The second part of the test is 1-2 essay questions, with a time limit of 50 minutes. Usually, you are given a board state, and asked questions about that state. Sometimes it will be open-ended, sometimes there will be specific focus points you are to comment on. These are the guidelines given:
- Rules in effect are the Official Saikouisen Ruleset.
- Tsumokiri (tiles that are immediately discarded when drawn) are shaded. Tiles discarded from hand are not shaded.
- Melded tiles have a red border around them and “a copy” remains on the board (to show when they were discarded)
- Turns skipped due to pons have their slots skipped.
- Write answers with detailed reasoning when possible.
- Points are given out depending on whether the items that should be mentioned are mentioned.
This is an example essay with answer. Afterwards I will post general “things to think about” when answering these.
Special thanks to Henry Chen, an accomplished player currently in Taiwan, who was a regular in the Rochester mahjong community for many years, as a teacher, translator, judge, and player. His efforts were key in translating these details given on the essay format and the sample questions. You rule, Henry, thanks for all your help in making Japanese content accessible to our club and the western world.
Example 1
From this hand, South chiis East’s riichi declaration tile 6m and discards 4p.
Follow South’s thought process and fill in the blanks.
South: “First off, I was going to discard middle tile genbutsu 4p or 5s regardless of whether I called or not. It’s because (ANSWER 1).
Then I considered the pros and cons of calling. First con: by calling, (ANSWER 2) so it would be easier for me to get stuck. That being said, (ANSWER 3) and thus this con is rather a small demerit. The second con is the fact that we are possibly giving the dealer an extra draw. Currently, (ANSWER 4) has the haitei, and by calling, (ANSWER 5) becomes the one who has the haitei. It would take (ANSWER 6) additional chiis for the dealer to get an extra draw, but (ANSWER 7) and thus I can say that possibility is also low. That’s why the second con – that the dealer might get an extra draw – is also unlikely. Now I consider the pros: first off, by calling we nullify the ippatsu-tsumo possibility to prevent the dealer from getting extra points. It’s not much doing it to just 1 tsumo turn, but as it’s highly likely that there are no doras present in the riichi hand, we are jockeying for position, so the extra han when tsumo’d is quite valuable, and thus the nullifying ippatsu is more valuable than normal. This balances out the pros and cons of calling, but due to the following reason(s), I ended up calling: (ANSWER 8)
Example 1 Solution
South: “First off, I was going to discard middle tile genbutsu 4p or 5s regardless of whether I called or not. It’s because A1: I am currently rather far away from going out or even tenpai and there’s low reason for me to safely reach tenpai; in addition, West is in a distant 4th place but discarded the dora East early on, so it’s possible that they might riichi with confirmed value, so advancing my hand to win or tenpai might cause me to get stuck if West riichis.
Then I considered the pros and cons of calling. First con: by calling,
A2: I’d have to keep looking for safe tiles from 11 tiles instead of 14 so it would be easier for me to get stuck. That being said,
A3: 45m that I would expend to call aren’t safe tiles currently and wouldn’t be tiles I would discard if I were giving up the hand altogether
and thus this con is rather a small demerit. The second con is the fact that we are possibly giving the dealer an extra draw. Currently, A4: South has the haitei, and by calling, A5: West becomes the one who has the haitei. It would take A6: 2 additional chiis for the dealer to get an extra draw, but
A7: the only possible yakuhai left is Green, and both West and North are progressing with normal sequencing so it’s unlikely that the dealer has a flush or toitoi hand. On top of 2 doras visible, it is evident that a called hand wouldn’t be too valuable, so it’s very unlikely that West or North would call towards a winning hand
and thus I can say that possibility is also low. That’s why the second con – that the dealer might get an extra draw – is also unlikely. Now I consider the pros: first off, by calling we nullify the ippatsu-tsumo possibility to prevent the dealer from getting extra points. It’s not much doing it to just 1 tsumo turn, but as it’s highly likely that there are no doras present in the riichi hand, we are jockeying for position, so the extra han when tsumo’d is quite valuable, and thus the nullifying ippatsu is more valuable than normal. This balances out the pros and cons of calling, but due to the following reason(s), I ended up calling:
A8: First off, West discarded dora early on despite being a distant 4th, so we can assume that their hand is rather valuable and close to tenpai. If that’s the case, West is likely 1 away without any safe tiles. In that case, if West draws a dangerous tile on the 1st turn post East’s riichi:
1. West discards that dangerous tile that happens to be one of the riichi waits
We want East’s hand to be worth less, so calling is beneficial.
2. West’s push-pull strategy changes depending on ippatsu is in effect or not
We don’t want West to give up the hand, so calling is beneficial.
Since we can’t expect to win this hand, we are hoping that East deals into West or West tsumos. I thought it’s best to keep that possibility alive.
Example 2
West pons the dora Green Dragon during 2nd turn (discarding 5s) and chiis 3p on their 7th turn (discarding 7p).
QUESTION: Assume West is currently in tenpai, for each possible “shape of Pins tiles in West’s hand”, figure out “which tile(s) in East’s hand + the drawn tile” could deal in as well as would be absolutely safe.
Assume that West follows the following priorities at 1 away from tenpai:
- Maximizing Ukeire (tiles that improve the hand) count
- If the Ukeire count is the same, prioritizing so that it’s easier to maximize outs when getting to tenpai
- If still tied after steps 1 and 2, maximizing possibilities of pon
- If multiple choices tie for maximizing, either may be chosen
- West will take tenpai if possible, but not necessarily maximizing outs in doing so
Write your answers in the following way:
(A) 234p
Tiles that could deal in: 3467m
You may include additional notes and explanation if desired
(B) 34p
Tiles that could deal in: 25p
You may include additional notes and explanation if desired
Example 2 Solution
(A) 567p
Tiles that could deal in: 3467m479p
A extra info: Based on the scenario, White and Red can’t deal in due to single-tile wait / double pair wait being impossible
If double pair wait, they would be discarding 9p from 2456779p77zXX, which doesn’t maximize the Ukeire at 1 away
(B) 79p
Tiles that could deal in: 8p
(C) 34567p
Tiles that could deal in: 258p
(D) 3p
Tiles that could deal in: 3p
(E) 3345p
Tiles that could deal in: 36p
BCDE extra info: White and Red dragons can’t deal in in any of the above scenarios, and therefore would be the safest.
NOTE: The followings are shapes that are impossible given the circumstances (and would result in point reductions if written down):
× Any shape that doesn’t take tenpai when discarding 9p
8p (24789p), 5678p (discarding 9p out of 24567789p), 88p (discarding out of 247889p
× Any shape that reduces ukeire by discarding 9p
55p (245579p)
× Any shape that doesn’t take tenpai when discarding 4p
2p (22447p), 5p (24457p), 6p (24467p), 34p (234447p), 45p (244457p), 2345p (22344457p)
× Any shape that reduces ukeire by discarding 4p
No pins left (2447p)
× Any shape that rejects tsumo on the 4p
3456p (23444567p)
× Any shape that has its “good wait %” dropping by discarding 4p
67p (244677p)
× Any shape with lower outs count by discarding 7p
66p (667p)
Things to Consider
Other essay questions did not have “fill in the blank / follow the thinking process” type questions. for example, the 48th Pro Exam just has a board image, and:
Q1: What would you discard in X’s position, and why
Q2: Given current board situation, do you chii a riichi declaration tile (4m with 22355m in your hand), and if you do, which way (234? 345?), what do you discard, and why
So, you need to know general positives and negatives for actions. Going through the essays and answers, here is an inexhaustive list of things that you should think about that have come up in past answers:
- Calling can stop ippatsu, which lowers an opponent’s potential score
- Lowering an opponent’s potential score can get others to be more likely to fight them, lowering the chances of a tsumo that would remove points from you
- Discarded tiles and tiles in your hand change the probability of those tiles being in your opponent’s hand
- Half- and full-flushes can often be discerned through discard pile contents and order
- Players that draw and immediately discard dora (and other tiles, with less importance) have a hand shape that cannot incorporate it, which narrows down what they have
- Keep track of “live” yakuhai winds and dragons
- Relative scores are important, and can determine if you want to get points, take points from a specific player, move the deal if not dealer, keep the deal if dealer
- Reaching both lowers the chance others will deal in and increases the chance that they will abandon their hand
- Leaving options open for being able to call to tenpai is a way to finish your hand faster
- Points difference can be a reason to choose a worse wait, or leave a kan opportunity viable, due to yaku or fu count leading to a more expensive hand
- Calling lowers the number of possible safe tiles in your hand
- Calling can change the number of draws remaining to opponents and yourself, lowering the possibility of selfdraw
- Calling can change the haitei and houtei, lowering the possible score of a hand
- Tiles you can see cannot be the kan / ura dora, allowing you to judge possible future dora value