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SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
April 4, 2021

Column #740

American Mah Jongg (2021 NMJL card). The 2021 card has arrived. Here doth commence the annual new-card analysis. First, I wanted to see how many of the 54 hands were new, how many were repeats, how many were variations on past hands.

The biannually alternating hands are as expected. Consec #1 and 13579 #1 are as they were in previous odd years (every other year, the pairs are at the ends), and Consec #2 is the same as in previous odd years (pung-kong, pung-kong), and it's also back in its traditional #2 slot in the Consec family. And this pattern (pung-kong, pung-kong) is present in the usual places, but also in some not-so-usual places. See:

That's a lot of no-pair hands, so perhaps we'll see fewer wall games this year. These hands are the heart of the hand-switching strategy. The 2-pung/2-kong hands in 2468, Consec, 13579, and 369 offer opportunities to trip up opponents who can easily be misled as to what you're doing. When you see an opponent's two exposures, keep your mind open as to the possible hands they can be making.

As usual, four-pungs-and-a-pair hands are present, as concealed hands:

Four-pungs-and-a-pair hands are very easy to make, thus they're marked Concealed. Don't be cowed by those Cs - these are very doable hands!

Two exposable dragon pung hands: 13579 #2 and 369 #2. A second exposure can easily give away the hand.

Of note this year: flower quints (Quints #1, Consec #4, 369 #4). No flower pungs. Also of note: the NEWS in Any Like #1, and the 2021 in the Winds-Dragons section. A small step out of tradition there.

The 5th hand in Consec is an "any consecutive numbers" hand but there wasn't room to say so in the parenthetical. The only hardwired consecutive numbers are in Consec #1. All the Consec hands except #1 are "any consecutive numbers" hands.

The back of the card has not changed from last year. It is nonetheless recommended reading.


麻雀


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 these...


Column #740

On Monday, April 5, 2021, 02:16:16 PM PDT, Libby S wrote:
Column #740
Hi, Mr. Sloper. I always look forward to your analysis of the card. I do think you should remove the following hand from your pung-kong, pung-kong list since it doesn’t follow that pattern.
W-D #1
Cheers,
Libby

Well, Libby, you're correct that W-D #1 doesn't show a pung at the left, then a kong and a pung in the middle and a kong at the right. But it is a two-pung / two-kong hand, which means it has no pair. In fact, re-examining the card just now, I find that I overlooked 369 #2, which is yet another two-pung / two-kong hand. I'll make a modification to the column to address your observation. For next week's column I'll go into some strategy implications, so I hope you'll enjoy that one.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs
Donations appreciated
April 5, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA


Column 740, part 2

On Monday, May 3, 2021, 06:27:53 AM PDT, Michelle P wrote:
Question on 2021 card
Tom,
You said there were 15 new hands on the card. Could you please identify them for me?
All the best,
Michelle
Pronouns: she/her/hers

2468 #7, 2468 #8, Any Like #1, Any Like #3, Consec #3, Consec #4, Consec #8, Odds #2, Odds #7, W-D #3, W-D #7, 369 #3, 369 #4, 369 #5, S&P #3
The 2021 hands I considered to be variations on previous hands. Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs
Donations appreciated
May 3, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA


Join Johni Levene's popular Facebook group, "Mah Jongg, That's It!" for lively conversations about American mah-jongg and all things mah-jongg.

Where to order the yearly NMJL card: Read FAQ 7i.

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, you want to have this plus the League's official rulebook. AND see FAQ 19 for fine points of the American rules (and commonly misunderstood rules). AND every player should have a copy of Mah Jongg Made Easy, the official rulebook of the National Mah Jongg League (see FAQ 3 for info on mah-jongg books).

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