Canasta! Yeah!

[Robarkson]

I'm thrilled BGA has added Canasta.

The interface could bear some streamlining but Canasta is now an option and that's what is important.

[Robarkson]

A completed Canasta should not be able to pick up the discard pile. This is a major deviation from the norm.

[Based on the exchange below I retract my comment]

[ufm]

I can't find such a rule in any credible rule sources, except from Pagat:

Classic Canasta Variations
Restrictions on taking the discard pile
Two variations are commonly played:
A player is not allowed to take the (unfrozen) discard pile in order to add its top card to a completed canasta.
A player is not allowed to take the (unfrozen) discard pile with one matching natural card and one wild card. Two natural cards are needed.

Pagat says this is a 'variant', not a 'norm'.
And I can't implement every variant in the world, obviously.

Also, if you have a suggestion, please report through BGA bug report system.

[Robarkson]

And I can't implement every variant in the world, obviously.

No, you certainty can't!

I can only say that I've used several online sites and none allowed a discard pile pick-up to add to a finished Canasta and I've played the game for 40 years and likewise. However there are MANY variations across the world and thus it would be impossible to account for each one.

At the end of the day it's a minor point and one that can easily be assimilated.

Thanks for your efforts.

[ufm]

At the end of the day it's a minor point and one that can easily be assimilated.

Actually, adding variants is not so easy for two reasons.

- As I said already, I can't implement everything in the world. I should draw the line somewhere.

- Adding something causes unexpected interactions with other rules, increasing complexity beyond common expectations.

For example, Pagat describes your example like this:

A problem arises if you try to play variation 1 above but not variation 2. What happens if a player takes an unfrozen discard pile using one natural card and one wild card when the rank of the new meld matches that of an existing canasta that already contains three wild cards? There are at least four possible solutions:

I already looked through this variant while developing the BGA version and instead opted to another variant: Always frozen discard.
FYI, this implementation is based on Bicycle's Canasta rules.

[Robarkson]

By easily assimilated I meant in the game play.

Now that I know how the BGA version is configured I can easily adjust my play accordingly.

I'm actually trying to make peace here, not argue with you.

[ufm]

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding. There are tons of users requesting their own variants.

[123marcel]

Love CANASTA! played as a child. nice!