The last hand
Count the gap
In the last hand (East 4 in a standard game) only placement is left to play for, and uma makes each place worth 10,000 points. Know the gap to the player above you: a ron from them closes it by twice your hand, a ron from anyone else by your hand once.
Last hand: you are 10,000 points behind second place. Which win moves you up?
Tsumo hits the dealer hardest
On a tsumo everyone pays, and the dealer pays a double share. Against the dealer a tsumo swings more than a ron from someone else.
You are not the dealer and win a mangan (8000) by tsumo. How far do you gain on the dealer?
Leading: play safe
With the lead, a win you don't need is worth little and a deal-in can cost first place. Fold earlier than you would mid-game, above all against the player right behind you.
Last hand: you lead by 3,000, and second place declares riichi. You are two tiles from tenpai: push or fold?
That completes the course. The best next step is to play: start against bots with hints on. To go deeper, read Riichi Book I by Daina Chiba, a free strategy book many of these lessons build on.
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