Mahjong strategy

The game complexity of Japanese mahjong bears an equally complex set of tactics and strategies to consider. While luck is an element of the game, strategy is required to minimize the effects of luck. Ultimately, it is up to the player to pick and choose tiles to attain the best result possible.

Defense

Main article: Defense

A number of defensive strategies can be employed to minimize point losses. If anything, many game outcomes are mostly decided by direct point losses. Therefore, players make it a point to avoid or at least minimize playing into other player's hands.

Digital vs occult

Main article: Digital vs occult

Despite the variations methods to play the game, play styles can be summed up under two general categories: digital and occult.

Riichi

Main article: Riichi

Often, players may find themselves utilizing riichi or abstaining from riichi. With riichi being a discretionary yaku, players must evaluate the risk-reward aspect of this play. This decision often rests on the point standings, the current hand and round, and the hand's value.

Starting hands

Main article: Haipai

With each hand, every player is dealt with a starting hand. Looking at the tiles, it is up to each player to determine the best choice of tiles to attain tenpai quickly.

Open vs closed

Main articles: Shanten and Takame and yasume

A common question pertaining a hand considers opening vs keeping the hand closed.

Yaku

Main articles: Yaku and List of yaku

If possible, a player can take the start hand and speculate, which yaku is the best fit. However, a player may not necessarily target a yaku. At times, achieving tenpai is sufficiently enough, particularly when points are at a premium.

Tenpai

Main articles: Machi and Tenpai

Naturally, every player must be able to recognize a hand at tenpai. Likewise, waiting tiles must also be identified in order to not miss them, whenever they are drawn or discarded. Even so, players have an array of waiting patterns to choose from in order to accomplish a winning hand. Furthermore, players may find themselves choosing one waiting pattern or another.

Atozuke

Main article: Atozuke

Atozuke is a special case of tenpai, where players are waiting on a specific tile just to satisfy the yaku requirement.

External links

• Just Another Japanese Mahjong Blog

Translated strategy material from various Japanese sources.