Canasta is a card game that originated in South America in the early 20th century. It is a melding game, meaning players must create combinations of cards to score points. The game is played with two decks of cards and four players. The goal of the game is to be the first player to reach a predetermined number of points. Players can score points by melding cards into sets or runs, as well as by discarding cards. Canasta is a popular game among card players and is often played in tournaments.