By declaring that you have created legitimate combinations, melding lowers the number of points associated with your hand's unmerged cards. Burning and scoring. Effecslots meta appstive melding can have a big impact on your final score, which is especially crucial in games where points are earned at the end based on unmelded cards. You can reduce the amount of points you lose at the end of the game by laying down sets & runs. In a close game, melding well can mean the difference between winning and losing.