You can play the following card games for free here. Simply click on the logo and off you go!

1. Canasta Palace Download
2. Where To Play Canasta Online
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• Give Canasta a try and experience team play, strategy, and suspense. This is the last chance to play as a Premium member for two days for free within the scope of our anniversary. To use it, click the following link today, December 15, 2019, and enter the Canasta Palace. Afterward, you can test new strategies employing various custom rules.
• As a rule, our official tournaments come with a jackpot with up to 10,000 Chips, numerous Premium days, and exclusive Palace of Cards certificates, lovingly designed exclusively for this occasion, for all winners. The jackpot and the Premium days are split among the winners of each play group.

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know. Online canasta card game; a card game for two players or two pairs played with two decks of cards; the goal is to make melds of seven cards of the same rank Features: live opponents, game rooms, rankings, extensive stats, user profiles, contact lists, private messaging, game records, support for mobile devices.

Popular Card Games for Your Browser or as an App – Free to Play and Packed With Fun!

Welcome to the Palace of Cards! We give the classic joy of playing a digital home. Here, we lovingly realize traditional card games with attention to detail so that you can access your all-time favorites at any time. Play worldwide – all you need is an internet connection.

Traditional Card Games Forever

Playing with family, friends, and dedicated gaming groups is the favorite pastime of many! You get to spend time and laugh together, compete, and win handsomely. Later in the next round, you might lose everything again. When playing, some rely on strategy while others count on their luck.

This fusion of fun, suspense, and community brings forward new, innovative games each year – classic board games, novel card games, outdoor games, games with online features, and many more. Still, classic card games can easily keep up with that wave of innovation as they are enjoying high popularity to this day. Think about it: Rummy, Solitaire, Canasta – everybody has probably played at least one of those classics. Why should playing not be possible anywhere at any time?

The Appeal of Time-Proven Rules

Card games have been around for centuries. Thus, many rule books were already forgotten. Remaining until today is the wide range of variants developed from a few base rules. If you have an interest in the history of classic card games, taking a look at our websites at the Palace of Cards will be worthwhile. There, we collected information on Rummy, Canasta, Pinochle, Solitaire and Spider Solitaire in English for you!

To choose the fitting card game, the number of players is essential: Alone, Solitaire games are an option, while two players can move on to Mau-Mau, Rummy, and Pinochle. Rummy can entertain up to six players with only two decks of cards. But Pinochle takes it even further to a maximum of eight players. Meanwhile, Canasta is for either two or four players. Skat is best enjoyed in a group of three, whereas Doppelkopf and Sheepshead work best for four. At the Palace, we offer the most enjoyable player numbers as options.

Even though some games are traditionally played with a specific deck, it is up to you to use a French- or German-suited deck, or even a regional subform. The differences between the decks are first of all the suits: Play French with Clubs, Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts or German with Acorn, Green, Bells, and Hearts. Secondly, the ranks beyond the numbers differ: Here we have either Jack, Queen, King, Ace or Unter, Ober, King, Ace.

The Broad Spectrum of Classic Card Games

With these cards, various rules lead to victory. We offer nine games of three types at the Palace of Cards:

With trick-taking games, such as Skat, Doppelkopf, Sheepshead, and Pinochle, cards of higher value beat lower ones and various trump cards are added to the mix. Usually, the aim is to win the opponent’s cards by taking the tricks.

Solitaire games, like Solitaire and Spider, require combination skills and patience. The cards are distributed on the playing field, some covered, some revealed. Afterward, the player must free, reveal and sort the cards bit by bit by moving them across the playing field following distinct rules.

In our shedding games, Canasta, Rummy and Mau-Mau, you must be the first to get rid of your handcards. There are rules of varying complexity on laying off cards. Canasta and Rummy use a matching-element there. Discarded cards can be used to make playing harder for your opponents.

We provide extensive guides in English to Rummy, Canasta, Pinochle, Solitaire and Spider Solitaire on the respective Palace websites. Our manuals and glossaries will guide you through a new, unknown game, as well as quickly brush up your knowledge after a longer playing break. Playing any of our games at the Palace, including Mau-Mau, Skat, Doppelkopf, and Sheepshead, you can always turn to the in-game help.

Play Cards – Whenever, Wherever!

Classic card games are highly accessible: All you need is a deck of cards, a couple of friends. And there you go, no matter if you are at your kitchen table, your favorite bar or traveling!

After taking the leap into the internet, the last barrier of card games has fallen: Fellow players do not have to gather in the same location anymore. You can get together online for playing with your friends as well as strangers – at any time, wherever you are.

Online, your deck is always complete. The Jack of Spades that was still there last time will never be missing – guaranteed! What is more, the computer takes tedious preparations off your hands: Shuffling and dealing happen as automatic as the order of playing and declaring. Common arguments are avoided by playing cards online, thanks to the computer’s incorruptibility. Hence, the stack is well-shuffled for sure, and cheating is virtually impossible!

Palace of Cards – Enjoy Playing for Free

At the Palace of Cards, you get to play the most popular, classic card games for free. Use what you prefer – your PC or a mobile device, browser or app. All our online card games are available cross-platform and thereby ensure a vast player community.

Online card games are the perfect opportunity to practice for your next family gathering, where you want to take all the tricks and outplay the undefeated grandpa! The Palace of Cards is open to all players: New beginners, as well as advanced players, will find fellow players matching their level. For occasional players, there is always a free seat at a table. At the same time, ambitious competitive players will enjoy our league system and regular tournaments!

Our primary focus is the joy of playing and competitive spirit. No matter if you compete alone or as a team, winning a game requires smart strategy and experience completed with a little bit of luck! Hence, nobody should be to bitter about the occasional loss.

Numerous Features at the Palace of Cards

Part of enjoying a game is a pleasing design, of course. That is why we equip our games with appealing graphics – a neat, virtual playing table, polished cards, and a plausible menu. In addition, our cards are practical: We developed playing cards especially suited for smaller displays and strained eyes. First, choose your deck by comfort and looks, then focus on the substance, your hand and winning strategy!

You can start playing at the Palace of Cards right away without registering. But for saving your progress in the long run, you can verify your profile later on or register directly at the start. As a registered user, you can emerge into the player community: Set up your personal profile, join clubs, and be part of the free league system of the respective Palace. Your profile is accessible cross-platform, of course. All you need is your password!

If you are a passionate and regular player, you could up your enjoyment at the Palace with a Premium membership. For a small fee, you get access to attractive extras. Some are creating tables with custom rules, extra Chips, insight into player statistics, a blocking option for players you do not like, and more!

Join in!

Enough of words, you must be itching to try a game for yourself by now! So, go for the cards – choose from Pinochle, Skat, Doppelkopf, Sheepshead, Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Rummy, Mau-Mau and Canasta! Show the Palace community what your hand is made of!

From the Far East via the Silk Road

The origin of playing cards is, like many things, buried in the dark of history passed down. The first playing cards presumably emerged in the old Pharaohs’ Egypt. What they looked like, what they were made of and why and how they found their way into common peoples’ hands – all of this is subject to legends and speculation. There is no ascertained knowledge.

Chinese sources dating back before the Christian Era give account of cards painted with figures and symbols. Those were used rather for mystical purposes than pastimes. They supposedly inspired the development and gradual spreading of playing cards in China, Korea and at the same time also in India.
These cards traveled from the Far East via the Silk Road to the Islamic caliphate on the Iberian Peninsula. The caliphate had a vast cultural influence on the Western World up until the 15th century. Travelers brought the cards from the peninsula to the rest of Europe. The exact processes have not been passed down. All we know is, neither cultural nor geographic borders were ever able to stop mutual creative enrichment.

Card Games as a Sin?

One day the leaders of western Europe were alarmed by the suddenly emerged playing cards. It is telling of the time that the first documental mentions of this phenomenon revolve around prohibition and banishment. The first detailed description of playing cards dates back to 1370. A monk of the Dominican Order wrote it in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, in today’s far south-west of Germany. Three years prior, a court in Bern, Switzerland, banned a deck of cards which was vilified as “prayer book of the devil”.

Decks of cards, some very valuable ones, are passed down from the 15th century. They were often painted by significant artists of their time. Before the invention of the printing press, each card game was one of a kind. The resulting costs made the vice and virtue of card games accessible mainly for the well-to-do. A guild of card painters was founded in Nuremberg, for example, whose good reputation lasts until today.

Exclusiveness to Staple Goods

The invention of woodcut, later of chalcography, and soon after of the printing press, made producing larger volumes of playing cards gradually easier and cheaper. Particularly the German and French printers spurred each other.

By the end of the 15^th century, Lyon blossomed out as one of the most important centers for card game production. This is the main reason for today’s prominence of the French playing cards.

Back then the four suits trèfle (Clubs), pique (Spades), coeur (Hearts) and carreau (Diamonds) were established in Lyon. By the end of the 15th century, pip cards (two to ten) replaced former face cards showing people of the life at court. The remaining face cards were Jack (Knave), Queen and King. The Joker is probably referring to the fool from Tarot, another game spreading at the time.

Card games were initially played in courtly salons. In the following centuries the French, especially, came up with numerous modifications and new games which are nowadays played in exclusive, privy groups. The modern games – Skat, Whist, Bridge, and Rummy – emerged in the 19th century.

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Rummy’s Origin – Mexico?

A new game was established in Mexico. Conquian – a card game for two players which was initially played with Spanish, later with French playing cards. Some sources place the emergence of Conquian in the 17th century. The basic rules of the game are similar to the rules of modern Rummy.

But first Conquian traveled northwards. 1909 Elwood Baker from New York, a member of the Knickerbocker Whist Club “invented” his version of Rummy, also referred to as Gin Rummy. The word rummy is associated with rum, which was often the stake. In American English, it also means peculiar, weird, alcoholized.

Rummy’s rules are fluid. It was designed for two, though it can be played by several people. One or two decks of French playing cards are used.

The vital elements of Rummy are combining cards, melding combinations, variations of knocking, drawing and laying off. All of these are included in one way or another in the modern German Rummy, also called Rommé. You can play it here at the Rummy Palace! The predominantly played version in Great Britain and the USA still is Gin Rummy.

Modern German Rummy

The German Rommé has different names all over Europe: In Austria, it is referred to as Rummy, locally also Jolly. In France, it is called Rami. Another member of the Rummy family, besides Rummy, Gin Rummy, and all their variations, is Canasta. You can play it at our Canasta Palace.

Where To Play Canasta Online

How did Rummy find its way to Germany? When and where did it turn into the Rummy commonly known in Germany today? These questions are idle – it is unknown.

But one thing is for sure: German Rummy rapidly gained popularity. The German Skat Association embraced the novelty and dedicated a department to the game. A set of rules was developed, and in 2007 the first Rummy Championship was held in Germany. Since then, Rummy tournaments have been a permanent feature of Skat tournaments held by the German Skat Association. This trend can be noted on a global scale too.

No Limits for your Creativity

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Rummy is a popular game in the everyday life of many families and groups of friends. This has to do with Rummy’s versatility: Rules can be modified to taste as well as to familial or regional traditions. Most variations concern:

• the number of Jokers (four to eight)
• the score required for the first meld (30 to 42 points)
• the score ascribed to the Ace in certain combinations of cards
• knocking for cards
• the conditions that need to be met before swapping a Joker in groups of cards
• Another variation is Robber’s Rummy. The catch: Melds can not only be added to but entirely rearranged.

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This is clear: Rummy is nowadays one of the most popular card games with a growing fanbase.

Free Canasta Card Games Online

Have a go and enjoy the game!