Tile efficiency: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:59, 13 April 2024

Tile efficiency refers to the speed of hand development. Having better tile efficiency means that the hand is more likely to complete, and is thus faster on average.

Only one person can win per round, and a hand of any value can win. Therefore, learning how to optimize tile efficiency is important to improving at riichi mahjong. Sometimes, it may not be best to go for the maximum efficiency play (e.g. slowing the hand to go for a yaku), but strong players should know how to reach maximum tile efficiency

Tile categories

Tiles can be grouped into a few basic categories:

Isolated

Isolated tiles, also known as "lone" or "floating" tiles, are those with no neighbors. A tile is isolated when there is no tiles numerically or categorically adjacent. Therefore, they may not be used for tile calls.

These tiles are not very useful, so they are often discarded first. However, an isolated tile may be used to "upgrade" the hand. For example, an isolated 5 can be used to improve the hand's shape. An isolated dora can be used to increase the value of the hand. An isolated yakuhai can be paired and then pon'd.

Taatsu

Taatsu 「塔子」, or "joints"/"shapes", are two tiles that can create a sequence. These resemble the basic wait patterns:

Type	Ryanmen	Kanchan	Penchan
Incomplete
Complete	/

All else equal, a ryanmen is twice as good as the other joints, because they accept twice as many tiles. Kanchans can be upgraded to ryanmens (e.g. 24-pin, after drawing 5, turns into 45-pin).

Toitsu

Main article: Toitsu

Toitsu are pairs. Most hands need 1 pair to win. Pairs can be used to create triplets, though, so having multiple pairs can increase efficiency.

Complex joints

Complex joints are a joint made up of 3 tiles. When the joint is completed, two tiles are used in the group, and the third tile becomes isolated.

Type	Ryanmen + Pair	Kanchan + Pair	Ryankan
Incomplete
Complete	/ /	/	/

Yaku

Main article: Yaku

When building hands, yaku are certainly considered as they are a criteria for valid hands as well as added value to the hand. So, almost always, players have yaku in mind.

In other cases, players may end up simply having tenpai in mind, especially as the hand nears the later discards. This is of particular concern for the current dealer, who may have an interest in retaining the position and repeat the hand.

Counting tiles

Main article: Machi

When developing the hand, tiles take on different shapes, especially when taatsu are involved. The hand will lean in search of particular tiles, by which some many no longer be available. They may either be discarded, have one as the dora indicator, or be in a player's tile call. Any tile, whose whereabouts are unknown, are considered to be live tiles.

Shanten

Main article: Shanten

External links

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-'''Tile efficiency''' is a process of '''hand development''', where a player seeks to make maximized use of either draws and/or discards to attain or even complete the hand as fast as possible.  It rests on the limited number of draws, discards, and even hands, that players can use to win or even try to win.  Tile sources come from the [[haipai|opening hand]], wall draws, and [[Naki|other players]].  It is up to the player to make the best decision on tile draws and discards.
+'''Tile efficiency''' refers to the speed of '''hand development'''. Having better tile efficiency means that the hand is more likely to complete, and is thus faster on average.
-Unlike Poker or many other card games, the hand value is not a determinant towards winning.  Instead, it is a matter of who develops a winning hand first.  Of course, for [[defense|defensive]] purposes, a player may outright disregard tile efficiency and [[betaori|abandon the hand]] instead.
+Only one person can win per round, and a hand of any value can win. Therefore, learning how to optimize tile efficiency is important to improving at riichi mahjong. Sometimes, it may not be best to go for the maximum efficiency play (e.g. slowing the hand to go for a yaku), but strong players should know how to reach maximum tile efficiency
-==Categorizing tiles==
+==Tile categories==
+Tiles can be grouped into a few basic categories:
 ===Isolated===
-Isolated tiles are single tiles, which has no tiles numerically or categorically adjacent to them in order to form tile groups.  By rule, this makes tile calling with such tiles illegal.  Often, they are some of the first tiles discarded from the hand.  Yet, their presence in the hand retains the potential for development.  This is particularly true when the isolated tile is a [[dora]].
+Isolated tiles, also known as "lone" or "floating" tiles, are those with no neighbors. A tile is isolated when there is no tiles numerically or categorically adjacent. Therefore, they may not be used for [[naki|tile calls]].
+These tiles are not very useful, so they are often discarded first. However, an isolated tile may be used to "upgrade" the hand. For example, an isolated 5 can be used to improve the hand's shape. An isolated [[dora]] can be used to increase the value of the hand. An isolated [[yakuhai]] can be paired and then [[pon]]'d.
 ===Taatsu===
-{{main|Taatsu}}
+'''Taatsu''' {{kana|塔子}}, or "joints"/"shapes", are two tiles that can create a [[shuntsu|sequence]]. These resemble the [[Machi#Basic_wait_patterns|basic wait patterns]]:
+{| class="wikitable" width=40%
+|-
+!Type
+| align=center| Ryanmen || align=center| Kanchan || align=center| Penchan
+|-
+!Incomplete
+| align=center| {{#mjt:34p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:24p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:12p}}
+|-
+!Complete
+| align=center| {{#mjt:234p}} / {{#mjt:345p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:234p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:123p}}
+|}
-'''Taatsu''' {{kana|塔子}} are numbered tile pairs in need of one more in order to complete a [[shuntsu|sequence]].  Examples such as 1-2 needing a 3; 3-5 needing a 4; and 6-7 needing either a 5 or 8.  When developing a hand, it is often good practice to maintain these tile pairs in order to increase the chances of completing sequences and thus completing the hand.
+All else equal, a ryanmen is twice as good as the other joints, because they accept twice as many tiles. Kanchans can be upgraded to ryanmens (e.g. 24-pin, after drawing 5, turns into 45-pin).
 ===Toitsu===
 {{main|Toitsu}}
+'''Toitsu''' are pairs. Most hands need 1 pair to win. Pairs can be used to create [[triplet]]s, though, so having multiple pairs can increase efficiency.
+===Complex joints===
+Complex joints are a joint made up of 3 tiles. When the joint is completed, two tiles are used in the group, and the third tile becomes isolated.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+!Type
+| align=center| Ryanmen + Pair || align=center| Kanchan + Pair || align=center| Ryankan
+|-
+!Incomplete
+| align=center| {{#mjt:344p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:244p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:246p}}
+|-
+!Complete
+| align=center| {{#mjt:234p}} / {{#mjt:345p}} / {{#mjt:444p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:234p}} / {{#mjt:444p}} || align=center| {{#mjt:234p}} / {{#mjt:456p}}
+|}
 ==Yaku==