Highlights
Ready Quick
November 27, Game 1, E3-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3526
In E3-2, 1st and the tied 3rd places are close with only 4,000 between them after the previous two hands went to a draw.
At the start, we see almost everyone with quick hands, with Kobayashi, Hisato and Hinata all at 2-shanten. On turn 2, Kobayashi fills in a kanchan to get to iishanten and discards the red dragon. With Hinata holding a pair of them (as well as a pair of green dragons), she calls chii to get to iishanten. On Kobayashi’s next draw, he has a chance to get to tenpai, but rejects the 7m penchan to fish for a better wait. On his next draw, he draws the 6m to get a 7m kanchan. Though the wait essentially the same, he sees that his opponents are discarding middle tiles. To try to slow them down, he calls riichi.
During the ippatsu round, Hisato discards the green dragon to accept iishanten, allowing Hinata to call pon and get to iishanten as well. On Hinata’s next draw, she gets to tenpai on a west/7m shanpon.
Before the first round is done, Hisato makes the third tenpai and calls riichi on a 14p ryanmen, hoping for a 1p for a 123 sanshoku. In the second row, Hisato draws the 1p he wants and wins the hand. Hisato wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Sanshoku/Aka 1 for 3,000+200/6,000+200 plus two riichi sticks, putting him above 35,000.
The Power of Ippatsu
November 27, Game 1
In E4-0, Hinata is in 2nd place and 14,800 behind 1st place Hisato.
Hinata starts out the hand 3-shanten with a secured red 5m. In her first few draws, she makes a sequence and a ryanmen, as well as an ankou of 9s to get to good wait iishanten on turn 4. On turn 6, Hinata fills in the ryanmen and gets to tenpai on a 25m wait (with three of them in her hand), but she chooses to stay dama to try for an even better wait. At the start of the second row, Hinata improves her wait and calls riichi on a 47m ryanmen. On her very next draw, she gets the 7m and wins the hand. Hinata wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Pinfu/Aka 1 for 2,000/4,000.
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4026
In S2-0, Hinata is now the dealer and just 2,800 behind 1st place Hisato.
Hinata starts out the hand with a good 3-shanten hand with three ryanmens with a firmly connected dora 5m and a loosely connected red 5s. With all her two-sided waits, she is able to fill them quite quickly. On turn 5, she gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 5s tanki, hoping to pair up her red 5s. On her next draw, she finds the 5s and wins the hand. Hinata wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 4,000 all, putting her in 1st place and above 40,000.
Dora Rocks!
November 27, Game 1, S2-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p5515
In S2-1, Kobayashi is in 4th place, 8,000 behind 3rd place Kayamori and 15,800 behind 2nd place Hisato.
Kobayashi starts out the hand 3-shanten with a loosely connected 6s. Across from him is Hisato who starts out 2-shanten with a connected 6s and a pair of red dragons. In the first row, Kobayashi starts to build up good shapes while Hisato calls pon on the red dragon. After making a second call, Hisato gets to tenpai at the end of the second row on a 47s ryanmen.
By this point, Kobayashi is 2-shanten with two ryanmens. Right after Hisato gets to tenpai, Kobayashi makes a third ryanmen and guaranteed both a good wait and tanyao. In the second row, Kobayashi calls a chii to get to iishanten. In the middle of the row, Hisato draws a fourth red dragon and calls kan. With the kandora flip, the 3m becomes dora, giving Kobayashi two more dora. Near the end of the second row, Kobayashi makes a second chii to get to tenpai on a 25m ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan.
At the start of the third row, Kobayashi ups his hand’s value by drawing another 3m and switches to a 36m/6s wait. A few turns later, Hisato draws and discards the 3m and deals into Kobayashi. Kobayashi wins the hand with Tanyao/Dora 6 for 12,000+300, moving into 2nd place.
Making a Splash
November 27, Game 2, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4511
In E1-0, Uotani starts out as the first dealer and is trying to get her team out of last place.
Uotani starts out the hand 3-shanten with a secured 5p and a chance at a 47p ryanmen. In the first row, Uotani draws a red 5s and secures it, advancing to iishanten. Near the start of the second row, Uotani fills in a kanchan and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan and hoping for the 4p for iipeikou. After the second row failed to give her wait she wanted, the start of the third row gifted her with a 4p and she wins the hand. Uotani wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Iipeikou/Aka 2 for 6,000 all.
Not Yakuman
November 27, Game 2, E1-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p5516
In E1-2, Mizuhara is part of a 3-way tie for 2nd place, everyone chasing Uotani who is 24,000 ahead of them. A win here would get Uotani off of her dealership and give her 1,600 in bonus sticks.
Mizuhara starts out with a very impressive hand, holding four norths, pairs of 2p and south, a single red dragon dora and a 3345s shape (with the 5s being red). With the four norths, she immediately calls kan.
On her rinshan draw, she gets the south to make it a concealed triplet and get to iishanten. On her very next draw, she draws a 4s and calls riichi on a 25s ryanmen.
Hand hand is very fast and very impressive. In a slightly joking manner, Hiyoshi comments that Mizuhara should have pursued suuankou. As if summoned by Hiyoshi, Mizuhara draws the 4s near the end of the first row, a tile that would have put her into tenpai. On her very next draw, she draws the 3s, the tile that would have won that suuankou.
Though it isn’t a yakuman as Hiyoshi foretold, Mizuhara still seems satisfied with her hand. After a lot of waiting, Mizuhara draws the dora 2s in the middle of the third row and wins the hand. Mizuhara wins with Riichi/Tsumo/South/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 2,000+200/4,000+200 plus one riichi stick.
Berserker
November 27, Game 2
In S3-0, Takamiya is in the negatives at -7,500, 33,600 behind 3rd place Matsumoto. With her dealership starting she has a chance to make up these points.
Takamiya starts out the hand 3-shanten with two 6m doras. To her right is Matsumoto at 3-shanten with a floating red 5p. In the first row, Matsumoto is able to get more effective draws than Takamiya. After making many good sequences and shifting to tanyao, Matsumoto gets to tenpai on turn 6 and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen.
Sitting at iishanten with good value and a very negative score, Takamiya pushes forward at full force. On turn 8, she gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 4s kanchan, guaranteed at least a mangan. At the end of the second row, Matsumoto draws and discards the 4s and deals into Takamiya. Takamiya wins the hand with Riichi/Iipeikou/Dora 2 for 12,000 plus one riichi stick, getting into the positives and closing the gap on 3rd place.
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3527
In S3-1, Takamiya is now just 7,600 behind 3rd place Matsumoto.
She starts out with a flexible 2-shanten hand with a connected red 5m and options for either a 456 or a 567 sanshoku. In the first row, Takamiya draws both a 4m and a 7s, as well as creating a 58s ryanmen. At the end of the first row, Takamiya draws the red 5s and gets to tenpai. Aiming for a 567 sanshoku, Takamiya discards the 4m and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan on the 4p and at least a haneman on the 7p. After a lot of waiting, Takamiya finally draws a 4p in the middle of the third row and wins the hand. Takamiya wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Tanyao/Aka 2 for 6,000 all, putting her into 3rd place and within a mangan tsumo of 1st place.
Riichi Battle
November 28, Game 1, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2525
In E3-0, Rumi is the dealer in 1st place and 300 behind 1st place Sugawara.
Rumi starts out the hand decently at 2-shanten with a concealed triplet of 6m and pairs of 1m and south. In the first row, she initially discards her 1m and south pair to go for tanyao, but she ends up pairing up the 1p dora and sits stuck at 2-shanten. At the same time, Asami gets herself to a mangan iishanten and the rest of the field gets to 2-shanten. Near the end of the second row, Asami is the first to tenpai and calls riichi on a 36s ryanmen.
Sitting at 2-shanten, Rumi is able to push a bit with some held safe tiles. Sitting to Rumi’s right is Honda, who also pushes. Near the middle of the second row, Honda gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen.
During Honda’s ippatsu round, Rumi draws to tenpai and calls riichi on a 7s kanchan. Though her wait is inferior, her opponents can’t fold and she has good value. On Honda’s ippatsu round, he draws and drops the 7s and deals into Rumi. Rumi wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/Dora 2 for 12,000 plus three riichi sticks.
Headbump
November 28, Game 1, S4-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p6020
In S4-1, Sugawara is in 2nd place and 7,300 behind 1st place Rumi. In order to move into 1st place, Sugawara needs a 3/30 direct hit, 3/50 tsumo or a mangan ron.
Sugawara starts out the hand with an amazing iishanten hand with five pairs and both the 5p and the 5s. However, as is common with chiitoi hands, getting to tenpai is not easy. In her first five draws, she looks around for tiles she wants to pair up. Around turn 6, Honda calls pon on the green dragon, shifting the wall in Sugawara’s favour and giving her a 1m pair. Having a decent wait, she calls riichi and waits on a 9m tanki. With mangan minimum, she can win any way she wants and come out on top.
Looking around the table, there are two 9m in Honda’s hand, leaving one in the wall. During the ippatsu round, Honda makes a second call and gets to iishanten. Across the table from Sugawara is Rumi, who holds a pair of 2s. At the end of the first row, she makes it into a concealed triplet and tries to advance safely. After shifting to tanyao, Rumi gets to tenpai in the middle of the 2nd row and calls riichi on a 69m ryanmen.
With both Sugawara and Rumi waiting on a 9m, there is a chance at headbump. If Honda discards the 9m, the Sugawara will win. If Asami discards the 9m, then Rumi will win. In the third row, Rumi draws and discards the 7m, allowing Honda to call chii and get to tenpai on a 6m or 9m discard. Honda calls the chii, then discards the 9m since tiles closer to the edge should be safer.
At the same time, both Rumi and Sugawara call ron. With Sugawara next in turn order, she has the honour of winning. Sugawara wins the hand with Riichi/Chiitoi/Aka 2 for 8,000 plus Rumi’s riichi stick, winning the game.
One Yaku, Many Dora
November 28, Game 2, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p6021
In E3-0, Daisuke is in 1st place and holding a 9,000 lead over 2nd place.
Daisuke starts out the hand 2-shanten with a secured red 5m, a pair of red dragons and a single 5s dora. Much of the first row is spent discarding straying tiles, not making progress and still sitting at 2-shanten. To his right, 4th place Hagiwara moves himself to 2-shanten with a much more flexible hand. In the second row, Daisuke calls pon on the green dragon and gets to iishanten. After him, Hagiwara gets to iishanten with a guaranteed pinfu. At the end of the second row, Daisuke draws a second 5s to increase his hand’s value and Hagiwara creates a 345p for iipeikou and calls riichi on a 25m ryanmen.
During Hagiwara’s ippatsu round, Daisuke draws the red 5s double dora and gets to tenpai on a 69s ryanmen, guaranteed a haneman if he wins. On Hagiwara’s ippatsu draw, he draws and discards the 6s and deals into Daisuke. Daisuke wins the hand with Green Dragon/Dora 3/Aka 2 plus one riichi stick, bringing Daisuke’s score up to 47,000.
Wide
November 28, Game 2, S1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2526
In S1-0, Aki is starting her last dealership, sitting in 3rd place and 17,800 behind 1st place Daisuke.
Aki starts out the hand 3-shanten with a secured red 5s and a few sequences. In the first row, she draws a red 5p to create a 567p and creates a 5s pair to overlap with her 456s sequence, getting to iishanten. In the middle of the second row, Aki draws a 7s to give a potential wide wait. If she draws either a 5m or 6m, she will have a chance at a 567 sanshoku. If she draws the 8s, she will have a 3469s wait. Near the end of the second row, Aki draws the 8s and calls riichi on the 3469s wait. Though her ippatsu round is interrupted by a call, Aki draws the 3s on her next draw and wins the hand. Aki wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Aka 2/Ura 1 for 6,000 all, moving her into 1st place.
Speed and Power
November 28, Game 2, S1-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2020
In S1-1, Sonoda is in 3rd place and 15,800 behind 2nd place Daisuke.
Sonoda starts out the hand with a cool chiitoi 2-shanten (3-shanten for a standard hand), holding pairs of west, green dragon and white dragon and having a decent chance at a pinzu honitsu. On turn 2, he pairs up the 6p and gets to iishanten. On turn 3, he pairs up the 2m dora and calls riichi on a south tanki. At the end of the first row, Aki discards the south and deals into Sonoda. Sonoda wins the hand with Riichi/Chiitoi/Dora 2/Ura 2 for 12,000+300, a haneman win in under 3 mintues.
Yoshi-Hero
November 30, Game 1, S4-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4027
In S4-1, Matsumoto is in 3rd place, 4,800 behind 2nd place Taro and 6,200 behind 1st place Takizawa. To move into 1st place, he needs a 2/40 direct hit, a 3/30 tsumo or a 3/40 general ron.
Matsumoto starts out the hand 4-shanten with a pair of souths and a floating 1s dora. In the first row, Matsumoto makes some sequence candidates to get to 2-shanten, but his 1s is still alone and his souths are still looking for a third. At the same time, 4th place Matsugase (who needs a haneman to move ahead of Matsumoto) builds a 123 sanshoku and gets to iishanten. In the second row, Matsumoto connects a floating 7m with a 6m, then connects that with a red 5m. With tenpai in his hand, he calls riichi and waits on a 36s ryanmen, hoping to find one more han (whether tsumo or uradora) to move into 1st.
Near the end of the second row, Matsugase fills in a 2p kanchan and calls riichi on a 14m ryanmen. If Matsugase wins on the 1m and finds one more han, he will move move ahead. In fact, because of Matsumoto’s riichi stick, a 1m tsumo will put him into 1st place.
Two 1m, two 3s and one 6s remain in the wall. Hiyoshi’s voice gets louder with every draw. Suspense looms as they draw the tiles slowly and reveal the tiles quickly. Then, at the end of Matsumoto’s second row, Matsumoto draws the 3s and wins the hand. Matsumoto wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Aka 1 for 1,000+100/2,000+100 plus one riichi stick, finishing the game in 1st place.
Green
November 30, Game 2, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2022
In E3-0, Futoshi is in 3rd place and 7,800 behind 2nd place dealer Date.
Futoshi starts out the hand 3-shanten with a pair of green dragons and a secured 8p. On turn 3, he draws a 9m to create a 7m penchan and get to iishanten. With a 789s and 789p already in his hand, he is just a 7m away from sanshoku. On his very next draw, he gets the 7m and calls riichi on a green dragon/4m shanpon. In the middle of the second row, Shiratori discards the green dragon while trying to advance to iishanten and deals into Futoshi. Futoshi wins the hand with Riichi/Sanshoku/Green Dragon/Dora 1 for 8,000, moving into 2nd place.
Ura Ura
December 1, Game 1, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4512
In E1-0, Daigo is pitching for the Phoenix, trying to get the team out of last place in the standings.
Daigo starts out the hand 4-shanten with a pair of 9s and a red 5m. In the first row, Daigo makes ryanmens and fills them, guaranteeing him a good wait iishanten at the end of the row. On turn 8, Daigo gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 69p ryanmen. Two turns later, he draws the dora 6p and wins the hand. With a flip of the uradora, his 9s becomes dora and upgrades his hand to a haneman. Daigo wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Dora 1/Aka 1/Ura 2 for 3,000/6,000.
Prayers Answered
December 1, Game 1, S3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3020
In S3-0, Okada is starting her last dealership sitting in 3rd place, 11,900 behind 2nd place Yu and 12,600 behind 1st place Daigo. A mangan tsumo or better hand now would put her at the top in a single hand.
Okada starts out with a very nice hand, 2-shanten with a pair of red dragons and a connected dora 5s. On turn 2, she gets to iishanten with two kanchans. On turn 4, she draws a red 5s double dora and actually gets to chiitoi iishanten as well. In the middle of the second row, she creates a 345m iipeikou and stays dama on a 5s/red dragon shanpon, guaranteed to be mangan if she wins by ron, haneman by tsumo. Setokuma poses a challenge a bit later with a 1m/8s shanpon riichi, but Okada puts an end to it immediately by drawing her winning 5s. Okada wins the hand with Tsumo/Iipeikou/Dora 3/Aka 1 for 6,000 all.
Yu Win
December 1, Game 1, S4-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p5517
In S4-1, Yu is in 3rd place and 8,800 behind 1st place Okada. To finish the game in 1st place, Yu needs a 3/40 direct hit, a mangan tsumo or a haneman ron.
Yu starts out with an impressive hand, 3-shanten with a pair of easts, a north triplet and honitsu almost guaranteed. Unfortunately, Yu doesn’t have enough value with just honitsu, so he needs to find some value with at least one of the three dragons in his hand. On turn 5, he pair up the white dragon, to give a potential yakuhai. At the end of the row, he calls pon on the 2s, giving him an option for toitoi as well. Looking around the table, Okada is iishanten and has the chance to disrupt Yu’s pursuit. At the end of the second row, Yu gets to tenpai and waits on a white dragon/east shanpon. With the best result being a 3/40 on a white dragon win, Yu needs to either make a direct hit or find more value.
Right after, Okada gets to tenpai on a 3m kanchan.
At the start of the second row, Daigo draws and discards the north from his iishanten hand. To get the extra value that Yu needs, he calls an open kan, getting extra fu and a chance at kandora.
With a flip of the kandora, the 7s becomes dora and Yu now has enough han to draw the white dragon and win the game.
In the middle of the third row, Yu draws his tile, feels it and declares tsumo, revealing the white dragon. Yu wins the hand with White Dragon/Honitsu/Dora 1 for 2,000/4,000, winning the first game of December.
No More Ura San
December 1, Game 2, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p5025
In E3-0, Honda is the dealer in 1st place, holding a slim 1,500 lead of 2nd place.
Honda starts out the hand 4-shanten with not much value to speak of. In the first row, he develops his hand well by creating sequences and a 2s concealed triplet, getting to iishanten. In the second row, he shifts to tanyao and makes a 7m concealed triplet, getting to tenpai. He calls riichi and waits on a 47s ryanmen. In the middle of the third row, Hori gets to tenpai on a 2p/4p shanpon, but his hope is short-lived as Honda draws the 4s two turns later and wins the hand. With a flip of the uradora, the 7m triplet becomes dora and his hand is instantly a haneman. Honda wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Tanyao/Ura 3 for 6,000 all,
Combo
December 1, Game 2, S2-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3021
In S2-2, Hori is in 3rd place, 9,600 behind 2nd place Honda and 14,800 behind 1st place dealer Kayamori. With a haneman tsumo, he can get ahead.
Hori starts out the hand 3-shanten for chiitoi (4-shanten for a standard hand) with pairs of south and west. To his left is 4th place Nakabayashi at 3-shanten with a secured dora 3s. In the first row, Hori shifts his hand to honitsu and chiitoi at the same time, getting to iishanten on turn 4. At the end of the first row, Hori gets to tenpai and waits dama on a 9m tanki. If Hori wins by tsumo, he will get the haneman he wants.
Right after Hori gets to tenpai, Nakabayashi fills in a kanchan and stays dama on a yakuless 4m kanchan. Two turns later, Nakabayashi switches to a 2m kanchan and calls riichi.
However, his hopes are immediately dashed as Hori draws the 9m and wins the hand. Hori wins with Tsumo/Chiitoi/Honitsu for 3,000+200/6,000+200 plus Nakabayashi’s riichi stick, moving into 1st place.
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