If you have a strong hand, it’s often smart to hold onto your melds and attempt to go Rummy; you may be just a few cards away from being able to play your entire hand! However, the longer a round continues, the riskier it gets to hold onto your cards. An opponent who only has a few cards remaining is likely to go out soon, and an opponent who has not played any cards may be planning to go for Rummy as well. Reducing the value of your hand will minimize the amount of points they can earn from your cards.