How do you unlock a discard pile canasta?
A frozen discard pile is unfrozen only by being taken. When the discard pile is topped by a wild card or a black three, at least one natural card must be discarded on top of the pile before the pile may be taken. Then, a player may take that card (and the pile) only with a natural pair of the same rank from their hand.
Do you have to discard to go out in hand and Foot?
Going Out. In order to “go out” you must get rid of all the cards in your Hand and your Foot and have at least one Clean and one Dirty pile. You must also have a discard card. You can have as many clean and dirty piles as you want but you must have at least one of each in order to “go out”.
What happens to the top of the discard pile in Canasta?
You can’t take that top discard unless you can make a meld with it or add it to an existing meld or Canasta — and sometimes not even then! (See the next section.) After you pick up the discard pile, you can make any further melds you want. When you discard, your turn ends.
What happens when you throw a card away in Canasta Dummies?
Freezing the discard pile. If you throw a wild card away (normally an act of desperation), it freezes the discard pile — which makes it more difficult for subsequent players, including yourself and your partner, to pick up the discard pile. Freezing doesn’t make taking the discard pile impossible — just harder.
Can you use the top of the discard pile?
Because the discard pile is frozen, you can’t use the top discard (and thus pick up the pile) unless you can use it on that turn in a meld with two cards of the same rank — in making that meld, no wild cards are allowed unless your combination already includes three natural cards.
Do you have to have a Canasta to make a meld?
If a player takes the discard pile, the top card but no other may count toward the requirement. Bonuses for red threes and canastas do not count toward the minimum. After a side has made its initial meld, either partner may make any valid meld without reference to any minimum count.
