Damaten: Difference between revisions

From Japanese Mahjong Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
 
(9 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Damaten.png|250px|right|thumb|Damaten applied to a standalone baiman hand. [http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2014070418gm-0089-0000-092c00f3&tw=2]]]
[[Image:Damaten.png|250px|right|thumb|Damaten applied to a standalone baiman hand. [http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2014070418gm-0089-0000-092c00f3&tw=2]]]
'''Damaten''' {{kana|黙聴}} is a closed [[tenpai]] hand that has not called [[riichi]]. Typically, a dama hand will have a [[yaku]] without riichi; otherwise, [[menzen tsumo]] (or another circumstantial yaku) would be needed to win. An older term '''yamiten''' {{kana|闇聴}} refers to the same cases.
'''Damaten''' {{kana|黙聴}} ("hidden tenpai"), or '''dama''' for short, refers to a closed [[tenpai]] hand that has not called [[riichi]]. Typically, a dama hand will have a [[yaku]] without needing to riichi; otherwise, [[menzen tsumo]] (or another circumstantial yaku) would be needed to win. An older term '''yamiten''' {{kana|闇聴}} refers to the same thing.


==Usage==
==Usage==
There are many reasons to dama:
{{Main|Riichi strategy}}
*When the call for riichi wouldn't increase the hand's value by itself. For example, a [[haneman]] is scored if you have 6-7 han. If you have an 6 han hand, the +1 han for riichi wouldn't increase the score. Declaring riichi could still increase score with a tsumo, ippatsu, and/or ura dora, but these aren't reliable.
There are many reasons to dama. In most cases, it occurs when the extra points from riichi do not matter:
*When the hand is valuable. Because players will often [[defense|defend]] against a riichi hand, declaring riichi will generally lower your hand's win rate. So if your hand is already a guaranteed [[mangan]] or higher, you may wish to dama to get the existing value. Plus, once mangan is reached, each han afterwards has reduced value.
*When points do not matter. If you are far in the lead, dama can be used to increase your win rate (thus, ending the game faster). If the game is in [[oorasu|all last]], and winning with riichi wouldn't change your placement, dama can also be considered.
*When you wish to change your hand. Riichi locks your hand in, preventing you from upgrading the wait or gaining yaku. If your hand has many upgrades, you may wish to dama.
*When the hand is bad. You might get to tenpai on what would be a riichi-only bad wait hand and decide it's not worth it. If someone else reaches tenpai, you can [[betaori|abandon the hand]].


That being said, you should not overuse dama. Riichi's +1 han is valuable, since each han below 4000 will roughly double your score. Plus, you can get even more han from ippatsu and ura dora. See [[riichi strategy]] for more details.
*When winning at all is the only thing that matters. When far in the lead, dama can be used to increase win rate (thus, ending the game faster). If the game is in [[oorasu|all last]], and winning with riichi wouldn't improve placement (even with ippatsu ron), dama can also be considered.
*When the hand is valuable (haneman+). Players will often [[defense|defend]] after a riichi declaration, so riichi will often lower your hand's winrate. Therefore, guaranteed [[haneman]] or higher hands should normally be dama - they already have enough value. In addition, every han past mangan has reduced value, further incentivizing dama.
**Guaranteed [[mangan]] hands (counting 4 han 30 fu as mangan) can also consider dama: mangan with a bad wait, or mangan late in the game, should normally be dama.
*When the hand is poor. If a hand would be riichi-only with a bad wait, committing to riichi may not be worthwhile. Staying dama gives a chance to tsumo and gives the option to [[fold]] if another player reaches tenpai.
*When the hand has many different ways improve. Riichi locks the hand in, preventing you from upgrading the wait or gaining yaku. If your hand has many upgrades, you may wish to dama.
 
That being said, dama should not be overused. Riichi is a guaranteed +1 han, and on average provides +1.5 han. Since each han until mangan will roughly double score, riichi offers a large score boost. See [[riichi strategy]] for more details on the decision to riichi or dama.


==Game examples==
==Game examples==

Latest revision as of 19:49, 15 October 2024

Damaten applied to a standalone baiman hand. [1]

Damaten 「黙聴」 ("hidden tenpai"), or dama for short, refers to a closed tenpai hand that has not called riichi. Typically, a dama hand will have a yaku without needing to riichi; otherwise, menzen tsumo (or another circumstantial yaku) would be needed to win. An older term yamiten 「闇聴」 refers to the same thing.

Usage

There are many reasons to dama. In most cases, it occurs when the extra points from riichi do not matter:

  • When winning at all is the only thing that matters. When far in the lead, dama can be used to increase win rate (thus, ending the game faster). If the game is in all last, and winning with riichi wouldn't improve placement (even with ippatsu ron), dama can also be considered.
  • When the hand is valuable (haneman+). Players will often defend after a riichi declaration, so riichi will often lower your hand's winrate. Therefore, guaranteed haneman or higher hands should normally be dama - they already have enough value. In addition, every han past mangan has reduced value, further incentivizing dama.
    • Guaranteed mangan hands (counting 4 han 30 fu as mangan) can also consider dama: mangan with a bad wait, or mangan late in the game, should normally be dama.
  • When the hand is poor. If a hand would be riichi-only with a bad wait, committing to riichi may not be worthwhile. Staying dama gives a chance to tsumo and gives the option to fold if another player reaches tenpai.
  • When the hand has many different ways improve. Riichi locks the hand in, preventing you from upgrading the wait or gaining yaku. If your hand has many upgrades, you may wish to dama.

That being said, dama should not be overused. Riichi is a guaranteed +1 han, and on average provides +1.5 han. Since each han until mangan will roughly double score, riichi offers a large score boost. See riichi strategy for more details on the decision to riichi or dama.

Game examples

Damaten in Japanese Wikipedia
Multiple instances where damaten was employed.