Forming "canastas," or melds of seven cards of the same rank, is the goal. Strategic play is also used to manage points. Canasta's emphasis on cooperation & partner comother board slotsmmunication is one of its distinguishing characteristics. In order to make melds, players must cooperate while simultaneously monitoring the movements of their rivals. Among the many tactics used in the game are strategically discarding cards to impede opponents' progress or holding onto specific cards for use in subsequent plays.