SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2022 NMJL card). Charleston exercises. What would you pass on the first right?

1. Step one: check for pairs. Fives, sixes, and reds. Dangit, it's two suits, not three (that's a problem for both of the Consec dragon hands, #4 and #7). But there's also Any Like #2 (which doesn't use the 5C pair). Keep the fives and sixes and reds, along with the flower. Pass a two, the nine, and a wind.

2. Flowers, ones, Easts, and Souths. Winds are easy to figure out: either everybody's passing them, or somebody's collecting them. This is a good time to be a collector, at least for the first Charleston. If after the first left, no winds are forthcoming, focus on ones for Any Like Numbers.

3. Flowers, twos, and soaps. Obvious, right? Ditch everything that doesn't work in the 2022 family. Pass numbers that are not twos, and N can go too.

4. No pairs. So look for other types of patterns, starting with high vs. low and even vs. odd. Six highs vs. two odds lows. And six evens vs. two odds. Evens wins, but there's no "high vs. low" aspect to 2468 (four numbers) as there is to 13579 (five numbers). Not having any twos is a problem. But all those high numbers are bunched closely, numerically speaking, which means Think Consec. Ditch W and low numbers.

5. A flower pung and a pair of ones make a great beginning. Think Any Like or Consec. Pass the wind (I just love saying that) and high numbers.

6. Threes, twos! Fours!! This is screaming Consec, and it's saying "Consec #6" at medium volume (missing 3C). Pass high numbers.

7. Pair of flowers, pair of ones. What's friends with flowers and ones? Look at all those low odd numbers. Pass the wind and high numbers.

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 764

On Monday, June 27, 2022 at 11:19:59 AM EDT, lindaz... wrote:
decisions????
Hi Tom,
Column 764 "Juneteenth" shows me how different my thinking and decision making are from yours. You are more experienced and able to make decisions more quickly; I still have a lot to learn. Like you, I always look at pairs first, but because it's the first pass I try to think "which options are immediately OBVIOUS to me"? I need to be quick so as to not make other players wait on me. So here is what I determined to be the best options for me and please point out any errors:
1. Pass 9B, both winds --not acceptable strategy but it keeps my other options open. I would keep 2C and 2B AND 9B and 9D for possible Like Nos. The 5's and 6's are still available for CR. So maybe a mistake to pass 2 winds, but it's only the first pass.
2. Pass 5C, E, 7D. Leaves 6 tiles each for W/D #4 and # 7. These hands only need one East. Also keeps dragons and Flowers for Like Numbers.
4. Keep Evens; pass 1D, 7C, W. My immediate thinking for first pass. I would not even approach your complicated (to me) decision for CR.
5. Pass 7C, 3B, W. leaving 1's, F's, and 9's available for LN #1. (7 tiles for each).
I hope I didn't make any typos. This is a loooong email but I appreciate any suggestions you have to offer!
Thanks, Linda

Hi, Linda! Let's see...
Okay, so you wouldn't pass a 2 here. Keeping the 2s for Any Like #2 gives you 4 tiles to start with. Keeping them for Any Like #3 gives you at most 4 tiles (since the Rs can't be used with the 2C). The 5s and 6s are the best bet here; I don't see any use for the 2s. There is no 9D - that's a 6D (count the dots). But otherwise your plan to pass both winds and 9B is very wise.
I see that I didn't specify what I'd pass here, but I agree 5C and 7D can go. I wouldn't break up any winds just yet - I'd ditch a dragon (R before soap).
I see I have a typo there. It should say "Six highs vs. two lows." You'd go for Evens, okay - that's fine. Twos could well come around. I think there might be a tendency among players, looking at all those 1s and 2s and 3s in Consec to overlook the usefulness of 7s and 8s and 9s - in one of my former groups, I noticed that 8s were frequently passed, way more than 2s. I just see Consec as a much more flexible (therefore powerful) family.
Good idea, to hang onto the 9s for Any Like Numbers.
Thanks for sharing your ideas, Linda! 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
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Monday, June 27, 2022, 12:20 pm
Rochester, New York, USA

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