An important factor in determining a player's success is knowing when to fold or discard cards and when to hold onto specific cards. If a high-value card is part of a possible meld, it may be advantageous to hold onto irummy holeyt; however, if it is not adding to a player's strategy, it might be prudent to let it go early in the game to reduce point loss. On the other hand, there are times when keeping a card may appear beneficial but could actually impede advancement. It might be time to reevaluate and discard a particular card in favor of pursuing other melds, for instance, if a player is waiting for that card to finish a meld but keeps drawing dead ends.

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