SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2019 NMJL card). Charleston exercises with the 2019 card. What would you pass?

1. No pairs, but it's evident we nearly have NEWS here. Those jokers mean don't go S&P. What NEWS hands work with our twos and nines? 2019! That makes it simple. Passers: 3B 5B 8C.

2. Pairs of same-suit fives and nines. And almost-NEWS. 2019 #4 is a reasonable target (seven tiles in hand), but made more challenging by its need to be played Concealed. And you have no soaps. You can pass 1D 4D 7BD, still retaining the craks for other options.

3. No pairs. Garbage hand. But see how many evens there are, and notice the eights in all suits. The 2468 options don't work so well with our tiles, but two S&P hands do. There are five tiles for S&P #6. There are six tiles for S&P #2. Well, they don't seem too likely, but this is where the Mah-Jongg Goddesses are pointing us (hope it's not another of their little tricks). Pass N 1B 5C.

4. Cowly ho! I mean, holy cow! Four jokers! Keep it in, cowgirl. Don't let'em see any signs of excitement. But be advised: getting that many jokers does tricks with your head. You have to go for hands that don't need pairs, since you have no pairs. You have an almost-2019 (missing a 9C). If you never get that 9C, won't you feel the fool sitting there with four jokers when the game is over. You could go for Any Like #2, but you have only four tiles (two different ones and two different dragons). You think those four jokers will get you the missing pairs? Better to go for something safe: Addition #2, in three suits. You have the 12 and the five and seven in the other suits, but you don't have any flowers. Your jokers are now a plus: you just need to make some kongs. Passers: 4D 6D 1B 4C (pass three).

5. That pair of eights suggests S&P #2 (five tiles), but the pair of jokers says no. The two winds suggest 2019 #4 (five tiles) or W-D #2 (five tiles). The latter is the only one of those that isn't marked C, so go that way. You'll need to get lucky, get singles for 2019 and a single E. Passers: 3C 4C 4B G.

6. No pairs. Five tiles for Consec #4, five for W-D #4. You could go for Addition, but no matter how you slice it, you've got only four tiles right now for that. Could also go for Consec #6 - again, just four tiles. This is going to be a struggle, unless the Mah-Jongg Goddesses smile on you. Pass 1D 2B 8B.

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Column oopsie

>From: Cyndi P
>Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 6:39 PM
>Subject: Column 723 #2?
>Hi there, Tom. I am fairly new at Mahjong and LOVE your columns! Thank you!
>For #2, did you mean pass 1D, 4D and 7D (Not 7B… which isn’t included in the hand)?
>Cyndi

You are right, Cyndi. Yet again I switched a B for a D. Fixed! P.S., I'm so glad you enjoy my columns!

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author 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.
May 29, 2019
Los Angeles, California, USA

---

Column #723

>From: "lindaz
>Sent: Monday, May 27, 2019 1:54 PM
>Subject: Holy Cow Tom!!
>Hi Tom,
>Regarding column #723 number 4--Wait!! You have 4 jokers and no mention of attempting a quints hand?? A few days ago I was dealt a hand very similar to this but with only 3 jokers. I played Quints #4 and got lucky and won. You have two 1's, two 4's, and two dragons--so 6 possible tiles for that hand. Whenever I'm dealt 3 or more jokers I look at possible quints' hands first.
>Thanks, Linda



Interesting, Linda. Yes, I agree that when one has four jokers one should always consider Quints. But above all, I insist one should consider the challenge of improbable pairs. I've been burned too many times on failed pairs. Let's consider your hands and the hand I recommended. You suggested Quints #4, with either ones or fours. For Quints #4 with ones, we have three tiles:



All the tiles to the right of the jokers are Charleston fodder. Of course one would also hang onto the fours, but there's a problem with making Quints #4 with the fours: we need an opposite dragon, and we don't have one. It looks like four tiles towards this hand, but really only two (two tiles, two ways).



Now let's consider Quints #3 (a one-suit hand). There are two ways we can go: craks or dots.



It looks like I have six tiles, but really it's three tiles, two ways. But I need two pairs, and I don't have the pairs. I could go that way if I had nothing better. If I try to hedge my bets and go for all the above options, that leaves me with only one passer for the Charleston. So eliminate Quints #4 with fours.



But that's still two hands, three ways of going, and only three tiles each. In the column, I mentioned Addition #2, 5+7=12, in three suits. Got four tiles for that:



If I want to also go for Quints, I can pass 4D 6D 4C.



I still like Addition #2 as the best choice - three kongs and two singles, and I already have the singles. Easier to make than two quints and a kong, starting with one natural each. But especially, I have four tiles rather than three. Not counting the jokers. They have already done their job (telling me to go for hands that don't need unlikely pairs). For this pass, I'll keep the one and dragons for Any Like #2. (I know, another hand with two pairs - but it's only an idea to help me narrow down the tiles to pass in the first right.)



So this is what I'd pass, now that you've made me think harder on these tiles! Interesting that I'd pass the same three tiles either way (three of the four "passers" I identified in yesterday's column).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author 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.
May 27, 2019
Los Angeles, California, USA

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