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Discard Backfire

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:01 pm
by rotkehlchen
I know this is highly subjective, I just wonder if others know such situations and/or how they think about them.

Discard Backfire means that, no matter what you discard, you make the wrong decision. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • - 1379: If you discard 1or 3 you get 2 the next turn (and free furiten). Bonuspoints if it is the last 2 in the game. If you discard 7 or 9, you'll get 8 ofc.
    - 357: Discard 3, get 4. Discard 7, get 6.
    - Discard a dragon/seat-/round-wind/dora early because it doesn't fit in your hand. At the end of the game, you have at least one pair/triplet of one of them in you discards. Bonus points if furiten because of this discard.
    - You start with 2 suits and winds/dragons only. You get only tiles from the suit you don't have. Bonus points if it forms a yaku in your discard pile.
    - You declare riichi. From that on, you get only tiles that would improve your hand.
    - You don't declare riichi. The next go around at least one player discards a tile you cant win of because you didn't reach. Bonus points if you lose while your hand has >2 Ura dora

Re: Discard Backfire

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 6:38 am
by Gnom
True story: the player across from me has already stolen a chun triplet. Somebody discards a hatsu, he steals it and discards haku. Next turn, haku tsumogiri, he seems a bit restless. Next turn... Haku tsumogiri! I think I saw a tear in his eyes :D

Re: Discard Backfire

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 3:30 pm
by or2az
Reading this reminded me of something I posted 4 months after I started playing.

http://reachmahjong.com/en/forum/viewto ... =5&t=53220

As the reply from Ozball went, "these things can be attributed to Mahjong in general and you should see a reduction in occurrences as you get stronger since you get better at picking your waits and reading your opponents discards. They'll never disappear entirely though."
Turned out to be true.

Re: Discard Backfire

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:48 pm
by Krabman
I agree with what's been said.

It's important to distinguish between backfires that follow correct (on average) play and backfires due to poor discard choices. The first type can't be helped and it's best to simply acccept them as a part of Mahjong's charm :D The second kind is something to learn from.