In Canasta it is possible to pick up the discard pile, and it is often advantageous to do so since the more cards you have in your hand, the more options for making canastas and meld there will be. There are 3 ways that the discard pile can be taken:
- A player holds a natural pair that matches the top card of the pile
- A player hold a wild card and a natural card that matches the top card of the discard pile
- A player has an existing meld that the top card can be added to (note: can't be added to a completed canasta)
A player is only allowed to take the discard pile at the beginning of their turn. To take the discard pile, the player must show the pair that matches the top card and meld those cards immediately. The rest of the discard pile is added to the player's hand, and their turn continues like any other turn.
The discard pile can only be picked up if it is not frozen. There are 3 times that a discard pile is frozen:
- Before a partnership has made their initial meld
- If a red 3 is placed as the start of the discard pile
- If a wild or black 3 is placed as the start of the discard pile or is discarded