I played Canasta many years ago in my teens - so memory may have faded somewhat - but O would like to refresh and try playing more. On revisiting the rules, I am confused by the Freeze Pile / Stop Card as described by Scarne (the rules by which we used to play).
The 'Frozen pile' is created by either a wild card (Joker/Deuces) OR a RED three being placed on the discard.
The 'Stop card' is either by a wild card OR a BLACK three
A Red three 'freezes' the pile, and a black three 'stops' the next player picking up the discard - but how do you know if a pile is stopped or frozen when a WILD CARD (J's/2's) is used?
I have looked everywhere for explanation of this ruling, but nowhere can I find a reference to a 'stopped' card, only to the 'Frozen' pile. Has this 'stop card' part of the game now changed and is it no longer used?
A wild card on the discard surely 'freezes' it and takes precedence over being a 'stop'card. Does this mean that it is ONLY a BLACK three which 'stops' the discard for just the next player?
Hope this makes sense! Never seemed to be a problem years ago, but now I can find no reference to a 'stop card' and Scarne's version seems unclear - I am not sure which way to play this.
Update
Thanks Joe & Gendolkari, I am aware of all the points you make on the rules. I though my question was straightforward, so to clarify I will quote Scarne on the points concerned!
“frozen pile - discard becomes frozen whenever it contains a wild (J’s & 2’s) OR A RED THREE (contrary to a comment above). Discard may only be taken up when player holds two natural cards ....etc”
“Stop card. When the upcard is a WILD card (J’s & 2’s) OR A BLACK THREE. It is a stop card; the next player cannot take the discard pile......etc”
Why is Scarne implying that a card which is known as a freeze card (J’s & 2’s) when added to the discard, can somehow become ‘just’ a stop card?
I don’t think I am ‘overthinking it’ given Scarnes unclear explanation!
So I will go with J’s, 2’s AND red 3’s s freezing the pile - but only BLACK 3’s as being a stop card.
Technically, I guess, if you deal with the red 3 in just one hand - pick-up and discard into the discard pile, you are actually disclosing you have one! Yes, not something you want to do willingly - but there may be times when nothing else will do!