The game of Canasta is said to have originated in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1939 see for example Philip E Orbanes article The Canasta Story. From there it spread to Argentina, the USA and throughout the world. It was extremely fashionable in the 1950s, threatening for a while to displace Contract Bridge as the premier card game. The rules were standardised in North America around 1950, and it was this version of the game, which will be called Classic Canasta on this page, that gained worldwide popularity. In many countries, Classic Canasta is still played in more or less its original form, sometimes alongside a number of variations. In North America, however, some players have continued to develop the game, and these groups now favour a different version, called Modern American Canasta on this page.Canasta is generally agreed to be best for four players, playing in partnerships. However, there are playable versions for two and three players, which are given later on this page.

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