Hoyle's Modern Encyclopedia of Card Games: Rules of All the Basic Games and Popular Variations

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Hoyle's Modern Encyclopedia of Card Games, please sign up.

Answered Questions (1)

Latesha "This is an extension of Samba, page 300, that has
become a game in its own right. It is played with the triple
pack (162 cards including jokers), and i…more
"This is an extension of Samba, page 300, that has
become a game in its own right. It is played with the triple
pack (162 cards including jokers), and it follows the basic
rules of samba, including the scoring of sequences of three to
seven cards in the same suit, with a run of seven being termed
an "escalera" (instead of a "samba") and counting the cus-
tomary 1500 points. However, a meld of three to seven "wild
cards" is also allowed, as in certain forms of Canasta, and
this is termed a "bolivia," counting 2500. A "natural canasta"
scores 500; a "mixed canasta," 300, as in the parent games.
To go out, a team must meld at least one escalera (or
sequence), plus either another escalera, a bolivia, or a canasta.
The opening meld requirements are exactly as in samba, but
with the greater scoring possibilities, game is 15,000 points.
Bolivia has been stepped up with the following rules applied
to opening melds: At the 5000 level, 150 points; at 7000, still
150, but the player must lay down a mixed canasta or higher; at
8000, an opening meld of 200, with the player laying down a
mixed canasta or better; at 9000, still 200, but the player must
lay down a natural canasta or better. Game, however, is set at
10,000 (as in samba). In this version, a bolivia only counts 2000, but in going out it is allowable to add to the ends of an
escalera. Thus played, this game is also termed Brazilian Canasta.
As a penalty rule, a team caught with a melded three- or
four-card sequence has 1000 points taken from its score. Red
threes double in value from 500 to 1000 when a team holds
five of them; with 200 more points for the sixth. But unless a
team manages to meld a canasta or better, its red threes are
deducted from its score. Black threes can be rated on the same
basis if so desired."(less)

Unanswered Questions

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more