Friday (January 24)

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Game 1

Hinata Highlight

January 24, Game 1, E3-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4098

In E3-1, Hinata is in 3rd place, 2,400 behind 2nd place Takizawa and 17,700 behind 1st place dealer Katsumata.

Hinata starts out the hand at a distant 5-shanten, but two ryanmens and a connected red 5p provides just a bit of sunshine in her hand. In the first row, Hinata draws a red 5s and creates a triplet in her hand. Despite some good progress, she still sits 3-shanten at the end of the first row.

In the second row, she tries to improve her shapes and shifts to a tanyao hand. Creating some ryanmens and breaking a penchan, Hinata gets to iishanten at the end of the second.

In the third row, Hinata gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan if she wins.

During the ippatsu round, Hori gets to tenpai and waits on the 3m kanchan. Holding a triplet of 7s dora and a secured red 5m, his hand is expensive. Though no 3m remain in the wall, the 3m is safe against Hinata, potentially catching a folding player in his trap.

In the middle of the third row, Hinata draws the 4p and wins the hand. Hinata wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Tanyao/Aka 2 for 2,000/4,000.

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Double Riichi

January 24, Game 1, S3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4099

In S3-0, Hinata has almost double the score of 2nd place and is looking to go further to help her team escape elimination.

With Hinata’s first 13 tiles, she is already iishanten with a triplet of 2p and is waiting on a 5s, 8s or 4p for tenpai. On her very first draw, she gets a 4p and calls a double riichi on a 58s ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan.

Her opponents know that there’s danger, but it’s hard to fold with no information on the board. With a bit of pushing, both Hori and Katsumata get to a good shape near the end of the second row.

At the start of the third row, 4th place Hori has a chance to take tenpai with a route to mangan. However, taking it would require throwing the red 5s. Hori takes the risk and tries to call riichi, but ends up dealing into Hinata.

Hinata wins the hand with Double Riichi/Dora 3/Aka 1 for 12,000, pushing her above 60,000.

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Results

Game 143

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Game 2

Shibukawa Start

January 24, Game 2, E1-0

In E1-0, Shibukawa is the starting dealer for the Kadokawa Sakura Knights, hoping to stop the team’s freefall.

Shibukawa starts off the hand with pairs of white dragon, 2m and 8s. With a potential yakuhai, his hand could go either the pairs or standard route. On turn 5, Shibukawa calls pon on the 2m to commit to the standard route, even holding the option to break the white dragon pair for tanyao.

To his right and across from him, Shibukawa has to contend with strong iishanten hands.

Over the next few turns, Shibukawa pairs up the 4p, makes the white dragon into a triplet and pairs up the 7p, shifting his hand to toitoi iishanten.

As Shibukawa waits, Matsugase gets to tenpai first and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan.

At the start of the third row, Shibukawa calls pon on the 8s and waits on a 47p shanpon. With Shibukawa earlier in turn order than Matsugase, he will get priority if the winning 47p come out.

Soon after, Hisato joins in and calls riichi on a 58m ryanmen.

On Shibukawa’s next draw, he gets the 4p and wins the hand. Shibukawa wins the hand with Toitoi/White Dragon for 2,600 all plus two riichi sticks.

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Hisato Hit

January 24, Game 2, E3-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3606

In E3-1, Hisato is the dealer in 2nd place, 5,400 behind 1st place Shibukawa.

Hisato starts out the hand with a strong 3-shanten hand with four ryanmens and a pair of 4p dora. With these good shapes, Hisato just has to wait. In the first row, Hisato is only able to complete a 678m sequence, but the second row creates a 678m and a 234m sequence. With his tenpai, Hisato calls riichi on a 58p ryanmen, wanting the 8p for sanshoku.

At the end of the row, Matsugase throws the 8p trying to call riichi and deals into Hisato. Hisato wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Tanyao/Sanshoku/Ura 2 for 18,000+300, jumping up to 1st place.

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Results

Game 144

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