Evaluating Hand Power. Knowing when to release and when to hold requires being able to gauge your hand's strength. It might be better to drop early in thsatakihge game if you have a lot of points in your hand or if it doesn't appear like you will be able to form melds and sets. By doing this, you lower the amount of points you have in your hand in the event that your opponent is eliminated and raise the likelihood that you will be eliminated in subsequent rounds.