Game #6
Sega Sammy
Phoenix
U-Next Pirates
Team Raiden
Akasaka
Drivens
Taro Time
May 8, Game 2, E1-0
In E1-0, Taro is playing for the Akasaka Drivens and hoping to return the team to top spot for the third time these finals.
Taro starts out the hand at 3-shanten with a secured red 5m and the ability to accept the dora 7m. In the first row, Taro fills in a 6s kanchan and a 7m dora penchan to get to iishanten. He doesn’t have a pair yet, so pinfu is not yet there.
At the start of the second row, Genta makes the first move by calling a concealed kan on the 1m. With the rinshan draw, he gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 7s/4m shanpon.
Having held some stray honours, Taro is able to stay safe while holding his hand. In the middle of the second row, Taro draws a red 5p to create a 3345p shape and stays dama on a 36p ryanmen, guaranteed a mangan if he wins.
In the third row, Genta draws and discards the 6p and deals into Taro. Taro wins the hand with Pinfu/Dora 1/Aka 2 for 8,000 plus a riichi stick, a direct hit on their team’s rival.
Genta Up
May 8, Game 2, E3-0
In E3-0, Genta is in 4th place, 3,800 behind 3rd place Yu, 6,400 behind 2nd place dealer Hagiwara and 15,400 behind 1st place Taro.
Genta starts out the hand at 4-shanten with a loose 1p dora and red 5p. Discarding mostly terminals and honours in the first row, the aim is to go for tanyao, eventually discarding the dora 1p when it’s no longer needed. By the end of the first row, Genta is 2-shanten with a 2p connected to the dora 1p.
Looking around the table, Taro and Yu are iishanten, while Hagiwara is 2-shanten. The first to tenpai is Taro, who waits on a 14m ryanmen, but is only allowed to win on the 4m.
On Genta’s turn, he starts to break up his 12p group. Though it gets rid of the dora, he guarantees tanyao. Near the end of the second row, Genta gets to tenpai, discards the red 5p and calls riichi on a 47s ryanmen
During the ippatsu round, Hagiwara joins in and calls riichi on a 58p ryanmen.
To complete it, Yu gets to tenpai in the third row and waits on a 25m ryanmen.
With all the danger around the table, Taro tries to fold when he draws a dangerous 2s. With the 7s being safe against both Yu and dealer Hagiwara, Taro tries it to be safe. Unfortunately, it deals into Genta. Genta wins the hand with Riichi/Tanyao/Ura 1 plus 5,200 plus a riichi stick, moving into 2nd place.
Quick Chanta
May 8, Game 2, E4-0
In E4-0, Yu is in 4th place, 2,400 behind 2nd place Genta and 6,400 behind 1st place dealer Taro.
Yu starts out the hand with a triplet of easts and a pair of red dragons. With a 69s and 69m ryanmen, there is a chance for a quick hand. On turn 3, Yu calls pon on the red dragon for iishanten. On his next turn, Yu gets to tenpai on a 69m ryanmen, wanting the 9m for chanta. Immediately after, Hagiwara discards the 9m and deals into Yu. Yu wins with Chanta/East/Red Dragon for 5,200 for 1st place.
Timing
May 8, Game 2, S3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s70_p3005
In S3-0, Yu is in 2nd place and 9,400 behind 1st place Taro.
Yu starts out the hand at 4-shanten, though there is no value nor a good way to a good wait. In the first row, Yu manages to get lucky with an east triplet and a pair of souths, getting him to iishanten by turn 5.
On turn 6, Hagiwara gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 2p/white dragon shanpon.
Within the go-around, Yu draws a third dragon to complete a yakuhai triplet. He throws the dangerous dora and survives. He sits dama on a 5p kanchan.
In the middle of the second row, Taro gets to tenpai and waits dama on a 2m kanchan.
Two turns later, Yu improves his wait and calls riichi on a 58p ryanmen. Immediately after, Hagiwara draws and discards the 5p and deals into Yu. Yu wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/South/Ura 2 for 8,000 plus a riichi stick, coming within 400 of 1st place.
Dama Mangan
May 8, Game 2, S4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p2137
In S4-0, Taro is the final dealer with a 400 lead. With even a tsumo penalty moving him down to 2nd, Taro wants to win to remove any doubt.
Taro starts out the hand at 3-shanten with a secured red 5p and a floating dora 6s. In the first row, Taro discards terminals and honours for shift to tanyao. By the end of the row, he is iishanten and wants the 5s to connect to the dora.
In the second row, Taro draws a red 5s for tenpai and stays dama on a 25s ryanmen, guaranteed a mangan if he wins. A few turns later, he switches to a 67p wait. Near the end of the row, Taro draws the 7p and wins the hand. Taro wins with Tsumo/Tanyao/Dora 1/Aka 2 for 4,000 all, moving up to a 16,400 lead.
Final Scores
Standings
With the 1st/3rd between the Akasaka Drivens and Sega Sammy Phoenix, the Akasaka Drivens have the lead again. Though the U-Next Pirates finally get their first gain of the semifinals, they actually drop a bit further away from the top 2. Hagiwara’s 4th place ends up dropping Team Raiden into the negatives again.
And that’s all for Will we continue to have switching between the top two? Can the U-Next Pirates finally improve and get their first 1st? Can Team Raiden return to the positives and go beyond? As always, we’ll just have to wait and see!
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