Defense: Difference between revisions

Newer players may not be aware of defense, since guides often focus on general [[tile efficiency|hand development]] and memorization of [[yaku]]. Beginners may prioritize winning every hand, since winning gives points. However, winning every single time is infeasible. Defense is useful whenever a win is too far away, too risky, or otherwise impossible. It focuses on minimizing deal-ins: tsumo payments and tenpai settlements result in a much smaller loss than a deal-in. In many cases, the points you lose matter more than the points you gain. Overall, while winning hands is still important, players should know whether to attack or defend.

You may want to defend when against a dangerous threat, such as a [[riichi]] declaration or a valuable open hand. When defending, players should take into account all visible tiles, including tiles in discard piles, the dora indicators, tiles in your own hand, and any called tiles.