Game #3
Kadokawa
Sakura Knights
EX Furinkazan
U-Next Pirates
Akasaka
Drivens
Third to Tenpai, First to Win
May 7, Game 1, E2-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p5572
In E2-1, Nakabayashi is in a 3-way tie for 2nd place after the first hand went to a draw. One riichi stick is waiting for the next winner.
Nakabayashi starts out at an annoying 5-shanten hand, but he does have a ryanmen and a complete sequence. Early on, Nakabayashi sees a quick activity around him. By turn 4, Uchikawa has already made two manzu calls to pursue his chinitsu. At the end of the first row, Aki gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 147p sanmenchan. Holding a triplets of the double east and the 6s, the hand is worth at least 9,600, plus the honba and leftover riichi stick.
During the ippatsu round, Nakabayashi is able to draw to iishanten and throws a safe 1s. Holding a 344567p shape, he is in a dangerous position. The only way he doesn’t throw either the 4p or 7p is if he makes a triplet of 4p or secures it as a pair (by upgrading the 9s pair into a triplet). Also during the ippatsu round, Uchikawa makes a third call to get to tenpai on a 36m nobetan, holding a guaranteed mangan.
On Nakabayashi’s turn, he is able to get the 9s. He calls riichi by throwing the 3p and waits on a 25m ryanmen. On his ippatsu draw, he gets the red 5m and wins the hand. Nakabayashi wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Aka 1 for 2,000+100/4,000+100 plus two riichi sticks.
Futoshi
May 7, Game 1, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2062
In E3-0, Futoshi is in a three-way tie for 2nd place and 12,400 behind 1st place dealer Nakabayashi.
Futoshi starts out with a decent 3-shanten hand, but lacking in value. In the first row, secures tanyao, creates a sequence and gets to iishanten by the end of the row. With a red 5p draw on turn 7 to make a triplet, Futoshi increases his tile acceptance from 3 to 8 different tiles. Any souzu except the 9s will get him to tenpai. On turn 9, he reduces the count to 7 different tiles (including a few pinzu tiles) just to guarantee a good wait. On his next draw, he secures pinfu, gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 58s ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan.
On Futoshi’s discard, Uchikawa calls chii and gets to tenpai on a 7p/7m shanpon.
Unfortunately, this plan for tenpai would backfire for Uchikawa. At the end of the second row, Uchikawa draws and discards the red 5s trying to keep tenpai and deals into Futoshi. With a flip of the uradora Futoshi wins the hand Riichi/Pinfu/Tanyao/Aka 2/Ura 1 for 12,000, putting him within a few hundred points of 1st place.
Shortcut to Haneman
May 7, Game 1, S2-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3069
In S2-0, Uchikawa is in 4th place after dealing into a haneman in the east round. Sitting 16,500 behind 3rd place dealer Aki, Uchikawa would need at least a haneman tsumo or direct hit to move up.
Uchikawa starts out the hand with a chiitoi 4-shanten hand (5-shanten for a standard hand) with a floating east dora. In his first few turns, the only form of progress in his hand is pairing up the 8m. Near the end of the first row, Nakabayashi calls an early riichi and waits on a 47m ryanmen.
As Uchikawa discards safe tiles, he ends up drawing more pairs. Around the start of his second row, he has five pairs, putting him iishanten. To his right, though, dealer Aki is making good progress as well After being tenpai on an 8m kanchan, she improves the wait to a 58m ryanmen near the end of the second row.
Soon after, Uchikawa pairs up the 7p to get to tenpai. Still holding the east from the beginning, Uchikawa decides to call riichi and wait on the dora tanki. Four turns later, Uchikawa draws the last east in the wall and wins the hand. Uchikawa wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Chiitoi/Dora 2 for 3,000/6,000 plus one riichi stick, sending him up to 3rd place.
Positivity
May 7, Game 1, S4-2
In S4-2, Uchikawa is in 3rd place and 2,100 behind 2nd place Futoshi. With a riichi stick and two honba waiting for the next winner, Uchikawa can win anything and finish the game with a positive score.
Uchikawa’s starting hand is quite promising, being 3-shanten with two ryanmens. Adding value to it is the dora 4m connected to the red 5m. However, the 9m pair almost forces to be patient, stopping him from making calls. On turn 3, he creates a 123455p shape. With that shape and the two ryanmens, he is guaranteed a good wait if he gets to tenpai. On turn 5, he draws a 3p to get to iishanten. With a 6m draw on turn 6, Uchikawa gets to tenpai and stays dama on a 14s ryanmen.
On Futoshi turn, he draws a 1s and has a chance to be tenpai on a 4s/white dragon shanpon. However, the other two white dragons are already discarded. Not satisfied with the bad wait, Futoshi discards the 1s and ends up dealing into Uchikawa. Uchikawa wins the hand with Pinfu/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 3,900+600 plus one riichi stick, ending the game in 2nd place.
Final Scores
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s60_p249
Twitter: https://twitter.com/m_league_jikkyo/status/1787808848969191723
Standings
With the U-Next Pirates getting a 1st and the EX Furinkazan getting a 4th, the Pirates’ lead is increased by more than 100.0pts. With the nice comeback by Uchikawa, the Kadokawa Sakura Knights inch a bit closer to 2nd place.
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