Melds
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A meld consists of at least 3 cards of the same rank (i.e. three 4's), and must include more natural cards than wild cards. The first meld laid down by either partner must meet a minimum requirement for the number of points it contains. The number of points melds are worth is determined by adding up the point values of all of the cards to be laid down in the initial meld. Any number of melds can be counted towards the minimum, but bonuses for canastas and red 3's don't count. The minimum count for the initial meld depends on the partnership's total score from the previous rounds as seen in the table below.
| Total Score | Minimum Count |
|---|---|
| Negative | 15 |
| 0-1,495 | 50 |
| 1,500-2,995 | 90 |
| 3,000 + | 120 |
Since the minimum count varies according to the partnership's score, it is possible that the two partnerships will need a different minimum count. After either partner makes the initial meld, melds may be made without worrying about the count of the card being laid down.
Canastas
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When a meld contains 7 cards it is then considered a canasta. Although natural cards can still be added to canastas, the cards making up a canasta are usually stacked and put to the side to indicate they are a canasta. Usually the top card of the stack is used to indicate whether a canasta is natural (clean) or mixed (dirty). A red card indicates a canasta that doesn't contain wild cards, or a natural canasta. A black card indicates a canasta that contains wild cards, or a mixed canasta. This really isn't necessary but it make counting up the canasta bonuses at the end of the round easier. Red canastas are usually more desirable because they have a higher bonus, but because you need 7 cards of one value they are often harder to get. As mentioned above, natural cards can be added to completed canastas but not wild cards.