go out?
In Classic Samba, your team needs any 2 completed books (Canastas or Sambas). In Modern Samba, your team must complete 9 closed books: 1 Samba, 5 Clean Books, 1 Dirty Book, 1 7s Book, and 1 Wildcard Book, and your Foot must be completely played. In Super Samba, your team must complete 10 closed books: 1 Super Samba, 1 Samba, 5 Clean Books, 1 Dirty Book, 1 7s Book, and 1 Wildcard Book, and all Foot cards must be played.
How does initial meld work in each variant?
In Classic Samba, the initial meld requirement is determined by your team's cumulative score at the start of the deal (15 to 150 points). In Modern and Super Samba, initial meld thresholds progress strictly by round number (Round 1: 50/70, Round 2: 90, Round 3: 120, Round 4: 150 points), regardless of your total score.