SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2022 NMJL card). Charleston problems.

1. Two pairs: flowers and Norths. I'm not impressed by the wind pair (it has too few friends). So let's consider the other tiles: highs vs. lows and odds vs. evens. Four highs, seven lows (counting fives both times). Lows outnumber highs. Six evens, three odds. So 13579 is out. We can consider Consec and 2468, but those evens don't inspire confidence in any 2468 hand. S&P and Quints are both out. That tells us we need to go for Consec. I wouldn't pass R just now, but at least one N can go. Lows outnumber highs, so 8B and 6C can go, right? Not so fast. Fours and fives and sixes point to Consec #3 along with the flower pair. Using a Chinese/Japanese strategy of working towards the middle, let 1C go. In sum: pass N 8B 1C.

2. Two pairs: twos and fours. And they have a lot of even friends. Odds can go, leaving us 3B 9B and S to pass.

3. One pair: eights. The pair has some non-identical twins (iow, single eights in the other two suits), and near numerical neighbors (i.e. sevens and a nine) in bams and craks. Conclusion: we could go for Like Nos. or Consec, the sandwich hand (#6). We can pass anything not fitting those options. How about 3C, 4C, and a five? That isn't a very defensive pass, but at this stage it's imperative to consider offense over defense. Which five? You can keep 5B for a Consec #1 option.

4. One pair: fours. It has near-numerical neighbors, and even-numbered friends. Pass N and ones.

5. The flower pung says look for FFF or FFFF on the card, and see if anything comes close. Like Nos. #1, Consec #2, and W-D #2, for instance. Can't spend a lot of time thinking; pass 1D 2B S.

6. Eight tiles toward Consec #4, our best option. Even if we want to preserve a Consec #1 option, we have three to pass. Don't stop. Pass F 8D 2B.

7. Consec #3? We'd have to waste a flower, and we have more than 3 tiles to pass. Don't stop.

8. Sore thumbs: 1C and N. Not so sure the reds are worth keeping, but do you want to pass one? Not a great idea to pass a pair, either. Offer two: 1C and N.

9. Why give away any evens at this point? Offer just one tile: S. Not likely you're going to get anything good anyway, at this stage. Probably another wind in exchange.

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