Copyright: ® G.M.McKay


Contents
Canasta From Special K Software

This is the help file for Canasta From Special K Software.   Click on one of the topics below to learn more about each.   Alternately, you can use the above search button to find a topic.

•	   Computer requirements

•	   Distribution

•	   The rules of the CANASTA card game

•	   This game of Canasta From Special K

•	   Let's start playing

•	   Installing Canasta From Special K

•	   Run this game

•	   What version is this?

•	   Registration Incentives

•	   Print the Registration Form


 Author

Canasta

This game is a classic!    Please contact me if you need any help, or you have suggestions.

This program is © 2000-2001 G.M.McKay  All rights reserved.


Computer requirements (def.)
      Any 486, pentium or better IBM compatible computer will successfully run this game as long as it can run Windows 95 or 98 and has over 8 Mb of memory. It  will  use any sound driver that your Windows has fitted (ie. a sound card or PC speaker driver).   A mouse is required (as with all  Windows activities).  It works best if Windows has a standard screen resolution, such as 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024.   However, it can accommodate any resolution.   You should have at least 256 colours in your Screen Color Palette.


Distribution

       This copyrighted game is distributed under the SHAREWARE system which depends upon your support for on-going development.   You are encouraged to freely copy and distribute this product unaltered to  friends,  business associates, bulletin boards and user groups.   HOWEVER THIS  PRODUCT IS NOT FREE!   You have an evaluation period of two weeks.  If you decide you do not like the game, simply pass the disk along to someone else.   If you are still using Canasta From Special K after two weeks  of  evaluation, you are obligated to send a minimum payment of $30.   If the future of low-cost quality software is to continue, we all must support this concept.   If you  cheat on this payment may you be constantly finessed.

       When you register, you get lots of goodies, as well as that warm fuzzy feeling that only comes from the knowledge that you are more saintly than the scum around you.   Click here to find out all about the goodies.

If you registered a previous version that gave you life time registrations (like this one does), simply setup this Shareware program on top of the previous one (ie into the same directory).  It will become registered.   DO NOT delete the previous version.


Playing the game

These options are available on the Main Menu Screen.   Click on one to learn more about it.

•	   start game

•	   choose options

•	   preferences

•	   register

•	   quit


Running it (def.)
       See elsewhere in this file for full details on installing this program (if you are reading this, then chances are that you have already installed it correctly).

       Once the program has been installed, running it is as easy as selecting the icon installed in the START button Programs group.   If  this is too easy, you can also start it by double clicking on CANASTA.EXE in the File Explorer (naturally you have to find the correct directory if you choose the hard way).


The game

       You can play cards by using the left mouse button to drag a card to where you want to play it.   For example drag the card to the Discard Pile, or the melding area to play it.   To make life a little easier, you only have to click once on the StockPile or the Upcard on the Discard Pile to pick it up.   You can also discard your own cards with the F1-F12 function keys and pick cards from the Stockpile with the S key and Discardpile with the D key. The options button shows you the following pop-up menu.

You can also see this menu by right mouse clicking anywhere on the card table.

       You can change the Game Options or your preferences at any time during a game by choosing the main menu item after the option button.   Note that if you change the number of players, the program will not be able to continue with the current game, but it will have to start a new one.

       It also lets you Replay the cards played in that hand, shows a concise list of the cards in the  Discard Pile, or shows you the Score Card with the last 19 scores in your game to date.   These options are also available at the end of a hand, to let you review it.  When you review the cards played in that hand, you can control the speed at which the cards are displayed.   You also get to see everyone's cards at the end of the hand.

       To stop playing the game and return to Windows, return to the Main Menu, and press quit.


Keyboard keys

       You can play cards by clicking the left mouse button on the Discard Pile card or the Stockpile.   To move cards to the discard pile, or to melds, then drag the card to the required location (left click on the card and move the mouse to the required location - when you reach it, release the mouse button).

       You can also play the cards with the F1-F12 keys.   The S key chooses a card from the Stockpile, while the D key chooses a card from the Discardpile.


Option Button

Pressing the option button exposes a number of menu options.   You can also see these options by clicking with the right mouse button on any part of the screen.

The items in the menu are:

You can also see this menu by right mouse clicking anywhere on the card table.


Main Menu (def.)
Return to the main menu to change an option for playing, changing your setup preferences, or to exit.


Review Cards Played (def.)
Review the tricks played during this hand.   You can select the speed of showing the cards, or stop the review, or show previous cards.   The cards in your hand are not ordered when replaying.    This might be considered cheating.   You might be more comfortable just looking at the last six cards moved - choose the Last 6 Cards option.


Review Last 6 Cards Played (def.)
If you think that it is cheating to choose the option to look at all the cards played in the hand so far, you might be more comfortable looking at the last six only.   The last six card movements are played backwards, than forwards to their current positions.


Review Cards In Discard Pile (def.)
You might just want to take a peek at the cards within the discard pile when no one is looking.   This menu option shows you the cards.


Suggest A Meld (def.)
This option in the pop-up menu suggests which cards you are able to meld (or add to existing melds) at this time.   It usually presents the most efficient use of your cards.   It is only a suggestion, and you can meld which ever cards you want to at that time.


Auto Meld Cards (def.)
This option in the pop-up menu asks the computer to make your melds for you.   It creates natural melds (ie. melds that do not involve a Wild Card), and also adds to existing melds for you.   Because Wild Cards can be placed in so many different melds, the computer does not make any melds which contain Wild Cards or melds which it judges as needing a human decision.    If it is possible for you to go out on this hand, it asks if you want to (note that it may not actually automatically meld out if you are required to make the decision on where to put the Wild Cards).   As you confirm that you want to go out, if you do not meld out on this round, the usual 100 point penalty will apply.

It will not auto meld unless you are in a position to meld, ie you have picked up a card from the Discard pile or Stockpile.

   	If you can meld, but this is your team's first meld, you must have enough points.   If you do not have enough points, the computer lets you know, otherwise it makes the meld (note that you may have to manually meld wild cards to make up the full points).   Because it leaves some decisions to the human, it can be conservative when deciding on what to meld.


Review Score card (def.)
Review the Score Card.   This shows the scores in the last 15 hands played.   This will help you to see who won and lost and the points scores.


Do Not Sort Cards (def.)
You can choose to sort your cards in to a particular order, or not sort them at all.   Choose this option through the Preferences Menu or the pop up menu from the Options Button.


Sort Your Cars by Suits (def.)
You can choose to sort or order your cards so that all cards of the same suit are together.   If twos are counted as wild cards, then they are positioned with Jokers after Kings.   Choose this option through the Preferences Menu or the pop up menu from the Options Button.


Do Not Sort Cards (def.)
You can choose to sort or order your cards so that all cards of a particular value are together, eg all 4's are together.   As twos are counted as wild cards, they are positioned with Jokers after Kings.   Choose this option through the Preferences Menu or the pop up menu from the Options Button.


Save Game (def.)
You can save your current game by clicking on the Save Game Item in the Pop up Menu.   This saves the current cards, and the scores saved on the score card.   It does not save the total wins recorded for each team.   You can select this item from the start of the dealing, right up to the last card being played.   You can use this feature to replay the hand you have just played with different cards played, or even different game rule options!   Load this same hand with the Load Game menu item.   It will tell you if the saved game has such different rules to the current one, and that it must change them.


Load Game (def.)
You can load the saved game by clicking on the Load Game Item in the Option Menu.   This will start the saved game from the start of the game.   The dealer is saved with the saved game.   It will tell you if the saved game has such different rules to the current one, that it must change them.


Abort Game (def.)
You can stop the current game, and start a new one by clicking on the Abort option on the pop-up menu.   This will be useful if the game reaches a stage where it is impossible to continue (ie. too mentally challenging).


help (def.)
You can see this comprehensive help file if you choose the help option from the Main Menu, or by choosing it from the popup menu by right clicking the card table.


rules
Canasta rules

Canasta (and its variations) is one of the best known games in the world.   It belongs in the Rummy family (see the Rummy Card Game From Special K software to play other games in the Rummy family, including Gin Rummy and 500 Rummy).   Canasta is the Spanish word for Basket and the card game evolved in Uruguay and Argentina in the mid 1940's.   It became the most popular card game in America from 1948 and in Britain in the years 1950 to 1952.

The game has the advantage that it is enjoyable when played with two to six players, although it is classically played with four.    The game shares the same objectives as all Rummy games - to meld your cards in to groups of three or more cards of the same rank, but in Canasta sequences are not allowed.   In addition the major points are awarded to achieving groups of 7 or more cards in a meld (called a Canasta).

There is no bidding in Canasta, as there is in many other card games.   Each player plays against the opposition players, not against a contract that they promised to make.   It is always played in partnerships with two teams in any game playing against each other.   Each player melds as part of the team, rather than for their own benefit.

All suits are equal, with no suit being a Trump suit.   Jokers may be used, but they act as wild cards, substituting for other cards, rather than being superior in their own right.   Two are also wild cards, considered the same a Jokers.

Players

Canasta is played with between two and six players.   Four is the most common number, and six is included in this software to allow for an even greater mental challenge.   Four allows two teams of two players each, sitting opposite each other.   No matter how many players are playing, they are always divided in to two teams.

The Cards

A normal playing card deck of 52 cards is used.   No cards are removed from the deck, but both Jokers are also included as wild cards.   In order to play with more than one opponent and have enough cards to make a Canasta, two decks of cards are used.   All decks are treated equally.   Two's are treated as wild cards as well as Jokers, and can be used in placed of cards of any value (in this game, you can choose to make Aces wild cards, instead of Deuces).

Dealing

The player who is the dealer will rotate around the card table in a clockwise direction.   The dealer deals a set number of cards to each player (you may change this number in this game, but is most commonly 11 cards for four or more players, and 13 for 2 players).

Stockpile & Discard Pile

There are two piles that you can pick cards up from.   One is a pile of cards which have not been seen yet - it is called the Stockpile, and is kept face down.   The other is called the Discard Pile - the top card is called the Upcard.   Canasta allows you to pick up the whole Discard pile, as long as you can meld the Upcard you pick up from the top of the Discard Pile.   You must be able the meld the Upcard with help from your hand (ie you cannot rely on cards within the Discard Pile to make melds, but you must have two of the card or the card and a wild card in your hand, even if there are a number of the same value card in the Discard Pile).   You must then meld these cards (including the wild card).   The software will tell you if you do not meld enough cards.

The Object Of The Game

The object of the game is to form your hand into sets.   These sets are called melds.   They are collections of three or more of a rank (in any suit).   You may also use wild cards (Jokers, and deuces (or optionally Aces instead)) to substitute for missing cards.   Canasta allows you to make melds as soon as you have the cards if you want to, but you do not have to meld just because you can.   However you must be able to meet a minimum meld point requirement before you can make your first meld (you play as a team, so once any member of your team melds, you have met the initial meld requirement).   After the first meld is made, there is no other point requirements, and you are free to meld when ever you want.   You may also get rid of your cards by adding them to existing melds, but only to the ones that your team put down - you may never add to the melds that your opposition put down.

The initial points needed to meld depend on your team score:

Minus score  	0

0-1495       	50

1500-2995    	90

3000+        	120

Canasta is different from many games in the Rummy family in that you can meld throughout the game, and that you (or your partner) must meld all your cards to end the game (ie. no knocking).   The only exception is that if all the cards in the Stockpile are used up, the card game will finish as soon as a player needs a Stockpile card to continue (ie, the next player can pick up a discard pile card if possible, meld and discard).

Playing

Each player takes a card from either the Stockpile or the Discard Pile (there is an option in the setup to pick up two cards from the Stockpile, rather than one).   After making any new melds, or adding to his team's melds that he may wish, he discards a card to the Discard Pile.

To end the game the player has to get rid of all of her cards and also has to have made at least one Canasta (or two if that is the setup option you chose).   This Canasta may be natural (ie no wild cards), or mixed (ie with one or more wild cards).   The player must not meld all her cards or leave herself with just one card to discard unless she fulfils the requirements to end this hand and go out.   In addition, the player must have asked permission of a partner to go out before playing any card in that round (ie before melding any card).   Permission may be asked before picking up card (from the Stockpile, or the Discard Pile), or after the card is picked up.  The partner may deny permission to go out, in which case they may not go out (obviously) - in this case the cards have to be played such that they do not go out.   In this game you ask permission by pressing the "May I Go Out" button on the screen.   Your partner will usually grant permission (as all good partners do), but does examine their own cards and may refuse permission.   If a player asks permission to go out and it is granted, if the player does not go out (because they really cannot go out and they had a suicide wish in asking, or they simply chose not to), the team cops a  100 point penalty for this transgression.

If a player makes all his melds at the one time, without adding to any melds on the table that his partners may have made, and goes out on the same turn, this is called going out concealed.   This earns an additional bonus of 100 points.

If the Stockpile is used up, play continues with melding and discarding, until one player must pick up a card from the exhausted Stockpile.   Play then stops with no one awarded the bonus for going out.

Scoring

At the end of a hand (ie when a team goes out), each team gets points from the cards that they have in their own melds less the points they have left in their hand, plus these bonuses:

going out unconcealed    	100

going out concealed      	200

each red three           	100

all four red three's     	800

each natural canasta     	500

each mixed canasta        	300

If a team has no melds, then its red 3's count for negative scores, rather than positive.

Each card, in a meld or in a hand, is worth:

Joker          	50

Two            	20

Ace            	20

King to 8      	10

7 to black 3   	5

Red 3's are special cards worth points to each team.   They are placed at the corner of the table whenever they are picked up and a replacement card is taken from the Stockpile (unless the Red 3 was within the Discard Pile when it was picked up).

Black 3's are also special cards.   They can only be melded as a player goes out (and only then without the help of wild cards).   In effect, they can be used to stop the next player from picking up the Discard Pile.


Scoring

At the end of a hand (ie when a team goes out), each team gets points from the cards that they have in their own melds less the points they have left in their hand, plus these bonuses:

going out unconcealed    	100

going out concealed      	200

each red three           	100

all four red three's     	800

each natural canasta     	500

each mixed canasta        	300

If a team has no melds, then its red 3's count for negative scores, rather than positive.

Each card, in a meld or in a hand, is worth:

Joker          	50

Two            	20

Ace            	20

King to 8      	10

7 to black 3   	5

Red 3's are special cards worth points to each team.   They are placed at the corner of the table whenever they are picked up and a replacement card is taken from the Stockpile (unless the Red 3 was within the Discard Pile when it was picked up).

Black 3's are also special cards.   They can only be melded as a player goes out (and only then without the help of wild cards).   In effect, they can be used to stop the next player from picking up the Discard Pile.


Installing It

       CANASTA is distributed in a form which makes installation easy for you.    Like all Windows programs, its installation is more complex than DOS programs, but the SETUP.EXE utility takes care of all this for you.    This way, it can ensure that you have the correct Windows System files that it needs to run properly, without you having to do any work.

       After installation, you should have these files in the \Program Files\Canasta From Special K directory -

 	CANASTA.EXE -  base program

CANASTA.HLP -  Windows help file

CANASTA.TXT -  ASCII text help file

 	REGO.FRM   -  user registration form

SCORES.CAN -  game scores and set-up info

GAME.CAN - saved game

*.CRD      -  data files.

       In addition, it will make sure that you have Windows system files in your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

       If you received this software from a Bulletin Board or the Internet, it will be compressed into the one file, eg CANASTA.ZIP.   Before running the installation program you will need to decompress it.   Create a temporary directory, eg C:\MYTEMP, and decompress all the files into it.   The software is now ready to install, as if you had bought it on a floppy disk. Now run the SETUP.EXE program.   The easiest way of doing this is choose RUN from Windows START button, and type in the drive, directory, and SETUP.EXE name.   Alternatively, you can run it from the File Explorer.      If you have Winzip installed, you just have to open the .ZIP file, then double click on the SETUP.EXE file to run it.

       The installation program prompts you to enter the directory name in which to store the files.   The installation program does NOT interfere with any of your standard set-up eg, AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, *.INI,  path.   It places the icon to start the CANASTA game in a group called "Canasta From special K" that it creates in the Programs group on the START button.   If you want, you can easily move this icon to a different group (by the usual method of dragging and dropping).

       If  you created a temporary directory, eg C:\MYTEMP,  you can  now remove it.

       The total space that this program takes up on disk is about 3.8 Mbytes.

       If you run CANASTA and find that it does not fill the whole screen, the answer is probably the screen resolution that you have chosen for Windows.   You can change this via the Display icon in the Control Panel.   It works best with standard resolutions, such as 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024.   However it supports most other resolutions.  If it does not fill the whole screen, you can force it to use another - click here to find out more.

Windows 95 and 98 also let you uninstall this program (not that you would ever want to!).


uninstall

If for some strange reason you wanted to remove this program from your computer, you can do this with these steps - Start Menu button, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.   It is often a good idea to remove the existing program if a disk corruption has occurred, and you need to re-install the program.   Removing all existing files makes sure that the setup program does not bypass an existing file that is actually corrupted.   An alternative is to re-install it to a different directory.

Remember, if you want to install a new shareware version over a previous Registered For Life version, so that the new copy becomes registered, you must not uninstall the original copy.


This Version (def.)
VERSION 2.3

      This version is ver 2.3 of  CANASTA FROM SPECIAL K.

This program plays the most popular forms of the enduringly popular card games of Canasta. Use Windows 95/98 to achieve the realistic atmosphere of a multi player Canasta game.

You can choose from styles of play, scoring techniques, and different numbers of partners.    It has animation, and supports various screen resolutions and sound cards.   Background textures are now available.

It comes complete with this help file which contains both rules and playing tips for the various games.  So, it is ideal for expert and beginner alike.


Registering your Shareware

 REGISTRATION :

       If you are still enjoying this game after two weeks you should support the  Shareware concept and register your copy by sending a minimum donation of $30, plus for $3 handling I will send you, via email, a registered copy of the latest version of CANASTA From Special K.   Make this $6 handling instead of $3 if you want to receive your programs slower via postal mail, rather than email.   For an extra $4 each you can have registered copies of four other card games - 500, Bridge, Euchre and Rummy.

Choose from the following:

- the latest, updated registered version or Canasta (with even better card playing skills).

- if you want it, for a small extra cost I will include a copy of  Euchre Card Game From Special K or  Bridge Card Game From Special K or  500 Card Game For Windows 95 or  Rummy Card Game From Special K.   The card game of 500 is not as widely played as Bridge, but it deserves to be, being very popular in Australia, USA, Canada, and New Zealand.   Rummy contains eleven card games in the Rummy family, including the popular Gin Rummy, Michigan Rummy and 500 Rummy.

       An additional incentive is that you can register this version and have registered versions for life!   With this registered version you receive a key.   Download any future shareware version from the Internet, or any other source, and you can turn it into a registered version!

       Yet another incentive to register is that the registered copy does not make you endure the initial "nuisance" screen when you run it.

       You can register by posting the registration form and a check to me, and choose to receive your registered version by mail, or receive it quicker by email (and pay $3.00 less).

       You can also register on line by credit card by visiting my homepage at  http://home.dezzanet.net.au/gmckay or  http://www.geocities.com/garrymckay or  http://members.xoom.com/500cardgame .

       Dealer enquires are welcome.  Corporate licenses are available.

see registration form


Start the game (def.)
    Obviously, you press the top button on the menu to start the game.   You can access this Main Menu at any time during a game, and return to the same game.


Nuisance Screen (def.)
The initial screen in the unregistered version is a nuisance (or nag) screen which is designed to encourage people to fulfil their obligations to pay for the program that they are using.   This screen does not appear in the registered version.   The screen has a time delay to allow people to read it.   The length of this time delay increases with the number of times the program has been run.   Obviously people who keep using the unregistered copy for months are very slow at reading the information and need all the help they can get!


Preference Options

i) If you have installed a sound driver in your Windows, you can choose the level of sound you want.   The Full Sound option makes congratulatory noises at every opportunity, while Part Sound is somewhat more discrete.  Canasta From Special K supports all sound cards that your Windows is set up for.

ii) You can also set the volume of the sound.   Note that there are many sound volume controls, which all have an influence.   This is the control which you can see by double clicking on the icon in the system tray.   You can only set this volume if you have chosen the Full Sound, or Part Sound options.

iii) When you adjust the colour of the card table, the colour of the background changes instantaneously.   This helps you to choose the colour that you really want.   Remember that if you decide on a dark colour, any black writing will be difficult to read.

       Remember also that Windows can be customised to view different numbers of colours (through the Display icon in the Control Panel).   Many people choose not to show millions of individual colours, but stick to  256.   You should run at least 256 colours for this game, but the more the merrier.   When an application, like Canasta, tries to show a colour which is not identical to an exact colour that your Windows is set up to show, then Windows will dither it.   This means that over the background, it will show a series of dots and crosses to approximate the colour that you chose.   You will quickly find that Windows dithering does not help readability.   If you do not find a card table colour you like, you can always set up Windows to show more colours (and less dithering).

       If you do not like the colour you have chosen - change it to another.

Rather than show a plain coloured background, you can also choose to show a texture (ie. a pattern) on the background.   The textures available range from random patterns to objects.

iv) You can give names to the buddies that you are playing with, or simply leave them as Player 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5, or West, North & East etc.   You will only see the names, and scores, of the number of players that you have chosen to play with.

v)  You can display tool tips or not.   Tool Tips are the little text boxes that appear next to the mouse pointer when you stop it over an item of interest.   These show the name of cards and options.   These are extremely useful when the cards are stacked close together, making them hard to read.   So, I would suggest displaying tool tips at all times.

vi) You can choose to automatically show the score card at the end of every hand or not.   This is often useful, but does slow down the display slightly.

vii) In the Main Menu, rather than selecting the various options from the hotspots on the painting, you can choose to use simple push buttons.   Some people may prefer this.

viii) You can slow down or quicken the game by adjusting the length of time for which the cards are displayed during a hand.   So you can adjust this to your desired speed of play.

ix) Similarly, you can adjust the speed at which the cards move.   So if you have a slow computer, or are simply in a hurry to get the cards played, you can set this to a fast speed and the cards will whiz across the screen.

x) The number of wins each team have made are recorded.  Press the reset button to set this count back to zero.

xi) You can choose not to change the order of the cards in your hand, as cards are picked up or discarded.   Or you can choose to sort by suit, or by card value (depending on how you like it), and you can choose to sort low to high or high to low.   The card just picked up is always placed at the right of your hand, so that it is clear which card it is.


Tool Tips (def.)
Tool Tips help you by giving more information about the object that the mouse is pointing to.      These are extremely useful when the cards are stacked close together, making them hard to see.    They can be turned on or off by the Preferences option on the Main Menu.


Help Option (def.)
       Help instructions can be read from the text file CANASTA.TXT, or from the help menu button.   Use the hypertext to move to different topics.   You may also want to search for your topic with the Search button.


Register Option (def.)
       If you have read this far, you know that this enjoyable program is NOT free, but is being distributed as SHAREWARE.   This means that if you continue to use it past a short evaluation period, you must register it.   This option helps you to print out the registration form.   If there is a problem printing through Windows, the form is stored in a file called REGO.FRM in your \Program Files\Canasta From Special K  directory.   You can print this out manually.

 	You can also use this help file to print it - click here.


Quit Option (def.)
       Press the quit button to see what happens.


Registration Form

   Click here to print out this form.

You can also print the file REGO.FRM manually.

To see details of the incentives to register, click here.

____________________________________________________________

                CANASTA FROM SPECIAL K SOFTWARE

Name:___________________________________ Date:___/___/___

Address:_____________________________________________________

City:   _______________________  State: _____  Code: ________

Country:_______________________

Email (write very clearly): ______________________________

Version:  _2.3_             Windows ver:  ______________

My Copy From:_____________________(if the Internet what site)

Floppy:  _1.44MB_     Do you have a CD ROM (Yes/No):   ______

registered latest version of CANASTA....$---- ($30)

Postage & handling......................$---- ($3 for email or $6 for post)

options:

registered 500 CARD GAME FOR WINDOWS 95.$---- ($4 if required)

registered EUCHRE FROM SPECIAL K........$---- ($4 if required)

registered BRIDGE FROM SPECIAL K........$---- ($4 if required)

registered RUMMY  FROM SPECIAL K........$---- ($4 if required)

                                 total  $---- (at least $33 or $36)

Send registered version by email or post:  ________

I will be grateful for any suggestions, comments, or information on problems with the game you may have.

____________________________________________________________

SEND THE FORM TO:

      G.M.McKAY

       29 Melissa St.

        Strathmore

         Victoria , 3041

          Australia

Make checks payable to G.M.McKay

ph 03-9379-7696

fax 03-9311-9141

gmckay@dezzanet.net.au

Garry.McKay@akzonobel.com.au

        If you want to register on the Internet and pay by credit card,

you can at http://www.getsoftware.com, or visit my home page at

http://home.dezzanet.net.au/gmckay or http://www.geocities.com/garrymckay or http://members.xoom.com/500cardgame


Screen Resolution (def.)
The screen resolution is a measure of how wide and high the screen is.   This resolution is measured in pixels.   It is set in the Display Icon in the Control Panel in Windows 95 or Windows 98.   Canasta works best with the standard 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024 resolutions, but will scale itself to fit with other resolutions.

Very occasionally, a particular combination of computer and video card does not work well with Canasta at different screen resolutions.   This shows up as the game not fitting on the screen properly.   It may takeup only part of the screen, or only part of the game may be displayed on the screen.   You can fix this by forcing the software to display a particular resolution by including on the command line /RESOLUTION500x400.   Adjust the numbers to make the game suit your screen.   The command line is set by the properties of the Canasta shortcut.


Shareware (def.)
Shareware (also known as user supported software and other names) is a concept not understood by everyone.  The authors of Shareware retain all rights to the software under the copyright laws while still allowing free distribution.  This gives the user the chance to freely obtain and try out software to see if it fits his needs.  Shareware should not be confused with Public Domain or Freeware software.

 If you continue to use Shareware after trying it out, you are expected to register your use with the author and pay a registration fee.   Only by paying for the Shareware you use do you enable the Shareware author to continue to support his software and create new programs.  Considering that the Shareware registration fees are almost always far less than the purchase price of comparable commercial software it's obvious that Shareware is a good deal for everyone.

  There are real advantages to you in the Shareware system.  You get to try out software to make sure it is compatible with your hardware and that it is  a good deal before you "buy" it with your registration. The author saves the expense of advertising, packaging and distribution and passes the savings on to you.  Plus, most Shareware authors are much more accessible than commercial software sources so that your questions and suggestions are likely to be responded to.


Choose Options Button

Press the Choose Options Button from the main menu to select more options on customising the game for your enjoyment.   You can customise the number of players, the initial number of cards dealt to each player, and what score to win at.   The players are divided in to two teams, and these teams are displayed.   Obviously, if you choose an odd number of players, then there will be a different number of players in each team.

You can also choose whether you want to meld out with just one Canasta, or whether you must have two completed before you can end the game.

Some people like to play with deuces (twos) as wild cards, similar to Jokers, while others play with Aces being wild cards.   You can choose either of these options.

To help you keep track of the cards remaining in the Stockpile and Discard pile, you can get the number of remaining cards displayed.   These numbers are displayed just below the two piles of cards.

You can also have the computer tell you how many points you need, to legally make your first meld.   This is displayed as a message when it is your turn to pick up from the Stockpile or Discard Pile (if your team has not melded yet).

Another option available is that you may pick up two cards from the Discard Pile, rather than one.   Playing this rule, you play the Discard Pile in exactly the same way (ie you have to pick it all up), and you only discard one card at the end of your play.    This means that the number of cards in your hand increases, so this game is quicker than if you only pick up one card, and you are less likely to get stuck in a fatal position with the pack frozen.

You can choose how aggressively you want your playing friends to play, varying from conservative to extreme recklessness.

You can press the Help button to find out more information from the help file.


Upcard (def.)
The Upcard is the card at the top of the Discard Pile.   You may pick up the Upcard if you can meld it combined with cards already in your hand (ie not buried within the Discard Pile), but you must also pick up all the cards within the Discard Pile.


Discard Pile (def.)
The Discard Pile is the pile of cards which are placed on the table face upwards.   You add cards to this pile when you discard, and you can take cards from this pile, as well as the Stockpile.   The card on top of the Discard Pile is called the Upcard.

You may pick up the Upcard if you can meld it combined with cards already in your hand (ie not buried within the Discard Pile), but you must also pick up all the cards within the Discard Pile.   You can meld the cards within the Discard Pile, but you must be able to meld the Upcard with cards from your own hand.   This may include a wild card unless the pack is frozen.


Frozen (def.)
The Dicard Pile is said to be frozen if it contains within it a wild card (two or a Joker), or a red 3, or your team has not yet melded.   If frozen, you can only pick up the Upcard if you have two cards of the same value in your hand (ie you can make a natural meld).

If a black 3 is the Upcard, you may not pick it up, but the Pile is only frozen for that turn.

The Discard Pile ceases to be frozen when a player can legitimately pick it up.


Stockpile (def.)
The Stockpile is the pile of cards remaining in the packs after cards have been dealt to each player.   It is placed face down on the card table, so no player can see the face of the next card.   When players do not wish to, or cannot, take a card from the Discard Pile, they take pot luck by taking a card from the Stockpile.

In long games, the Stockpile may be used up before a player can meld out.   In this case, play continues with each player able to take the Upcard, meld, and discard , until one player is unable to legally do this.   Play then finishes, scores are tallied, and no team gets the bonus for going out.


Red 3's (def.)
Red 3's are special cards in Canasta.   As soon as you get a red 3, you have to declare it, and you can take another replacement card from the Stockpile.   The exception is if the red 3 was the initial card turned up to start the Discard Pile, so that when a player picks up the discard pile, he does not receive a replacement card for the red 3.   Red 3's are worth 100 points each at the end of the game (200 each if you have all four), but this counts against you if you do not have any melds on the table at the end of the game.


Black 3's (def.)
Black 3's are special cards in Canasta.   You can only meld black 3's at the end of a game, and only then if you can make natural melds (ie no wild cards).   During play, they can be discarded to stop the next player from picking up the Discard Pile for that turn.   In effect they  freeze the Discard Pile for the one turn.