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By Tom Sloper
July 16, 2017 Column #682 |
American Mah Jongg (2017 NMJL card). What would you discard?
1. You've collected low numbers and it's time to make a decision. Consec #4 (7 tiles), #3 (7 tiles), or #6 (6 tiles). You don't need 3C for anything, really, do you?
2. Consec #2 versus Consec #5. Just count: 8 tiles towards the former, 9 tiles towards the latter. Discard a dot.
3. Evens? Like Numbers? Consec? S&P? Keep it simple. Ditch G or a nine.
4. High odds, with no fives. That's awkward! Odds #3 is not your strongest option, so discard G.
5. Consec #2 (6 tiles), #3 (6 tiles), #4 (7 tiles), #6 (6 tiles). One of the disposable tiles is 9B, so let's go with that one.
6. S&P #4 isn't working out, so head back to Evens. Green can go (the dragon to keep for Evens #5 is R). Not that that's the only alternative; there are several (none particularly appetizing).
7. LN #1 (7 tiles), LN #2 (6 tiles), Thirteens #3 (7 tiles), 369 #2 (6 tiles)... and other stuff. 6C can go.
8. Six tiles for Odds #6. Seven tiles for Odds #3. Six tiles for LN #1. Five tiles for W-D #6. 5B and R and soap aren't helping; ditch R now, 5B next.
9. Consec #1 (5 tiles), Consec #3 (5 tiles), Consec #4 (6 tiles), Consec #6 (7 tiles), Odds #2 (5 tiles). Evens didn't even submit an entry, so discard 2B or 4C.
10. You've collected threes, sixes, and nines, and you have to discard something. The only reason to keep dragons is for W-D #6 (6 tiles). You can keep G for LN #1 (threes or nines, 6 tiles). R makes sense for a weak 369 #1, but soap needs to slip away quietly.*
*That's just a saying. Of course you should say its name when you discard it.
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Question or comment about this column? I often, um... intentionally... "miss" something; maybe you'll be the first one to spot it! Email and the discussion will be posted on the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board. Like this...
Column 682
>From: Suzanne L
>Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2017 6:05 PM
>Subject: Column #682
>Hi Tom
>So glad I discovered you!
>On hand #4 you say to get rid of the green. I would go for Like numbers #1, for which I would need the 9 craks and 9 dots, the flower and the green. I would get rid of a 7.
>You had me fooled in hand #2, coloring the craks green, so your answer confused me at first. Teaches me to pay attention!
>Suzanne L
>Santa Maria, CA
Hi, Suzanne!
So glad you discovered me too! But oh my gosh, I did color craks green, didn't I?! I guess I was either in a hurry or sleep-deprived when I did that. And I may have fooled not only you, but myself as well. Since I don't have my 2017 card with me, I don't know if my answer was any good.
I'll need to look at it when I get home. Kudos 2 U!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Manassas, Virginia, USA
July 19, 2017
Column 682, revisited
Back from my travels without my 2017 card. So now I can better respond to this email...
>From: Suzanne L
>Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2017 6:05 PM
>Subject: Column #682
>Hi Tom
>So glad I discovered you!
>On hand #4 you say to get rid of the green. I would go for Like numbers #1, for which I would need the 9 craks and 9 dots, the flower and the green. I would get rid of a 7.
>You had me fooled in hand #2, coloring the craks green, so your answer confused me at first. Teaches me to pay attention!
>Suzanne L
>Santa Maria, CA
Hi, Suzanne!
Oh my gosh, I did color craks green, didn't I?! I have now fixed it (I left a bit of green in there as a marker).
More importantly, let's take a look at hand #4. I said it was "high odds, with no fives," and didn't count tiles; not the best answer. Your suggestion, to go for nines, is good - got seven tiles. Can discard sevens, as you say, and can also discard 9B. Kudos!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
July 30, 2017
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Need rules for American mah-jongg? Tom Sloper's book, The Red Dragon & The West Wind, is the most comprehensive book about the American game, including official rules not in the outdated official rulebook. AND see FAQ 19 for fine points of the American rules (and commonly misunderstood rules). AND get the official rulebook from the NMJL (see FAQ 3).
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