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Tile efficiency

Step 4 of 4

Count what helps you

Two sets, two two-sided shapes, a pair

The tiles that would bring your hand closer to tenpai, and how many copies are left, are its . A good discard keeps as many as possible, and favours shapes that can still become a two-sided wait.

Tap every tile that would bring this hand closer to tenpai.

Lone honors go first, while you need a block

A hand is five : four sets and a pair. While one is missing, a lone honor can only become a pair, a lone can still join , a lone even more. Cut lone honors, then 1s and 9s, then 2s and 8s.

You drew . Which discard keeps the most useful tiles?

Five blocks? Keep the honor

Once you have five blocks, a loose number tile has nothing left to build. A loose honor is no better, but it is a tile you can throw safely later, when someone declares riichi. Cut the number tile first.

You drew , and your hand has five blocks. Which loose tile goes?

Closed beats edge

Closed and edge both wait on 4 tiles. But a or turns into a two-sided shape, while can only ever wait on . With one shape too many, cut the edge.

You drew : six blocks, one too many. What goes?

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