Large Print Canasta Score Sheet: Free Printable PDF
This free large print canasta score sheet prints one landscape page for each side, with a row for every hand and columns for red 3s, canastas, going out, melds, cards left, hand score and running total. Pick 18, 24 or 28 point and print. Canasta has a lot of small sums, so big rows help.
| Teams | 2 partnerships, one landscape page each |
|---|---|
| Columns per hand | Red 3s, canastas, going out, cards melded, cards in hand, hand score, running total |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in |
| Game ends | When a side reaches 5,000 points |
How is canasta scored?
Canasta is a rummy game usually played by two partnerships. At the end of each hand a side adds up four things: the value of the cards it has melded, the bonuses for any canastas (melds of seven or more cards), the red three bonus, and the going-out bonus. Then it subtracts the value of cards left in hand.
Each card has a fixed value, shown in Pagat.com's rules for classic canasta. Each piece has its own column so the arithmetic stays in the open and everyone can check it.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker | 50 |
| Ace, two | 20 |
| King down to 8 | 10 |
| 7 down to 4, and black threes | 5 |
What are the canasta bonuses and red three values?
These are the classic values from Pagat.com. Variants differ, so agree on yours before you deal and note any changes on the sheet.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Natural canasta (no wild cards) | 500 |
| Mixed canasta (with wild cards) | 300 |
| Going out | 100 |
| Going out concealed | 200 in all |
| Each red three, when the side has melded | 100 |
| All four red threes | 800 in all |
| Red threes, if the side has no melds | minus 100 each |
The game ends when one or both sides reach 5,000 points, and the higher score wins.
How much must a side meld first?
The first meld a side makes has to reach a minimum count that depends on its score at the start of the hand.
| Score at start of hand | Minimum first meld |
|---|---|
| Below zero | 15 |
| 0 to 1,495 | 50 |
| 1,500 to 2,995 | 90 |
| 3,000 or more | 120 |
Fill in the running total column after every hand. Then everyone can see which minimum applies next hand without doing sums.
How do you use the large print canasta score sheet?
Give one partner the pen. After each hand, work along the row together, reading each figure aloud before it is written. Each side keeps its own page, so print both pages. Keep the sheet flat on a clipboard, and use a thick dark pen: wide strokes are easier to see for many people with low vision. On 11 x 17 inch paper at 28 point the sheet can be read across a card table.
The page follows the American Printing House for the Blind guidelines, explained in what is large print. If you play other games, the large print rummy score sheet suits the simpler form, the large print hand and foot score sheet suits its close cousin, and all our sheets are listed under large print games. Use large print lined paper for house rules or notes. When the card table turns to tricks, there is a large print hearts score sheet, and for dominoes a large print Mexican Train score sheet.
Every page you download may be copied freely for personal, family, church, library and activity-room use. Canasta is a generic game name; this site is not affiliated with any publisher of canasta sets, and the sheet is our own layout.