DAILY MAH-JONGG
By Tom Sloper

Monday, July 7, 2003

Column #93

Chinese Official (CMCR). "I was waiting," moaned Noriko. Samantha commiserated, "I hate when that happens." Noriko's deal hadn't looked all that promising when she'd first gotten it...

It hadn't cleanly suggested anything - not all chows, all pairs, all pungs, all one suit, or even all types. So she began conventionally, discarding R. She was thinking which pair to break up in order to go for all chows, when she picked 4D. So much for that idea. She discarded N, ridding herself of honors. The next pick was the fourth 4D.

She considered konging it, but decided not to for the moment. She might well get the makings of a chow for the fourth 4D. She discarded 4C.

Naturally, her next pick was another 4C, which she threw with a little snort of disgust. Her next picks were 5B and 3D. Noticing that a lot of her tiles were reversible, she considered that possibility. Deciding that it wasn't unreasonable, she discarded 7C.

She'd have to get rid of the One Bams too, of course. Next she picked 5B, threw 9C, and had to make a decision when Wei-Hwa threw 5D. She decided to take it, go for Reversible (or All Simples as a fallback plan). Several turns later, it was shaping up.

She punged 4B and discarded 2B. She needed to pick 8D or 9D, then she'd be waiting two ways. So of course she picked 5B.

She had to choose between 8D and 9D. 9D looked safer to throw, but judging by the total absence of 8D from exposures and discards, it looked unlikely to be discarded (someone was probably using them). Better safe than sorry, she reasoned. Besides, without the 9D, the hand would be All Simples. So she threw 9D. She was waiting for 8D, single wait, to make the pair.

She added it up. Reversible (8), All Simples (2), Two Concealed Pungs (2), Double Pung (2), Tile Hog (1), Single Wait (1), No Honors (1), One Voided Suit (1), four Flowers (4) - 22.

That's when Earl won the hand.


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Copyright 2003 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.