Canasta is an intriguing variation of rummy that gained popularity worldwide in the 1940s after starting in Uruguay. Canasta, which is usually played in partnerships with four players, uses two decks of cards and plsavera kingaces a strong emphasis on creating "canastas," or melds of seven cards. Each player is dealt a predetermined number of cards at the start of the game, & the remaining cards are arranged in a draw pile. Players alternately draw from the draw or discard piles in an effort to form melds while following certain card combination guidelines. Canasta's focus on partner strategy & teamwork is one of its distinguishing characteristics.