To do this, you must carefully consider the cards in your starting hand and decide which ones to keep and which to discard. Preparing for early in the game to create sets and runs and monitoring the cards casino free games slotsthat other players are discarding are two key components of an effective opening hand strategy. Recognizing Your Needs in Advance. It is imperative that you make an effort to predict which cards you will require to finish your sets and runs and to discard any cards that you are unlikely to find useful. Making the most of your opening hand & positioning yourself for game success will result from doing this.