| By Tom Sloper
September 11, 2022 Column #775 |
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| By Tom Sloper
September 11, 2022 Column #775 |
American Mah Jongg (2022 NMJL card). Various problems.
1. Garbage hand. Count highs vs. lows. Seven lows vs. five highs. That's enough right there to convince me to pass high numbers. Pass E 8C 9B. Wouldn't pass soap just yet.
2. That's more like it! Pairs ones and flowers are promising. Ones in all three suits, so think Any Like. Pass 5C 9B N.
3. Seven tiles towards Consec #4. No strong reason for keeping anything else except the 4C pair (save it for a joker bait play later). I can pass from among 1D 5D 7C 1B. Choose any three.
4. Good beginning for Any Like. I can pass 9D 3B S. No need to blind pass.
5. Just two passers, if you want to preserve two Any Like options (#2 and #3, 8 tiles each): 5C 3B. Stopping is reasonable. Offer two in the Courtesy.
6. Consec #4 is a distant possibility. Nothing else looks strong enough to warrant stopping. Pass 1B 8C and break up 8D.
7. Consec #5, or a distant Consec #1 (no ones). Keep 2B for Any Like, offer 6C 6B E across.
8. I'm working on Any Like #3, so I'm getting rid of my own 1D. I certainly don't want to call that discard.
9. The hand I'm working on is a concealed hand (Odds #7). Mustn't call anything.
10. This could go Consec #3 (eight tiles) or #5 (seven tiles). Neither option needs 3D or 4B. 3D can be cast as joker bait, if the wall is short enough. Otherwise throw 4B.
COMMENTS
Column 775
Email 
. Hit me with your best shot!
On Monday, September 12, 2022 at 03:14:26 PM EDT, Sue Z wrote:
Column 775
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
Hi Tom!
Column 775. #6.
What about Quints #3, 6677 88888 88888? In 3 suits. You have 7 tiles, 9 if you count the Jokers. Both Bam pairs are secure. I’d keep going and pass 1B, R, and 7D. Might have to pass a Flower for across with the other R, but may be worth the risk.
Thanks for the brain exercise.
Sue Zoeller
Sent from my iPad
Brilliant, Sue! And yes, sometimes a flower has to be passed - that second across can cause some stomachaches.
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 12, 2022, 4:15 pm
Rochester, New York, USA
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