Aces & 7s in Canasta: Essential strategy for every player
In Canasta, Aces and 7s play a unique and powerful role. While most natural Canastas are worth 500 points, Natural Aces and Natural 7s Canastas stand out:
they’re each worth 2,500 points — five times more.
But with high reward comes high risk. Failing to complete a Natural Aces or Natural 7s Canasta brings a –2,500-point penalty, and even worse, your team cannot Go Out if one of these Canastas is incomplete. Understanding how to handle these special cards is key to good strategy.
Why Aces & 7s Matter So Much
A Canasta deck contains:
- 8 cards of every rank (2 per suit × 4 suits)
- 4 Jokers
To build a Natural Canasta, you need 7 of the 8 available cards of the same rank.
When that rank is Aces or 7s, the reward — or danger — becomes critical.
How Blocking Works
There are eight of each rank in the deck, and a Natural Canasta requires seven.
To stop opponents from building a Natural Aces or 7s Canasta, your team only needs to hold two of those eight cards.
Many beginners think each partner must hold two Aces and two 7s — but it’s enough for the partnership to hold two total.
Don’t Hold Too Many
Blocking is useful, but holding three or more Aces or 7s can cost you points.
If your team fails to complete the Canasta, you’re not only penalized — you’re stuck with high-value cards in your hand.
The goal is to block efficiently without over-holding.
Signaling Between Partners
Because preventing or completing these Canastas is a shared task, partners must know how many Aces and 7s each one is holding.
This coordinated communication is called Signaling, and it’s a standard part of the game taught in most beginner courses.
Aces and 7s offer big rewards but carry big risks.
Know when to collect them, when to block, and how to communicate with your partner — and you’ll dramatically improve your Canasta strategy.