Tuesday (April 22)

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Game 1

Forward Driven

April 22, Game 1, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2131

In E1-0, Asami is playing for the Akasaka Drivens, hoping to extend the team’s lead over their rivals, the U-Next Pirates.

From the very start, Asami has a double riichi chance, holding a 36m ryanmen and a 36p ryanmen. She also has very good value with two 4p dora. Unfortunately, the first draw is one line short, getting the 2m. But, on her very next turn, she gets the 6m and calls riichi on the 36p ryanmen.

Before the row is done, Asami draws the 3p and wins the hand. Asami wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Aka 2 for 2,000/4,000, a very quick and expensive start.

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Takamiya Time

April 22, Game 1, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s70_p2939

In E3-0, Takamiya is in 3rd place and 2,000 behind 2nd place Genta.

Takamiya starts out the hand at a standard 4-shanten (3-shanten for seven pairs) with a 4p dora. She starts the hand focusing on tanyao, making sequences and getting rid of her 1p pair. By the end of the first row, she is iishanten and needs a 5p to secure the dora.

To her right, Kobayashi is also iishanten, but has two ryanmens. To her left, Genta is iishanten with a white dragon triplet and a 789s chii. When Genta draws the fourth white dragon, he calls an added kan. The kandora doesn’t add anything for anyone, but it doe does give a chance for players in riichi tto get extra dora.

Near the end of the second row, Kobayashi is the first to tenpai and calls riichi on a 47p ryanmen.

Two turns later, Takamiya fills in a 5s kanchan to get to tenpai and calls riichi on a 5p kanchan. Immediately after, Kobayashi discards the 5p and deals into Takamiya. Takamiya wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tanyao/Dora 1 for 8,000 plus a riichi stick, moving up to 2nd.

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Junchan Sanshoku

April 22, Game 1, S3-0

In S3-0, Takamiya is in 2nd place and 14,400 behind 1st place dealer Asami.

Takamiya starts out the hand at 3-shanten and leaning towards the edges. The rest of the table seems interesting as well, with Genta holding three honour pairs and Asami with two red fives and the dora 5m. In the first row, Asami gets to iishanten with a potential 456 sanshoku, Genta is 2-shanten with a white dragon pon and Takamiya has called a 789s sequence for iishanten.

In the middle of the second row, Asami draws a 6m to confirm the sanshoku and waits dama on a 5s kanchan, guaranteed a dealer haneman if she wins.

Towards the end of the row, Takamiya calls a 123s chii and waits on an 8m kanchan, guaranteed three han.

When Asami draws a 7p, she decide to shift to a 567p iipeikou to not risk dealing into a junchan-like hand. With the discarded 4p, Genta calls a 456p chii and waits on a west/red dragon shanpon.

On Asami’s next turn, however, she draws the 8m. With no way to shift it, Asami discards it and deals into Takamiya. Takamiya wins the hand with Junchan/Sanshoku for 3,900. WIth the direct hit, Takamiya cuts Asami’s lead in half going into the final hand.

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Results

Game 19

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Game 2

Sanzou

April 22, Game 2, E2-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p4615

In E2-0, Takaki is in 2nd place and 2,400 behind 1st place dealer Date.

Both Takaki and Date start out the hand at 2-shanten, Date holding a triplet of green dragons and Takaki holding a sequence-based tanyao hand. Both players advance decently in the first row and get to iishanten, but Date has the slight advantage of having good calling options. With Takaki’s 69m ryanmen, he is at risk of not having tanyao.

At the start of the second row, Date makes a triplet of 4p and calls riichi on a 3s kanchan.

Immediately after, Takaki draws the perfect 6m and gets to tenpai on a 3s kanchan, guaranteed three han.

With both players waiting on the 3s, Date has the advantage in seat order and will win on ron. However, Takaki is able to draw the 3s in the middle of the second row and wins the hand. Takaki wins with Tsumo/Tanyao/Iipeikou/Aka 1 for 2,000/4,000 plus a riichi stick, moving into top spot.

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Date Dama

April 22, Game 2, S1-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p3628

In S1-1, Date is in 2nd place and 12,600 behind 1st place Takaki. A riichi stick and a honba sit in the pot.

Date starts out the hand with a very nice 6s kanchan fill, getting her hand with two red fives into 2-shanten. With great draws and a shift to tanyao, Date gets to a perfect iishanten before the row is finished, gearing up for a mangan-minimum hand.

However, she does have at least on challenger. To her right, Futoshi the dealer is also iishanten and has a pair of 8m dora by turn 8. On turn 10, Futoshi gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 25s ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan.

During the ippatsu round, Date gets to tenpai and waits on a 25p ryanmen, staying dama with mangan. Immediately after, Takaki discards the 2p, a tile safe against the dealer riichi, and deals into Date. Date wins the hand with Pinfu/Tanyao/Aka 2 for 8,000+300 plus rwo riichi sticks. With the direct hit off 1st place Takaki, Date becomes 1st place herself.

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Takaki

April 22, Game 2, S2-0

In S2-0, Takaki is in 2nd place and 6,000 behind 1st place dealer Date.

Takaki stars out the hand at 4-shanten with a secured 2m dora. Takaki builds towards sequences in the first row and gets to 2-shanten with two ryanmens by the end of it.

In the second row, Takaki pairs up the double souths to give him an option to call. Though things are looking up for him, they are also looking up for his opponents. In the middle of the second row, Futoshi calls pon on the green dragon and gets to tenpai on a 69p ryanmen.

At the end of the second row, Takaki draws a third south and gets to a ryanmen-ryanmen iishanten. A few turns later, he gets to tenpai and waits dama on a 47m ryanmen.

Right after, Nakabayashi gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 58p ryanmen, guaranteed a mangan if he wins.

With the riichi by Nakabayashi, Takaki decides to give chase. Two turns later, Nakabayashi draws and discards the 4m and deals into Takaki. Takaki wins the hand with Riichi/Double South/Dora 1 for 8,000 plus a riichi stick, enough for 1st place.

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Ippatsu

April 22, Game 2, S3-0

In S3-0, Date is in 2nd place and just 3,000 behind 1st place dealer Takaki.

From the very start, Date is 2-shanten with three ryanmens and a triplet of the yakuhai north. On turn 2, she creates a 678s sequence, leaving only a 36p ryanmen and a 69p ryanmen. For the widest wait, she needs to draw the 6p. On turn 5, she gets that 6p and calls riichi on a 369p three-sided wait.

With six winning tiles in the wall, her chances are good. As luck would have it, Date draws the 6p on her ippatsu turn and wins the hand. Date wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/North for 2000/4,000, retaking the lead going into the final hand.

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Results

Game 20

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Intro | Standings