SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
September 4, 2022
Column #774

American Mah Jongg (2022 NMJL card). Various quandaries.

First across. What would you pass?

Second left. Would you stop the dance?

Second across. WWYP?

Courtesy. WWYP?

What would you discard?

A player has discarded 7C. Call it? If so, what's the plan?

You've exposed 3C and 9C; what do you discard now?

1. Four pairs: sixes, sevens, eights, and E. It's a Consec hand, could go #3 (6 tiles not counting J, but need a flower pair), could go #5 (also 6 tiles). I don't like passing Soaps, and I don't like passing a pair. I'd pass 6B E S.

2. 3D 4D can go, leaving you a strong Any Like #2. You don't need F, and there is an extra soap but you'll have to get lucky and get a second R. If you want to hedge your bets, not pass F, and keep all the soaps, you can stop. Unless you're one of those people who stops too often and stopping will cause disharmony. You're allowed to stop, no matter what "they" say.

3. Your options have 7 tiles towards Consec #5 and 7 tiles towards Any Like #2 and #3. Clear passers are 1C 3C, but then you have to kill an option. The Any Like options require lucky picking, especially #2. I hate passing Soap, but that looks like the best option.

4. Crazy, all those craks spread out across the number spectrum. Why not go for the gusto, try for S&P #4. But no need to get rid of a 7C, since you don't have to offer three. Offer 5D 6B.

5. Consec #1 (8 tiles) vs. #7 (9 tiles). I'd break up 9C or 8C, hope it nets a joker.

6. Odds #1 (8 tiles) doesn't need the flowers, and there's an extra 1D. Flowers can be dangerous to discard later, so do it now. Who knows, it's possible it'll net a joker that way, but don't get your hopes up. Maybe the second one.

7. If you want to go Evens #1 (9 tiles), you don't need R. If you want to go #5 (8 tiles), you don't need F. But there's a problem with Evens #1; you don't have the 4C pair, and that's a huge risk. Going for #5 means ditching the flower pair. You might even net another joker. Risky both ways; take your pick.

8. Consec #3 and #5 are even (both are 7 tiles). Calling 7C for Consec #5 would leave you with three discardables. You could cast 7D for joker bait.

9. The jokers are useless, since you need a flower. Discarding 3D gives less info than discarding J. Check the table to see if 3D is safe, though. J is always safe to throw.

麻雀

COMMENTS
Email . Hit me with your best shot!

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On Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 01:09:27 PM EDT, Julia S wrote:
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Hello Tom,
I'm appreciating the mixed questions.
For hand #7, with four jokers I would also be thinking about Quints #2. It's still the same discards (either R or flower), but I was surprised you didn't mention it. I'm leaning towards discarding a flower as possible joker bait.
Hand #3 also has 7 tiles toward 2022 #1, leaving another option to kill. For this one it might depend on what's already happened in the Charleston (Did the dragons come from other players passing them or were they from original deal? If someone has been passing dragons I would be more likely to hold onto them.)
Thanks,
Julia

Great, Julia!

I smack my forehead for not even looking at Quints. We'd have to ditch not only the flowers but ALSO the R, meaning we have farther to go if we go that way (we have only 7 tiles for that option). I wouldn't want to actually go that way, but consider my forehead smacked nonetheless.

My forehead is going to get sore! I did overlook 2022 #1. Good point on what went around in the first Charleston and the Second Left - what went around often comes around again. The single flower is a problem for that option, requiring lucky picking (same as the Any Like options).

Really good feedback!
Play safe out there. 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
Sunday, September 4, 2022, 5:20 pm
Rochester, New York, USA

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On Monday, September 5, 2022 at 10:35:50 AM EDT, Sue Z wrote:
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My mah-jongg question or comment is:
Hi Tom!
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Julia beat be to the punch in responding to #3 and #7, but I’m going to include my thoughts anyway as she and I think alike. She’d be fun to play with!
#3 You also have 8 tiles for year #1. Pass 3D 1C 5C although this does destroy any other option. Keep the 4C pair for Joker Bait, hope to draw another Flower and more Dragons. But, it’s late in the Charleston. It would help if I knew if the Dragons were in the hand originally or came in via passes (especially if they were from West and South). If so, I might go with the year hand. If not, your options might be better.
#6 Also have 7 tiles for CR #3, 9 if you count the Jokers standing in for the needed 2Ds (which might be tough to get) and I’d only have to ditch 1 Flower. Joker bait the 7D. Tough choice. I’d throw a Flower first and see what comes in next. What’s on the table? If opponents throw 2D, then Odds it is.
#7 Quints #2 is looking good to me, pair is secure, more value, both have pung of 4C. Throw the Flowers first, keeping Quints #2 and Evens #5 options. Watch the discards. If Dragons come in, go for Evens, if needed number tiles or Jokers, Quints.
#9 Am I missing something? Jokers are useless only if I’m going for a pure hand. Am I feeling lucky? With those 2 exposures, alert opponents know what hand I’m playing and what pairs I need, only mystery is the kong. Where are we in the game? How many Flowers are accounted for? What about the 3D? For a pure hand I need 2 great picks, or 1 pick and a called discard. What are the chances of that? If I have at least 10 more picks, maybe I’ll throw a Joker. The safer and probably more successful option is to throw 3D, then I’m only waiting for a Flower. I’ll remind myself that you cannot Mah Jongg second…
Had a brain workout with these! Thanks for keeping me on my Mah Jongg toes.
Sue Zoeller

Hi, Sue! A lot to chew on here...

I count 7 tiles for 2022 #1. Passing 5C kills Consec #5 only (leaves the Any Like options intact, and Consec #5's chances are not necessarily that great, due to the absence of jokers. So your pass is eminently passable!

Yes, Consec #3 is viable, you're right. A flower should indeed go now, since flowers get hotter as the wall shortens. Joker bait shouldn't be cast too early (not until the wall is down to about 1/3 length). And you're right to look for 2D on the table. Nice one.

Yes, the Quints option is very good.

I meant that the joker is useless for the flower pair. Poor choice of words. I was not suggesting going jokerless (I assume that's what you mean by pure), heaven forbid. I agree with you on throwing 3D. See my reply to Linda Z below as regards to hand number nine.

Play safe out there. 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
Monday, September 5, 2022, noonish
Rochester, New York, USA

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On Monday, September 5, 2022 at 10:33:42 AM EDT, lindaz... wrote:
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Hi Tom,
I LOVE these mixed puzzles! Problem # 9 presents a real quandary. I assume it's near the end of the game since there are 2 exposures showing and it's obvious I'm playing for 369 # 6. But no one knows which kong suit or number I am using.
If there are 1 1/2 walls remaining, I'd discard 3D--it might throw people off the scent. If less than one wall remains I'd discard J. Players rarely discard Flowers later in the game. This was a great brain teaser! What would you do?
Also--Why do you not like to pass Dragons in the Charleston?
Best, Linda

Hi, Linda!

You're right that 3D would throw them off track. When I said in the column to check if it's safe, I overlooked the fact that I'm holding 3 of them so it probably isn't dangerous.
If I throw J, people will know I need F. While it's unlikely anybody will throw F, I can still pick one myself. But it's better to throw 3D, so that's what I'd do.

Good question, why I don't like passing dragons. It may be a gut thing, not wanting to give anybody ideas. Ideas can mess with your head, so why not. I guess I figure if somebody is holding dragons like I do, giving them another puts them on the path. Anyway, thanks for asking. I'll think on it some more, maybe it's time to make an adjustment.

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

Where to order the yearly NMJL card: Read FAQ 7i. But I gotta tell you, you're missing a bet if you don't order your NMJL card directly from the National Mah Jongg League.

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, a good supplement to 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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