Canasta Strategy

• The "follow me" trick is a wat that many uses at some point! The idea is to persuade your opponent to throw something you can pick up on, especially if the pack is locked.
• Take a wise decision on what you can throw away (leaving yourself at least a pair of that card, and enough points to meld if necessary). Be prepared to lose the card.
• Make sure you don't select a card that your opponent knows you have others of - for example if they were in the discard pile last time you picked up. He's unlikely to have forgotten!
• Mostly be one or two of this kind of card in the discard pile usually exists, so it looks more natural when you discard another one. This also reduces the odds of your opponent having enough of this card to pick up the pile himself.
• You can also be canny if you notice your opponent throwing away the same card time after time - if you get any, don't join in (he may also be trying this trick) but hold them so you can pick up in future.
• Hopefully your opponent will be lured into playing the same card as you discarded - whereupon you pick up!
• If your opponent constantly "has no discard" (i.e. has only one card in his hand, but not enough Canastas to go out) then simply throw yourself a card which you can pick up on next time round.