Four Pure Shifted Pungs
My starting hand looked something like this.
I decided that this would probably be a half flush or even full flush hand in bamboos.
After two picks which didn’t advance the hand, opposite player threw a 5B. I hate to meld pungs so early in the game, especially when the bamboo tiles were all so nicely connected. In the past, every time I made a pung in a flush hand, I would end up inevitably killing off the connection tiles which I would need for later.
However, in this case, I decided that melding the 5B pung wouldn’t do me too much damage, so I did it.
The next pick was a 4B. Three pure shifted pungs was suddenly a possibility. Then almost immediately after I picked 2B. I was getting quite excited.
I managed to pung 2B two rounds after that. On the next pick, I drew another 4B.
My hand now looked like this:
It was definitely four pure shifted pungs, waiting for N. We were about halfway through the game, and many bamboo tiles were not out yet. None of the other players looked like they had much going on. I could wait to exchange the N for another bamboo and make it a more valuable full flush hand. On the other hand, the guys were now discarding rather carefully since I had already melded two bamboo sets.
The Singaporean kiasee (afraid to die) attitude set in. I decided to go out if anyone threw N. Better to win smaller than not to win at all, and fifty odd points were not considered a small win by any means. Probably not a very sound strategy. I bet most would have gone all out for the bamboo.
Lady Luck seemed determined to bestow her favours on me though. Before anyone threw N, I drew a 6B on the next round. This was a fresh tile, none on the table yet. It would be a good tile for waiting. I was quietly having heart palpitations.
2 rounds later, I drew another 6B. Self draw!
Four Pure Shifted Pungs - 48
Full Flush - 24
All Simples - 2
Two Concealed Pungs - 2
Self Draw - 1
Base Score - 77
Total Score 3 x (77+8) = 285
EP later revealed that he had been valiantly keeping quite a number of bamboo tiles in his hand, but he just couldn’t beat the luck of my draws.
All Terminals & Honours, Triple Pung
This was the starting hand. There was no question what I should aim for.
The Singaporean kiasee (afraid to die) attitude set in. I decided to go out if anyone threw N. Better to win smaller than not to win at all, and fifty odd points were not considered a small win by any means. Probably not a very sound strategy. I bet most would have gone all out for the bamboo.
Lady Luck seemed determined to bestow her favours on me though. Before anyone threw N, I drew a 6B on the next round. This was a fresh tile, none on the table yet. It would be a good tile for waiting. I was quietly having heart palpitations.
2 rounds later, I drew another 6B. Self draw!
Four Pure Shifted Pungs - 48
Full Flush - 24
All Simples - 2
Two Concealed Pungs - 2
Self Draw - 1
Base Score - 77
Total Score 3 x (77+8) = 285
EP later revealed that he had been valiantly keeping quite a number of bamboo tiles in his hand, but he just couldn’t beat the luck of my draws.
All Terminals & Honours, Triple Pung
This was the starting hand. There was no question what I should aim for.
I drew a GD immediately and punged the third from EP next round.
Some meaningless draws and discards later, I drew 9D and 9B respectively. The last WD dropped fortuitously into my lap just as I was about to give up on it.
Some meaningless draws and discards later, I drew 9D and 9B respectively. The last WD dropped fortuitously into my lap just as I was about to give up on it.
We were now about halfway through. I was hoping to self draw 9C for an additional 16 points for three concealed pungs. However, the two remaining 9Cs did not turn up. The other three players were advancing their hand while I was anxiously waiting. In particular, AJ appeared to be making an all pung hand opposite. I was getting quite worried that the 9Cs were stuck in her hand.
Last 10 tiles. By now, WJ, on my left, also had all her melds on the table, waiting to complete her pair to go out. I was also by now almost 99% sure that the 9Cs were with AJ. Then WJ discarded 9D.
Dilemma city. Should I kong the 9D? It would give me a chance at another draw which might yield the much needed 9C. However, I could also say goodbye to the three concealed pungs.
I decided to go for the kong. It was already a big enough hand and a chance at winning was more important.
The replacement tile was a 9C. Nothing more need be said. All honours and terminals + Mixed Triple Pung + Out on Replacement Tile + Some small fans/flowers + Self draw gave a whooping 216 points and put me in the lead for the rest of the game.
As it turns out, both AJ and WJ both knew that the last tile was a 9C when it was earlier knocked over accidentally, but I missed that. Also, the other 9C was also in the wall and I might have ended up picking it anyway and earned that additional 16 points. But I have no quibbles about my big win anyway, and no one could guess how the tiles would turn out. I think my strategy was sound in this case, what would you have done?
We all also learnt a lesson about discarding fresh tiles, especially a fresh terminal, so late in the game. I expect the lesson was more heavily drilled into WJ than anyone else, though I have her to thank for this incredible win. I do not expect I’ll get such “friendly” discards during real tournaments.
Personally I also saw for myself how fully melded hands inhibited defence strategies in WJ’s case. It definitely was not a situation that I would ever like to find myself in.
Last 10 tiles. By now, WJ, on my left, also had all her melds on the table, waiting to complete her pair to go out. I was also by now almost 99% sure that the 9Cs were with AJ. Then WJ discarded 9D.
Dilemma city. Should I kong the 9D? It would give me a chance at another draw which might yield the much needed 9C. However, I could also say goodbye to the three concealed pungs.
I decided to go for the kong. It was already a big enough hand and a chance at winning was more important.
The replacement tile was a 9C. Nothing more need be said. All honours and terminals + Mixed Triple Pung + Out on Replacement Tile + Some small fans/flowers + Self draw gave a whooping 216 points and put me in the lead for the rest of the game.
As it turns out, both AJ and WJ both knew that the last tile was a 9C when it was earlier knocked over accidentally, but I missed that. Also, the other 9C was also in the wall and I might have ended up picking it anyway and earned that additional 16 points. But I have no quibbles about my big win anyway, and no one could guess how the tiles would turn out. I think my strategy was sound in this case, what would you have done?
We all also learnt a lesson about discarding fresh tiles, especially a fresh terminal, so late in the game. I expect the lesson was more heavily drilled into WJ than anyone else, though I have her to thank for this incredible win. I do not expect I’ll get such “friendly” discards during real tournaments.
Personally I also saw for myself how fully melded hands inhibited defence strategies in WJ’s case. It definitely was not a situation that I would ever like to find myself in.
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