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Riichi strategy: Difference between revisions
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As an alternative, you can go [[damaten]], which is simply a closed tenpai that hasn't called riichi. Another alternative is to [[betaori|give up the hand]] entirely. | As an alternative, you can go [[damaten]], which is simply a closed tenpai that hasn't called riichi. Another alternative is to [[betaori|give up the hand]] entirely. | ||
== Speed == | |||
[[Image:Intimidate riichi.png|thumb|right|250px|[http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2016081218gm-0029-0000-bcaa7251&tw=1&ts=14 Riichi called] to apply pressure onto the other players, with relatively low scoring differentials.]] | [[Image:Intimidate riichi.png|thumb|right|250px|[http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2016081218gm-0029-0000-bcaa7251&tw=1&ts=14 Riichi called] to apply pressure onto the other players, with relatively low scoring differentials.]] | ||
There is an advantage to being the first to tenpai, and thus an advantage to being the first to declare riichi. Only one hand can win per round, so faster hands can just win before anyone else. A tenpai hand can call ron off anyone, while [[chii]] can only be called from the left player. Also, the earlier you declare riichi, the harder it is for opponents to defend against it. | There is an advantage to being the first to tenpai, and thus an advantage to being the first to declare riichi. Only one hand can win per round, so faster hands can just win before anyone else. A tenpai hand can call ron off anyone, while [[chii]] can only be called from the left player. Also, the earlier you declare riichi, the harder it is for opponents to defend against it. | ||
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Conversely, a chasing riichi (riichi after another player has declared riichi) is weaker for the same reasons. | Conversely, a chasing riichi (riichi after another player has declared riichi) is weaker for the same reasons. | ||
== Hand shape and waits == | |||
Once a hand reaches tenpai, the chance of winning largely depends on the [[machi|tile waits]]. Hands waiting on three or more tiles, such as [[ryanmenten]] or [[sanmentan]], have a favorable chance of winning, while one tile waits like [[kanchan]] or [[tanki]] are less likely to win. | Once a hand reaches tenpai, the chance of winning largely depends on the [[machi|tile waits]]. Hands waiting on three or more tiles, such as [[ryanmenten]] or [[sanmentan]], have a favorable chance of winning, while one tile waits like [[kanchan]] or [[tanki]] are less likely to win. | ||
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If you are in [[furiten]], you should be more wary about declaring riichi. A furiten riichi with a 3-sided wait , that has 9+ tiles not visible, is typically ok. A furiten two-sided wait may work if it's early in the game or if you need points. | If you are in [[furiten]], you should be more wary about declaring riichi. A furiten riichi with a 3-sided wait , that has 9+ tiles not visible, is typically ok. A furiten two-sided wait may work if it's early in the game or if you need points. | ||
== Score == | |||
Riichi gives 1 han, and possibly more via ippatsu and ura dora. Since every han doubles your score until you reach [[mangan]], these are all valuable. However, there are rare cases where score does not matter. | Riichi gives 1 han, and possibly more via ippatsu and ura dora. Since every han doubles your score until you reach [[mangan]], these are all valuable. However, there are rare cases where score does not matter. | ||
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That being said, the extra points from riichi often do matter. This is a game about scoring the most points, after all. | That being said, the extra points from riichi often do matter. This is a game about scoring the most points, after all. | ||
=== Hand lock | === Winning chance === | ||
By declaring riichi, the hand is locked - you cannot upgrade the hand to improve the wait | Pressing players to defend will lower your chance of winning. If a hand has a yaku other than riichi, declaring riichi will generally lower your winrate by about 40%. Since riichi more-than-doubles your score until reaching mangan, riichi generally has the better expected value. | ||
If you don't care about points, but you do care about winning, you should dama. As mentioned above, if you are in the lead by a large amount, dama. | |||
Hands which have an extremely poor wait (e.g single tile wait on dora) are so bad that riichi doesn't reduce their chance of winning by much. | |||
== Point standing == | |||
{{main|Kyoku}} | |||
In the first half of the game, your exact point standing (the # of points between you and 1st/2nd/3rd/4th place) is generally not a big 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. | |||
When the game is closer to its end (usually in the South round; can be earlier if a player is close to bankrupting), the game's precise point standing matters more. Most venues focus heavily on the player's end-of-game placement, so going from 3rd to 2nd is a major jump, and going from 3rd to 4th is a major blow. Even a +1000 point win is valuable if it causes you to rise in placement, or lets you keep your current placement. | |||
*Players that are ahead should be more willing to dama. Late in the game, increasing your point lead doesn't matter as much, but the risk of dealing in matters more. Also, as mentioned above, dama increases your winrate, allowing you to end the game faster. | |||
*Meanwhile, players in 4th by a large amount are often forced to riichi, hoping for a big hand. Players in the middle should analyze their own specific situations to determine if riichi is right. If being in 4th place confers a huge penalty (as in higher ranks of [[tenhou.net]]/[[Majsoul]]), players not in 4th may want to dama to end the game faster, even if riichi could let you rise up a rank. | |||
*The 1000 points used to declare riichi could cause you to drop down a rank. If this is the case during all last, you probably shouldn't riichi if you have another yaku. | |||
*If a damaten win and riichi win would cause you to end up in the same placement, and it's all last, you should dama. | |||
Overall: in the earlier end of the game, going for raw points can be a good idea. In the later end, aiming to retain (or improve) your placement usually matters more than the points themselves. This consideration will depend on the game's [[oka and uma]] settings. | |||
== Hand lock == | |||
By declaring riichi, the hand is locked - you cannot upgrade the hand to improve the wait, gain yaku, or play defensive. | |||
=== Waiting for upgrades === | |||
Being the first to riichi is a big advantage of itself. So, if you want to delay riichi to wait for an upgrade, you should have many tiles that you could upgrade off of. As a contrived example: | Being the first to riichi is a big advantage of itself. So, if you want to delay riichi to wait for an upgrade, you should have many tiles that you could upgrade off of. As a contrived example: | ||
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As the round progresses, you should be more willing to riichi than to wait for an upgrade; you don't have as much time to wait for an upgrade. | As the round progresses, you should be more willing to riichi than to wait for an upgrade; you don't have as much time to wait for an upgrade. | ||
Note: when you reach tenpai but are waiting for an upgrade, it's often best to stay at [[iishanten]], ''unless'' you have an expensive hand. If you enter tenpai with a 46-pin middle [[kanchan]], you have 8 tiles worth of upgrade. If you decline tenpai, you'll often have more than 8 tiles to upgrade with. For example, if you discard 6-pin, leaving 4-pin and a 2334-man shape, you have 18 tiles worth of non-furiten uprades. | |||
=== Defense === | === Defense === | ||
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For example, say it is South 2, you are in 2nd place, 1st place is 14000 points ahead, but 3rd is catching up. You shouldn't riichi with an otherwise [[pinfu]]-only hand, since an extra 1000-2900 points will not impact placement, but dealing into another player can cause you to drop down placement. It is possible to overtake the lead, if you ron 1st with a riichi ippatsu + 1 ura dora, but this is not worth the risk. | For example, say it is South 2, you are in 2nd place, 1st place is 14000 points ahead, but 3rd is catching up. You shouldn't riichi with an otherwise [[pinfu]]-only hand, since an extra 1000-2900 points will not impact placement, but dealing into another player can cause you to drop down placement. It is possible to overtake the lead, if you ron 1st with a riichi ippatsu + 1 ura dora, but this is not worth the risk. | ||
== Furiten == | |||
{{main|Furiten}} | {{main|Furiten}} | ||
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Second, a damaten hand can try and target a specific player. You may want to ron to get a player below 0 points, ending the game immediately. Or you may wish to avoid calling ron on a player with 0 points, to not end the game. This can also be done to [[gyakuten|change placement]] (e.g. targeting 1st place as 2nd). However, since riichi gives a hefty point bonus, a riichi hand might improve your placement even if you tsumo or ron the "wrong" player. | Second, a damaten hand can try and target a specific player. You may want to ron to get a player below 0 points, ending the game immediately. Or you may wish to avoid calling ron on a player with 0 points, to not end the game. This can also be done to [[gyakuten|change placement]] (e.g. targeting 1st place as 2nd). However, since riichi gives a hefty point bonus, a riichi hand might improve your placement even if you tsumo or ron the "wrong" player. | ||
== Oikake riichi == | == Oikake riichi == | ||