MAHJONG SESSION 06-10-2007 (TO DO OR NOT TO DO.....AGAIN)

I had another of those “To do or not to do” decisions to make in yesterday’s game. I am not sure what is wrong with me. I thought I had decided to go with the cheaper and quicker wins, but I still get stuck with this type of dilemmas every time I play. I think it is inherent greed.

I had managed to make three concealed pungs some two third ways into the game.



(NB: The 8C set above is meant to be a concealed kang. I have no idea how I should represent it and I choose to do it according to what I understand is the Riichi style of representation. If anyone would enlighten me, I would be happy to update the post with the correct picture.)

The fact that I made it this far without any exposures is a miracle in itself, since I am usually too scared of missing a pung to deliberately miss melding pungs when the opportunity arises. In this case, I had already started the deal with a concealed pung of 8C, and managed to self draw all the 2Ds before anyone discarded any. I only had to resist the first discard of 2B, but since that was still pretty early in the game, I thought it would be acceptable risk.

Having come this far was nerve-wracking enough and tiles were running out. EP discarded a 1D at this point. I dithered a bit, but in the end, I thought it was a little too late in the game. The urge to win won over the urge to make a bigger hand. I took the pung and went on to win the hand.

However, would you have waited to self draw the 1D instead and make four concealed pungs, worth a hefty 64 points? (Note: Remaining two 1Ds are both not yet out, and we were perhaps two thirds way into the game. EP, sitting opposite, was showing two or three melds of Dots on the table.)