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.

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. 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. If possible, a player can take the start hand and speculate, which yaku is the best fit.

Yaku

Main articles: Yaku and List of yaku

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.