How To Improve?

[GGnores]

Over these two to three years, I've learned all the rules and yaku. I slowly started developing my own MahJong style and learned strategy, tile efficiency theory, situational play, and all that. I've played thousands of games over the years so I have a fair bit of experience, and have watched replays of Japanese Pros in order to gain more insight on this game. At this level, how does one go on to improve? (Other than just to improve tile efficiency theory by coming on hands that I haven't really seen before).

[xKime]

Over these two to three years, I've learned all the rules and yaku. I slowly started developing my own MahJong style and learned strategy, tile efficiency theory, situational play, and all that. I've played thousands of games over the years so I have a fair bit of experience, and have watched replays of Japanese Pros in order to gain more insight on this game. At this level, how does one go on to improve? (Other than just to improve tile efficiency theory by coming on hands that I haven't really seen before).

Paste your records of wherever you play the most (tenhou, Janryuumon, tonpuusou, etc), including as much information as possible and a few recent logs and I could probably link you to a pertinent website or book.

[GGnores]

[2011/06/04/般東] A:humikata(-21.0) B:NoName(+15.0) C:えみこ(-48.0) D:souto(+54.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011060414gm-0 ... 163cc&tw=1
[2011/06/09/般東喰赤速] A:alan9999(+8.0) B:NoName(-46.0) C:oobu(-19.0) D:サトウ★ユキ(+57.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011060907gm-0 ... 64879&tw=1
[2011/06/09/般東喰赤速] A:NoName(-24.0) B:＜天野恋々樣＞(+54.0) C:暁絶(-36.0) D:NoName(+6.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011060907gm-0 ... 049c6&tw=3
[2011/06/09/般南喰赤] A:BECKMAN(-19.0) B:Lark-1(-42.0) C:NoName(+15.0) D:fude86(+46.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011060907gm-0 ... c6852&tw=2
[2011/06/16/般東喰赤速] A:あらぽてと(+47.0) B:NoName(-18.0) C:missim(-41.0) D:NoName(+12.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011061612gm-0 ... 791a6&tw=1
[2011/06/27/般南喰赤] A:dice0914(-19.0) B:gumizoku(+52.0) C:アドベンチャー(-49.0) D:NoName(+16.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011062704gm-0 ... f51d3&tw=3
[2011/06/29/般南喰赤] A:NoName(-29.0) B:ImKinG(+12.0) C:MummyA(-41.0) D:NoName(+58.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011062903gm-0 ... a7d26&tw=3
[2011/06/30/般東喰赤] A:もみ(-16.0) B:NoName(-51.0) C:moppom(+61.0) D:サヴロー(+6.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011063001gm-0 ... ee3af&tw=1
[2011/06/30/般東] A:NoName(+5.0) B:tomasman(-76.0) C:yxba(+91.0) D:candysmi(-20.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011063001gm-0 ... c4509&tw=0
[2011/07/03/般南喰赤] A:宮永咲-Saki(-35.0) B:tsuchimn(-16.0) C:NoName(+43.0) D:2112(+8.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011070304gm-0 ... 136a6&tw=2
[2011/07/08/般南喰赤] A:ぴちぴんち(+55.0) B:pieyama(+9.0) C:yukitou4(-21.0) D:NoName(-43.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011070802gm-0 ... 2965e&tw=3
[2011/07/10/般東喰赤速] A:NoName(+50.0) B:tug(-34.0) C:kkk.jr(+8.0) D:oahu(-24.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011071011gm-0 ... d6e73&tw=0
[2011/07/29/般東喰赤] A:順にゃん(-30.0) B:NoName(+2.0) C:NoName(-19.0) D:dghjkltp(+47.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011072906gm-0 ... 99c37&tw=2
[2011/07/29/般東喰赤] A:NoName(+12.0) B:yomy(-30.0) C:便所サンダル(+61.0) D:インドの山奥(-43.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011072906gm-0 ... 5c9b1&tw=0
[2011/08/01/般東喰赤] A:NoName(-58.0) B:NoName(+69.0) C:さんてん(+7.0) D:minotaro(-18.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011080105gm-0 ... 22be3&tw=0
[2011/08/01/般東喰赤] A:NoName(+8.0) B:tomoya33(-18.0) C:純全対々(-37.0) D:kyle(+47.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011080105gm-0 ... 55888&tw=0
[2011/08/07/般東] A:NoName(+42.0) B:☆消しゴム☆(-28.0) C:miyabun(-18.0) D:Ssuke(+4.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011080708gm-0 ... 6d104&tw=0
[2011/08/26/般東喰赤] A:NoName(-19.0) B:NoName(+62.0) C:NoName(+1.0) D:NoName(-44.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011082601gm-0 ... d71e7&tw=2
[2011/08/26/般東喰] A:NoName(+44.0) B:jo1gad(-34.0) C:らいあぁ(+5.0) D:stinger0(-15.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011082601gm-0 ... b314a&tw=0
[2011/08/26/般東喰赤速] A:178sann(+48.0) B:ξサキエルξ(+8.0) C:NoName(-18.0) D:NoName(-38.0)
http://tenhou.net/0/?log=2011082607gm-0 ... 4de35&tw=2

I've recently lost my key/records, but here are some logs from Tenhou. In some of these records, I believe that I am very careless (sometimes dropping honour tiles at wrong times, etc). Hopefully you can strongly criticize my playstyle so that I can improve significantly. Many thanks.

[xKime]

Awww, please, don't just drop a lot of paifu (hand histories) on me, could you just login to an account where you played 100 games or so and take a screenshot of your stats too? Or at least, upload the .mjlog files for these logs if you have them. It makes it easier to view the stats of your playstyle. If you play on the Windows client, it should be in My Documents > My Tenhou > Log.

Anyway, I'll take a look, but please see if you can get me any of those. (´・ω・｀)

If you don't have an account to keep solid track of your stats, you should start there. Playing in the regular lobby of tenhou as a NoName won't really take you far. Make an account and see how far you can go. At least to Higher Dan tables.

It seems to me you can't really keep track of your hand shape. Your discard order doesn't look too good. For example, in East 1 of the first game:

South Seat, Starting hand:



Dora:

You discarded , but inside of me I feel that is a loss. The hand is not so good as to have already its final shape decided, and it's not too bad as to fold it from the opening of the hand or to hope for hon itsu. I'd recommend (dora indicator) as the most useless tile. You still have other letter tiles for defense, and you can still use freely.

Later on, tenari, by the 6th draw your hand became:



Your hand progressed to one away from tenpai, but you went back to two away by discarding your pair of .

Discarding you'd have had a very wide tenpai chance. would have made you tenpai. If or enter first, you also have a triple wait for with a shot at tan yao too, something good to reach for. Instead, you went back probably because you thought the shape was superior once you broke your pair, but this was not so this time, it's a tricky shape. Once you already have a pair, most of the time it's not that good of a shape, and you already had a different three sided wait shape.

Now, I'm not saying is the best discard right away; I think you could also choose to discard and hope to draw turning the hand into mentanpin, but discarding here is not something I'd recommend, and it's a mistake you can fix by counting how many away from tenpai you're constantly, and remembering the advantages and disadvantages of certain shapes and where and how can you use them, and what tiles they relate to.

Right after that, and came into your hand, so you reached with



Waiting on only , won on and your hand ended up becoming only riichi anyway. This was a highly ineffective discard order from beginning to end. (´・ω・｀)

[GGnores]

I apologize for this inconvenience, however my computer has been reformatted many times and I do not have the logs. I will immediately make an account and start from here.

[xKime]

You could save your user ID to your e-mail account, so you won't lose it even if the computer gets formatted, and enjoy the benefits of keeping track of your Rate, Points, Win Rate and many other useful stats as well as eventually going to higher level tables.

Keeping a blog is also a good way to keep track of your logs and certain hand situations that happened to you and you wish to reflex upon.

Still observing the same log, the next hand in East 2 (dealer turn) is:



Dora:

You discarded again . In this case, I -do- think it is correct, as this hand is different from the last one. Here, it's plenty possible to aim for hon itsu, and it doesn't look like that 9m is a useful tile at all as there are other candidates. Hon itsu also becomes stronger because we want to somewhat use that dora. However, it does not mean it's the only possibility out there.

Second draw:



I don't think the you discarded here is quite right. I understand the feeling of "I have already decided on Hon Itsu, so now I will cut all other irrelevant tiles starting from the middle ones, to the edges." But this is not a very intelligent choice. First of all, once you draw there is a good chance to win on your dealer turn with pinfu or a concealed reach (also, in case you drew another East, it doesn't hurt to have a completed group). Second of all, it's not like is that much more dangerous than . With such a little difference, I'd recommend discarding the 1m you just drew. Of course we're considering hon itsu, but there is also a discard order and a time for every thing. You kept a lone 8m by the fifth turn, too, which makes me only wonder why you had room in your hand for it, when you didn't for 9m or 2p. The sum of those little risks or mistakes or just playing without much deeper consideration can later result into little catastrophes, so make sure there is a good reason for every discard.

Eight draw:


(pon ) (pon )

No out there, no s out there either, two s are already discarded. you discard from your hand for a 8s wait.
Hm... I'm not too sure about the effectiveness on that one. If you speak of position alone, it does look like it's "easier" to come out, but if you consider evolution for your hand's wait as well as not making others too suspicious of that souzu area, I'd recommend tsumogiri'ing this tile. The only tile that could possibly improve your wait is drawing and there are already two of them out there.

Then, the person to your left discarded (which would have been your winning tile) , you pon'd it and discarded , making a tanki wait on the last 9s.



...Akagi? I would highly suggest against decreasing the amount of winning tiles like that, and making "psychological"(?) attacks on your opponents like that. The reasons are, first of all, it's not like the last 9s is 100% certain to come out looking at your calls and discards. If someone is 100% betaori, then it won't come out. Also, there is a pretty good chance it can end up in the dead wall, and your chances to draw this tile are minimal. Also, your opponents will feel like they're taken for fools if they happen to deal in like that (or they will feel like they're dealing into a fool, too) and they won't feel really good if you win the hand with that, and you won't feel good if you don't win the hand either, because if you played "logically" who knows what would have happened. When you try to pull stuff like that, I feel like the whole table suffers a great loss no matter the outcome, because the game itself gets degraded. No, I'm not saying you should always go for the wait with the highest number of winning tiles (though I'd love to say that!), sometimes it's important to choose waits which are "deyasui" or "easy to come out." That's the whole point why we love making tanki waits on honors for Seven Pairs, but I just don't think this table situation made it a very smart plan. Especially because this is a huge hand you don't want to let slip away, you should play it more logically.

Still, the mahjong Gods love you and decided to put the last 9s on your drawing turn. If they love you every game, you probably don't need the theory.

[GGnores]

Thanks. And yes, I did believe that the 3334 shape was superior than the pairs initially. Are there any possible sources that you could link me so that I could improve my playstyle?

[xKime]

Thanks. And yes, I did believe that the 3334 shape was superior than the pairs initially. Are there any possible sources that you could link me so that I could improve my playstyle?

Well, as far as sources in English go... there isn't a lot of material out there, but the columns at the ReachMahjong front page are great for improving. There are also columns by Japanese players Konno and Shin too. I love reading "In Garthe's Hands" so you should look at those, too. Somewhere along those columns, there was a post dedicated to "remembering hand shapes" and also one on "discard order" IIRC. I can't link you individually, but I do recommend you read all of the material. The available material in English in the internet is so scarce anyway you could read it all up in a month, and that alone would be a great improvement.

EDIT:

Also, continuing the same game log, you then dealt in with a 8s after you ran out of safe tiles.
I'd recommend you instead discarded one of your 2m. They're both just as dangerous in a way, but at least you have a wall on 4m (all four of them out there), and since it was a relatively fast reach, there is a good chance that makes it safer.

Which brings me to a point, you should learn more on basic subjects. Suji, Walls, Tile Efficiency and Situational Play. I've translated a few pertinent articles, and UmaiKeiki has done a good job at making a defense guide. Here you go:

Umai's Guide:
http://www.osamuko.com/2009/02/18/umaik ... -and-suji/
http://www.osamuko.com/2009/02/23/defen ... -dama-ten/

My translations:
http://www.osamuko.com/category/theory/

RM's columns (I also translate some articles by puyo (a strong tenhou player) for this section!:
http://reachmahjong.com/en/category/columns/