Evening star., 1949-10-01
FREEZING THE PACK.
making a Prize Pile).

One of the features which dis
tinguishes canasta from all other
rummy games is the unique practlce
of freezing the discard pile. Freez-
ing the pack has the effect OF
vetoing the power of the wild CARDS,
so far as taking the discard pile
is concerned. u
When the pack is not frozen, it
may be taken by player VINO
holds a card which matches the.
last discard, plus a deuce Ito COM
pose a three card meldo But when
the pack is frozen, the deuce and
joker may not, during the freeze,
be used for such purpose. In order
to go in, a player must have a
natural pair to match the last,
discard.
When the pack is not frozen a.
player may "go in" if the last
discard is card which matches
one of his own melds. Such card
is frequently called player" But
during the freeze he may not go IN
for such player" unless he has
a natural pair to match it. A
freeze is created during the subse-
quent play when any one discards
q deuce or a joker. Such action
is taken for the purpose OF making
it more difficult for the opposition
to take up the pile.
1t is particularly indicated when
you hold cards which you know
that the enemy can use (cards
matching their melds) and you
purpose it to restrict their sphere
OF action.
When you and your partner have
4 great many more cards than the
opposing team, and each side has
already made the initial meld, So
that the pile is not frozen, you
are in strategic position to apply
the freeze. 1t will be considerably
greater nuisance to them than to-
you.
Because their hands have been
dc1,eted. it is reasonable to as
sumo that they will find it difficult
to put together pairs, so that their
chances of going in will be
negligible. Whereas you will find
it much easeir to accumulate a
number of pairs and sooner or
later the enemy will be obliged
to part with card to match one
of them and the loot will be yours.
A Case in Point.
Observe an illustrative case:
You have not yet made your
initial meld but the opponents have
melded queens, jacks, tens and SKIS.
After drawing you hold
QJJ1010 108884
The discard pile has reached de-
sirable proportions and you are
anxious to avoid giving 1t to them.
You may not, therefore, discard a
@. j or ten. Your choice apparently
narrows down to an eight or the
four. You could get by, let US
say, conveniently enough by letting
go the four. But you will be faced
with an awkward situation next time.
To part with the eights would be
to abandon your one hope to
ultimately come through with a
canasta. The best play is the deuce,
freezing the pile. This is sound
strategy. It restricts the opposition
without imposing an additional bur-
den on you. For as far as you are
concerned the pack is frozen any
way, since you have not made your
first meld. If your right-hand op-
ponent throws card to match one
of your pairs, you will obtain the
pile. But what is more to the point,
discarding will not now be pain
full procedure.
The Strategy of Going In.
When the discard pile is not
frozen opportunities to pick it up
with the aid of deuce or joker
are numerous. One does not, how
ever 60 in willy-nilly in such
cases. 1t does not pay to use up
your wild card for discard pile
of no great value. However, when
you are faced with possible en-
oarrassment in discarding 1t may
be wise to 60 in for the discard
pile merely for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning cards which you will be able