A couple of very lucky yakuman vids

[Barticle]

I don't recall watching much mahjong there recently but last night Youtube recommended a couple of cool videos from televised matches and I thought I'd share.

In this first one Masato Hagiwara showcases some Saki-like skillz late in the hand.

http://youtu.be/nLkduQ-TjUg (jump to end)

(I wonder if the Maru-Jan contest is connected to the Youtube celebrity cat? )

In our second clip JPML legend Takeo Kojima displays a 9th-dan poker-face and some typically Japanese humility.

http://youtu.be/-7su2I_D0y4

(Odd little fumble from JPML president Moriyama-Pro too.)

[Ignatius]

So, Sû Ankô Rinshan and Chûren Pôtô...

The classic of everyday...

both vids are amazing.

[or2az]

I noticed that in both videos that some of the tiles in the hands were kept upside down. The same was true in the discard pools where some tiles faced the player and some faced away. Some tiles, like the north winds, started out upside down and then became right-side up. Others didn't. Is there a reason for this or are these players so experienced that there is no need for organization?

[Referee]

What's with the overtitles scrolling all the time in the first video?

Cool hands. The Chuuren is very quick, with a chii thrown in the middle to keep drawing the right tiles. Case 1 and 9 drawn, too,

@or2az: Those people don't need to organize their tiles much. Note that in the first video the player also takes a couple go-arounds to place his 8s with the other ones.

[Barticle]

I think it's amazing that these both happened to be caught on film.

Since being able to read discarded tiles rotated at 90, 180 and 270 degrees is a basic mahjong skill, players can comfortably read their own hand if a tile happens to come from the wall upside-down. Additionally it saves time, but you have the option of making them neater during other players' turns if you wish.

A veteran player can also play with their hand unsorted or only partially sorted. If you play with a hand arranged in the usual sequence (craks - dots - bams - honours) then you'll be feeding your opponents information each time you add/remove a tile or even when you glance at your hand. Also if you play with an unsorted hand on TV it looks more badass.

I suspect that first video came from Niconico which is the Japanese equivalent of Youtube. User comments are linked to a certain time on the video and are displayed on top of the footage.

[Barticle]

In fact here it is: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm21295409

(Niconico or Facebook login required)