hold a strong hand

1. In card games, to have been dealt a selection of cards that is quite likely to be better than those of other players. I could tell from his eyes that he held a strong hand. Sure enough, he ended up with a royal flush at the end. Of course I ended up losing money—I didn't hold a strong hand all night! Paul has a good poker face, though. It's hard to tell if he holds a strong hand or he's just bluffing.

2. By extension, to be in a position that affords one a lot of leverage over others. The country provides manufacturing opportunities for large companies around the globe, so it holds a strong hand whenever new restrictions and regulations are proposed. Our union used to hold a strong hand when negotiating with upper management, but they've been giving up our rights little by little over the years. It's a tricky case. Unfortunately for the employees, when you look at the technicalities of the law, I believe the company holds a very strong hand.