Riichi strategy: Difference between revisions

Strategy surrounding the call for [[riichi]] entails various considerations.  While declaring riichi gives players the chance for [[Scoring|higher scoring]] hands, players must not be blinded by the opportunity without considering the risks. Sometimes, the riichi may be a good idea, or it may do nothing but harm you. Regardless, it's best not to blindly call riichi every time you reach tenpai.

In addition, going from [[iishanten]] to tenpai can take a while. Even with great [[ukeire|tile acceptance]], it'll often take multiple turns to do so. (This, of course, depends on luck.) In order to reach tenpai in the first place, an opponent may need to discard multiple dangerous tiles.

*If an opponent at iishanten decides to attack into your riichi, they could have to discard unsafe tiles for multiple turns. Therefore, you'll get multiple chances to win off ron.

Due to these advantages, a player who declares riichi first will often exert pressure on the other players. Other players may choose to give up their hands. Of course, this is not guaranteed, especially if the point standings force some other players to take on offense at all costs. However, you'll still have the advantages listed above.

*When you have a valuable hand. If you have a guaranteed mangan or higher hand without needing riichi, the extra score may not be worth the loss of win rate.

Generally, in the first half of the entire game, a player's precise ranking is not as large of a concern. There are many opportunities to make up differences: a player who's ahead can hardly afford to rest on their laurels, while players who are behind are not as desperate. Thus, situations tend to be more "general" - riichi's increased reward is usually appreciated, its intimidation effect more often felt, and it is more often a good idea. In other words, in the earlier half, going for sheer points can be more important than going for rank.

*The 1000 points used to declare riichi could cause you to drop down placement. If this is the case during all last, you probably shouldn't riichi if you have another yaku.

Pressing players to defend will lower your chance of winning. Assuming a dama hand has a yaku (i.e. it can ron), declaring riichi will generally lower your winrate by about 40%. Therefore, if winning matters and the extra score does not matter you should dama. Also, with valuable hands (mangan/haneman or above), dama is usually better.

'''Oikake riichi''' {{kana|追いかけリーチ}} is a "chasing riichi", or a declared riichi after another player had already declared riichi.  In this state, two or even three players have simultaneously declared riichi; and thus, the game becomes a contest between two or three tenpai hands.  In this state, any riichi declarer is liable of playing into another's riichi call.  At the time same, this type of riichi is often utilized because at least one player is not able to defend in the first place.  With multiple riichis occurring simultaneously, the players end up in a "riichi duel".