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2.1.1. Advancing your hand

A hand is said to be if it (听) one more tile to become a hand.

EXAMPLE
[2 Characters][3 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][9 Characters][5 Bamboos][6 Bamboos][1 Circle][1 Circle][1 Circle][East][East][East]

This hand [4 Bamboos] / [7 Bamboos] to become .

A hand is said to be (一向听) if it one more tile to become a hand.

EXAMPLE
[2 Characters][4 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][9 Characters][5 Bamboos][6 Bamboos][1 Circle][1 Circle][1 Circle][East][East][East]

This hand [3 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][4 Bamboos][7 Bamboos] to become .

Show reasoning
  • Drawing [3 Characters] completes the [2 Characters]-[3 Characters]-[4 Characters] sequence; discarding the [4 Characters] makes the hand .
  • Drawing any of [4 Characters][9 Characters] forms a triplet; discarding the [2 Characters] makes the hand .
  • Drawing any of [4 Bamboos][7 Bamboos] forms a sequence in the Bamboo suit; discarding the [2 Characters] or [4 Characters] makes the hand ready.

Generally, a hand is said to be n-away if it n more tiles to become .

IDEA
To win, you must advance your hand from an to a hand, to a . Take note of what tiles your hand is waiting for and discard tiles that advances your hand.

is the kinds and the number of tiles that a hand to progress the hand.

EXAMPLE
[2 Characters][4 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][9 Characters][5 Bamboos][8 Bamboos][1 Circle][1 Circle][1 Circle][East][East][East]

This [1 Character][2 Characters][3 Characters][4 Characters][5 Characters][6 Characters][9 Characters][3 Bamboos][4 Bamboos][5 Bamboos][6 Bamboos][7 Bamboos][8 Bamboos][9 Bamboos] (14 kinds, 49 tiles)

After drawing [6 Bamboos] and discarding the [8 Bamboos], the hand becomes 1-away:

[2 Characters][4 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][9 Characters][5 Bamboos][6 Bamboos][1 Circle][1 Circle][1 Circle][East][East][East]

This [3 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][4 Bamboos][7 Bamboos] (5 kinds, 16 tiles).

After drawing [3 Characters] and discarding the [4 Characters], the hand becomes :

[2 Characters][3 Characters][4 Characters][9 Characters][9 Characters][5 Bamboos][6 Bamboos][1 Circle][1 Circle][1 Circle][East][East][East]

This [4 Bamboos][7 Bamboos] (2 kinds, 8 tiles).

Note that the becomes smaller (14 kinds → 5 kinds → 2 kinds) as your hand progresses from to to a .

IDEA
Hence, when choosing a discard from a , choose a tile that doesn't leave the with a narrow . Keeping broad maximises .
QUIZ

Which tile should you discard? (two possible answers)

(Click to select a tile)

Takeaways:

  1. To win, keep tiles that advances your hand (n-away → → ).
  2. When choosing a discard from a , choose a tile that allows the to have a comfortably large .

References: