<p>Yes you can; this is one of the main differences between the discard pile being frozen or not.</p>
<p><a href="https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/canasta/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Source</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When the discard pile is not frozen against their side, a player may take it: a) with a natural pair matching the top card as above; or b) <strong>by melding the top card with one matching natural card and one wild card from his hand</strong>; or c) by adding the top card to a meld they already have on the table.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.pagat.com/rummy/canasta.html#classic-play" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Source 2</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>But first let us consider the case where the discard pile is not frozen against you. In that case, if the top card of the pile is a natural card (from four up to ace), you can take the pile if either:</p>
<ol>
<li>you play two cards from your hand that make a valid meld with the top discard: these could be either two natural cards of the same rank as the top discard, <strong>or one such natural card and one wild card</strong>,</li>
</ol>
<p>or</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>the top discard matches the rank of one of your partnerships existing melds, and you add it to that meld.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>If the pile is frozen; then you must have 2 naturals in hand.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-05T15:50:42.420Z
2020-01-05T15:50:42.420Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
GendoIkari
<p>My wife and I have gotten into a bit of an argument.<br>
If the discard deck is not frozen, and I have already met the minimum meld whether that be 50, 90 or 120, can I pick up the discard deck with a natural card and a wild card?<br>
We are trying to use Hoyle to play by. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-04T23:11:46.650Z
Which Hoyle? Hoyle to game rules is like Webster to a dictionary - tells you nothing without also knowing the publisher name.
Forget I was ever here
<canasta>
Pick up the not frozen discard pile having a Canasta meld
Robert Jinkens
# Pick up the not frozen discard pile having a Canasta meld

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-04)

My wife and I have gotten into a bit of an argument.  
If the discard deck is not frozen, and I have already met the minimum meld whether that be 50, 90 or 120, can I pick up the discard deck with a natural card and a wild card?  
We are trying to use Hoyle to play by.

**Tags:** canasta

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Which Hoyle? Hoyle to game rules is like Webster to a dictionary - tells you nothing without also knowing the publisher name.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-05. Score: 1

Yes you can; this is one of the main differences between the discard pile being frozen or not.

[Source](https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/canasta/):

> When the discard pile is not frozen against their side, a player may take it: a) with a natural pair matching the top card as above; or b) **by melding the top card with one matching natural card and one wild card from his hand**; or c) by adding the top card to a meld they already have on the table.

[Source 2](https://www.pagat.com/rummy/canasta.html#classic-play):

> But first let us consider the case where the discard pile is not frozen against you. In that case, if the top card of the pile is a natural card (from four up to ace), you can take the pile if either:
>
> 1. you play two cards from your hand that make a valid meld with the top discard: these could be either two natural cards of the same rank as the top discard, **or one such natural card and one wild card**,
>
> or
>
> 2. the top discard matches the rank of one of your partnerships existing melds, and you add it to that meld.

If the pile is frozen; then you must have 2 naturals in hand.


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