SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2022 NMJL card). The dance music has begun; it's the Charleston! What would you pass?

1. Step one: observe a pair of ones and a pung of nines. Step two: the nines have more friends than the ones. Think high Consec or high Odds. Either way, pass low numbers, without passing a pair.

2. Got a pair of eights. The evens are obvious friends with the eights, but so are the sevens, which leaves just two winds to pass. That's not enough, so we have to dig into specific hands. Evens #1 is your best bet (six tiles, not counting the joker), but do hang onto the sevens for now. 4D and 4C can go, as can the winds.

3. A pair of sevens and a pair of nines. Obviously good for either high Consec or high Odds, but also a distant start for S&P #3. No need to hang onto winds or 5C, and I'm not enamored of 5D or 6D, either.

4. Step zero: with three jokers and three flowers, you want to make sure to go for a hand that uses what you've got and doesn't need a pair of anything you haven't got. Let's consider Quints #4, Consec #2, and 369 #2. Odds #4 may not be too far-fetched, since singles are easier than pairs, but too many options spoil the Charleston. Hang onto the craks, 2D, and 8D. That leaves N and 5D and 7B to pass. It's not pretty, but things get ugly when you have too many options.

5. It's inevitable to consider 2022 when soap is accompanied by twos. But there's a pair of ones and a pair of nines, and there are only four tiles towards 2022 #3. There are five tiles towards Consec #4... and precious little else. Step three: count highs vs. lows. There are five lows and only four highs. It's painful, but you can pass eights with N. The mah-jongg goddesses will probably reward you by giving you reason to regret the decision.

6. Pairs of fives, ones, and sevens. The mah-jongg goddesses are giving you mixed messages. The three pairs don't work together, so figure out which two pairs are friends. Ones and fives not that great, but the fives and sevens also have 9C for additional support (Odds #2). I normally favor keeping dragons initially, but in addition to N and 8B, you need another tile to pass, and if you want to hang onto the ones, you could pass G.

7. Ones and twos and eights. Twos go with ones or with eights. Have to look at specific hands. Consec #3 is pulling me (1-2-3 is stronger than 7-8-9), but got no flowers (but flowers are easy to get, except when you need a pair). Consec #6 is also an option (7-8-9), but not enough pairs. Try not to sigh heavily (don't give your opponents information), and choose passers from 7D 7B 9C soap.

8. Pung of F, pairs of eights and threes and Souths. The eights have more friends than the threes. Go high Consec. Pass S 3C 3B.

9. Two pairs of twos, a pair of eights and a pair of Wests. The twos are where the strength is; Consec, not Evens. Pass W 7C 8C.

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!

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Column 762

On Monday, June 6, 2022, 06:47:26 PM EDT, Julia S wrote:
Column 762
Hello Tom,
There were a few hands in this column where I was thinking about different possible hands than the ones you mentioned.
#1 - Having the ones and nines made me think of Odds #4 or Odds #1, rather than high Odds. I would probably have passed 2C, 4D and 6B, which is close to what you said.
#3 - Since winds tend to get passed a lot in the Charleston (at least in my group) I would look at W-D #6 and not pass winds at first. I wouldn't want to get rid of E W in case someone passed more of them to me. I would probably have passed Red, 5C, and 8D. (Keeping 5D, 6D for possible Consec #5 if the one-suit hands don't work out)
Thank you for doing the columns again!
Julia

I like those solutions, Julia!
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
June 6, 2022
Rochester, New York, USA

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Column 762

On Monday, June 6, 2022, 01:41:47 PM EDT, lindaz... wrote:
strategy #762
Hi Tom,
In your strategy column # 762, please point out which Consecutive Run hands you are considering in problem #9. I see 5 tiles toward like numbers; 5 tiles toward W/D, and 5 for CR. Maybe I'm missing something obvious. All 3 choices look pretty weak.
Thanks, Linda

Yes, all choices are weak, Linda. It's not a great deal. I did not target any hand. I only target a specific hand when I get an unusual number of tiles pinpointing one hand. All I did was eliminate consideration of 2468 hands, in favor of Consec. You're right about Any Like and W-D as other equal options. By the way, you didn't say what tiles you would pass for that problem.
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
June 6, 2022
Rochester, New York, USA

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