Friday (October 3)

Table A

Table B

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Table A, Game 1

Explosive Start

October 3, Table A, Game 1, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9505

In E1-0, Takaki starts out making a pair of 7m to go with his 8m and north yakuhai pairs. At 3-shanten, he can stay closed for seven pairs or try to rush things with a north pon. The first row gives him triplets of the north and 6s, as well as a pair of 3s. Though it would be suuankou iishanten. the 8m has been exhausted. As a result, he cuts the pair in favour of a 47p ryanmen, still being iishanten.

At the start of the second row, Matsumoto is the first to tenpai and waits dama on a 6m kanchan, guaranteed a mangan if he wins.

Across from Takaki, Hisato is also at iishanten, having called pon on the green and white dragons. With Takaki’s 6s closed kan in the second row, the 4p becomes the new dora. When the 4p comes out, Hisato calls chii and gets to tenpai on a 25m ryanmen, also guaranteed a mangan.

On Takaki’s turn, he draws a 4p to complete a sequence. With his tenpai, he calls riichi and waits on a 14m ryanmen. Within the go-around, Hisato discards the 1m and deals into Takaki. With the flip, the 7m becomes double dora and the 2m in his hand also boosts the hand. Takaki wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Dora 3/Ura 3 for 12,000.

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Ura Ura

October 3, Table A, Game 1, E2-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9506

In E2-1, Takaki starts at 3-shanten with two ryanmens and a strong leaning towards tanyao and pinfu. On turn 3, he builds a third ryanmen, guaranteeing both yaku. In the first eight turns, he fills in two of them and calls riichi on a 36p ryanmen, wanting the 3p dora for value.

Within the go-around, Kobayashi gets to tenpai on a 7s kanchan. Right after that, Hisato is able to quickly call riichi on a 2p kanchan.

At the end of the second row, Takaki draws the ideal 3p and wins the hand. With the uradora flip making his 7s pair worth value, Takaki wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Tanyao/Dora 1/Ura 2 for 3,000+/6,000+ plus one riichi stick, bringing his score to 54,300.

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Ippatsu

October 3, Table A, Game 1, S1-1

In S1-1, Matsumoto is in 4th place, 8,200 behind 3rd place Kobayashi and 10,100 behind 2nd place dealer Sasaki.

From the start, Matsumoto is 3-shanten with thre ryanmens. With a red 5p draw on turn 2, he advances a step in both value and completion. At the end of the first row, Matsumoto gets to iishanten, having a 3-sided wait and a 2-sided wait to complete.

In the middle of the second row, Hisato is the first to tenpai and calls riichi on a 69p ryanmen.

Around the middle of the second row, Kobayashi gets to tenpai on an 8p kanchan, but none remain in the wall. On Matsumoto’s turn, he fills in the three-sided wait and calls riichi on a 58s ryanmen. Within the go-around, Hisato draws and discards the 5s, dealing into Matsumoto. Matsumoto wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/Pinfu/Aka 1/Ura 1 for 8,000+300 plus Hisato’s riichi stick, pushing Matsumoto into 1st place.

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South 4 Gains

October 3, Table A, Game 1, S4-1

In S4-1, Kobayashi is the dealer in 2nd place, a whole 36,500 behind 1st place Takaki. Though 1st place is hard to get to , anything can happen with a dealership. The riichi stick and the honba in the pot will help a little.

Kobayashi starts at 4-shanten with three ryanmens, a connected red 5p and a loose red 5s. Within the first four turns, Kobayashi 2-shanten with a guaranteed good wait. Two turns later, Kobayashi gets to tenpai. He tosses the red 5s and calls riichi on a 14s ryanmen, wanting the 1s dora for value.

Though the red 5s gets calld by Hisato for tenpai, Hisato discards the 1s dora to take it and deals into Kobayashi. Kobayashi wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 12,000+300 plus a riichi stick.

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Results

Game 29

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Table B, Game 1

Dora Dora

October 3, Table B, Game 1, E2-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p7005

In E2-0, Asami is the dealer with a slim 3,900 lead over the 2nd place tie.

Asami starts off with a nice starting hand, being 3-shanten with a pair of west doras. By turn 4, she is iishanten with a ryanmen in hand. If she manages to fill in a 5m kanchan, she will have pinfu.

On turn 8, she gets the 5m and calls riichi on a 14s ryanmen. Two turns later, Honda throws the 1s and deals in. Asami wins with Riichi/Pinfu/Dora 2 for 12,000.

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Birthday Present

October 3, Table B, Game 1, E3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p10007

In E3-0, Honda is in 4th place, 13,000 behind 3rd place Okada. With his birthday being today, he is looking for a present to escape his present situation.

From the very start, Honda has a triplet of the 7p dora and a connected red 5m. He had is at 3-shanten, though, and doesn’t have a callable yaku. Wanting to win quickly, Honda stays efficient in his first few turns, discarding terminals and honours. By turn 4, he is iishanten with a guaranteed good wait. At the end of the row, he gets to tenpai and calls riichi on an 89p wait, guaranteed at least 5 han.

Two turns later, Okada discards the 8p trying to take tenpai and deals into Honda. Honda wins the hand with Riichi/Dora 3/Aka 1 for 8,000, moving him up to 3rd place.

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Results

Game 30

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Table A, Game 2

Ippatsu

October 3, Table A, Game 2, E3-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p8504

In E3-1, Date is the dealer in 1st place with a 7,700 lead over 2nd. With Konami MFC looking for it’s first week, Date wants to get as big of a lead as possible to secure it.

Date starts with a 3-shanten hand with three good waits. On turn 2, she makes a third ryanmen and opens up the possibility of a 567 sanshoku, only needing a 7m and a 5p. On turn 3, she completes a sequence in souzu to get to iishanten. On turn 4, she draws the 5p and calls riichi on a 47m rynmen, wanting the 7m.

On her ippatsu draw, Date draws the 4m and wins the hand. With the 4m also being the uradora, it makes the hand almost as good as winning with the 7m. Date wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Pinfu/Tanyao/Ura 1 for 6,000+100 all.

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Big Win

October 3, Table A, Game 2, E3-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p10512

In E3-2, Nakabayashi is quite low in 4th place, sitting 12,300 behind 3rd place Takaki.

Nakabayashi’s starting hand is quite blessed, being already 2-shanten with three 7p dora in hand. On turn 3, he adds more value with a red 5m. By turn 4, he is iishanten.

Over the following turns, he tries his best to improve beyond a 3m penchan. In the second row, he creates a 47m ryanmen, guaranteeing him a good wait and a chance at a callable tanyao. Drawing a 4m and creating a 456m iipeikou just two turns later, Nakabayashi gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 689p wait. The 8p and 9p will give him a haneman, while the 6p will give him baiman. Drawing anything will also give him a baiman.

Across from him, 1st place Date has already called twice and has nothing to fold with. Near the end of the second row, Date gets to tenpai on a 36s ryanmen.

Immediately after, Nakabayashi draws the perfect 6p. Nakabayashi wins the hand with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Tanyao/Iipeikou/Dora 3/Aka 1 for 4,000+200/8,000+200, moving him into 2nd place and back into the game.

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Houtei Headbump

October 3, Table A, Game 2, S2-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s80_p2116

In S2-1, Date is quite far ahead in 1st place while everyone else is fighting for 2nd place. A riichi stick and a honba sit in the pot.

Takaki and Date start out 3-shanten, while Nakabayashi and Hinata are 4-shanten. The white dragon is the dora, and Date pair it up within the first row. The first row is spent drawing tiles to improve the hand, with everyone but Takaki getting to 2-shanten.

The second row was the time when players started to call. Within a few turns, Hinata calls pon on the green dragon and Date calls pon on the white dragon. Soon after, Date calls a 678p chii for iishanten.

The firs to tenpai is Hinata, who calls a 234s sequence and waits on a 14p ryanmen.

However, whe Hinata draws a dangerous 4m, she ends up breaking her shape.

Near the end of hte second row, Date gets to tenpai on a 1m tanki.

With a 345m chii, Hinata gets back to tenpai, this time on a 2p tanki.

Takaki also gets to tenpai, but has a yakuless 14m ryanmen.

In the middle of the third row, Hinata draws a 1m. Avoiding a deal-in Hinata makes a switch and matches Date’s wait.

Three players are now waiting on the 1m. None remain in the wall.

Then, on the very last tile in the wall, Date draws a 2m. Wanting to maintain tenpai and with the 1m being more dangerous than the 2m, Date discards the 1m.

At the same time, Takaki and Hinata call ron. Because of the headbump rule, only Hinata is allowed to win. Hinata wins with Green Dragon/Houtei/Dora 1 for 3,900+300 plus one riichi stick, moving up to 2nd place.

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Ippatsu Again

October 3, Table A, Game 2, S3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p8505

In S3-0, Date is the dealer again and holding a 19,700 lead over 2nd place Hinata.

From the very start, Date is 2-shanten with a pair of 6p dora. On turn 3, she fills in a 4s kanchan to get to iishanten, leaving only an 8s kanchan and a 69m ryanmen. On her next turn, she fills in the 8s kanchan and calls riichi on the ryanmen.

WIth her ippatsu draw, Date gets the 9m and wins the hand. Date wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Pinfu/Dora 2 for 6,000 all, boosting her up to 60,600.

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Mahjong Love

October 3, Table A, Game 2

In S3-3, Hinata is in 2nd place and 54,700 behind 1st place Date. It might be a lot of work t get there, but gaining points at least makes Hinata’s 2nd place more secure.

Hinata starts off drawing a dora 3s to make a pair, going along with her double south pair. If she can call it, she has a path to mangan. Within the first row, Hinata draws a red 5s to fill in a kanchan and calls pon on the south, getting her to iishanten.

Soon after, Date on her right also gets to iishanten. Over the next few turns, she leaves the door open for a 789p iipeikou. On turn 8, she gets to tenpai and calls riichi on an 8p kanchan. Unfortunately, none remain in the wall.

Though every discard seems dangerous for Hinata, everything is safe. Hinata pushes the 6p during the ippatsur oudn for a perfect iishanten, and pushes every dangerous tile thereafter, wanting her mangan. Near the end of the second row, Hinata gets to tenpai on a 25p ryanmen.

Both players draw and discard, only Hinata can draw her winning tile. In the middle of the 3rd row, Date discards the very expensive red 5p and deals into Hinata. With that bonus boost from the red 5p, Hinata wins the hand with Double South/Dora 2/Aka 2 for 12,000+900.

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Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9007

In S4-0, Hinata is now the dealer and has a big chance to make a comeback. With her first 14 tiles, she is already iishanten with five pairs, leaving only a lone 9m, 8p and white dragon. On her very next turn, Hinata draws the 8p and calls riichi on a white dragon tanki.

When it goes around to Nakabayashi, he spots a single white dragon already discarded during the first turn. Thinking it to be safer, Nakabayashi discards it and deals into Hinata. With a flip, Hinata gets the uradora and hits the shortcut. Hinata wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/Chiitoi/Ura 2 for 18,000, one of the fastest hanemans in M-League history.

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Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9008

In S4-2, Hinata has made quite a lot of progress, now just 3,500 from 1st place. Even a 2-han hand can put her in a tie for 1st place.

Hinata starts with a 4-shanten hand with a floating dora 7m and a red 5s as part of a pair. The first row gives hinata a bit of progress, but only gets her to 3-shanten. At the start of the second row, she draws a 6m to connect to the 7m dora and advance one more step.

However, she is not the only one at the table wanting to get points. In the middle of the second row, Takaki calls a 234m chii to get to tenpai and waits on a white dragon/3s shanpon with all of his waits left in the wall.

Back to Hinata, she finally advances to iishanten at the end of the second row, drawing a 3s and reducing Takaki’s waits. In the third row, she creates a 456s sequence and calls riichi on a 58m ryanmen. On her ippatsu turn, she gets the 8m and wins the hand. Hinata wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Tsumo/Pinfu/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 6,000+200 all.

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Results

Game 31

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Table B, Game 2

Sanshoku

October 3, Table B, Game 2, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p7006

In E1-0, Sonoda is the starting dealer and starts out with an incredible starting hand. Sitting iishanten with sanshoku guaranteed with his first draw, Sonoda is lined up for a strong hand. On turn 4, Sonoda gets to tenpai and waits on a 7s penchan.

With everyone either folding or not making any progress, it gives Sonoda the runway. In the middle of the second, Sonoda draws the 7s and wins the hand. Sonoda wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Sanshoku/Ura 1 for 2,000/4,000.

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Late Riichi

October 3, Table B, Game 2, E4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s80_p2126

In E4-0, Akutsu is in 4th place and 7,900 behind 3rd place Honda.

Akutsu starts out with a solid starting hand at 2-shanten, holding a red 5s double dora for value. The first row and half of the second row doesn’t give him much advancement, allowing his opponents to catch up. By the time he gets to iishanten near the end of the first row, so are Tojo and Sonoda.

In the middle of the third row, quite late into the game, Akutsu is the first to tenpai and calls riichi on a 6m kanchan.

Within the go-around, Sonoda gets to tenpai and calls riichi on an east/1p shanpon.

Right after, Akutsu draws the final 6m in the wall and wins the hand. Akutsu wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 2,000/4,000, moving up to 3rd.

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Dora Dora Dora Aka

October 3, Table B, Gane 2, S1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11006

In S1-0, Tojo is in 2nd place and 700 behind dealer Sonoda. Any hand is enough to move ahead.

Tojo starts out a bit far at 5-shanten with a loose dora 6p for value. However, the first row pushes her hand forward to 2-shanten and leans towards tanyao. In the second row, she makes the 6p into a pair and calls it a few turns later, getting her to iishanten.

To her left, Akutsu is also going for tanyao. With a chii on the red 5p, he is the first to tenpai and waits on a 258s wait. However, he is furiten from the 8s discarded at in his first row.

With Akutsu’s discarded red 5m, Tojo calls chii and gets to tenpai on a 6m kanchan, guaranteed a mangan.

Right after her, Sonoda gets to tenpai on a 1s/green dragon shanpon, only allowed to win on the green dragon.

On Tojo’s next turn, she gets the 6m and wins the hand. Tojo wins with Tanyao/Dora 3/Aka 1 for 2,000/4,000.

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Results

Game 32

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