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By Tom Sloper
January 8, 2017 Column #664 |
American Mah Jongg (2016 NMJL card). Continuing the dance with It's A Wonderful Life's Buffalo gals, from Christmas. Our foursome's situation after the second left:
1.5. Player 1 has been hanging onto that dragon pair, shooting for Consec. #4 two ways. There are wasted tiles here (positioned right of the joker), but it would be a shame to trash 1C and 2C with so many low numbers. Pass F 6C S across.
2.5. That dragon pair is new. Only thing it suggests with these tiles is Consec. #4. 67C and 89D suggests Consec. #2, the most powerful hand on the card. Oddly, the only passers left are 7B 9B and... 3D. Pass across. 
3.5. Mostly high numbers. Can pass lows and winds; how about... N W 4B. Across they go.
4.5. Somewhere in 369 land. Pass N W 2D across.
1.6. If player 1 thinks the low craks ought to be kept, she can pass N W, with a blind pass from player 4.
2.6. All three new tiles are junk; pass N W 2D.
3.6. Staying with high numbers, player 3 passes S 1D 2C right.
4.6. Stronger 369 now; pass 7B and blind pass two from player 3.
1.7. "I have two."
2.7. "I have three."
3.7. "Sure, I have two."
4.7. "One."
Players 1, 2, and 3 made no progress in the second Charleston. Player 4 got a lot more 369s, and now has a target: she's leaning towards 369 # 4.
As skillfully as the Buffalo gals danced, "a very interesting situation" eluded three of the four.
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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. Hit me with your best shot! Like this...
The Jan. 8 column
>From: Kathryn Z
>Sent: Friday, March 3, 2017 5:53 AM
>Subject: January 8th.
>Dear Tom,
>My question is about 2.5 on Jan 8. You state that with the Dragon pair, Consecutive 4 is a possibility. Why would you then pass 3D? You would need that for 3D 4B 5D and Green. I would pass a Flower, as you do not need them for either hand mentioned. Pass F, 7B and 9B.
>Thank you,
>Kathryn Z
I like your answer better than mine, Kathryn! Your reasoning is spot on; keep those 3 spots! Although the official NMJL rulebook and
Elaine Sandberg advise against passing a flower in the Charleston, sometimes that is the solution to a problem. I'm posting this exchange in column #664 as an "oopsie."
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
March 3, 2017
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