Thursday (November 6)

Table A

Table B

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Table A, Game 1

Houtei

November 6, Table A, Game 1, E3-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p8017

In E3-1, Akutsu is in 3rd place and 6,700 behind 2nd place Kobayashi and 22,400 behind 1st place dealer Miura.

Akutsu starts off at 3-shanten with a pair of white dragons and a connected dora 6p. The white dragon doesn’t show up in the first row for Akutsu, but he does manage to make a 5-8 ryanmen in all three suits to get to 2-shanten. In the second row, he completes a 567p sequence to get to iishanten, later switching it to a 678p sequence.

To Akutsu’s right, 1st place Miura is iishanten. At the end of the row, he completes a 234p sequence to secure tanyao and calls riichi on a 7p kanchan.

Within the go-around, Akutsu draws and 8m to complete a 678m sequence and calls riichi on a 58s ryanmen, wanting the latter for maximum value. The wall winds down with two winning tiles left for Akutsu and one for Miura. Then, on the very last tile in the wall, Miura draws and discards the 8s, dealing into Akutsu. Akutsu wins the hand with Riichi/Sanshoku/Houtei/Dora 1 for 8,000+300 plus one riichi stick, moving into 2nd place and coming within 3,800 of the lead.

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Aka Aka Aka

November 6, Table A, Game 1, E4-1
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p8526

In E4-1, Takamiya is the dealer in 4th place, but is just 13,400 behind 1st place Miura. With a single mangan tsumo, Takamiya can move into 1st. Two riichi sticks sit in the middle.

Takamiya starts off the hand at 4-shanten with two ryanmens and a red 5m. In the first five turns, Takamiya adds the red 5p and the red 5s into the mix, as well as complete and adding ryanmens. By that fifth turn, she is 2-shanten with a good wait guaranteed. In the second row, she gets to iishanten.

In the middle of the second row, Akutsu is the first to tenpai and calls riichi on a 25p ryanmen.

Immediately after, Miura draws the 2p to get himself to tenpai and calls riichi on an 8m kanchan.

With Takamiya’s value, she simply keeps pushing. At the start of the third row, she gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 47m ryanmen. Within two turns, Takamiya draws the 4m and wins the hand. Takamiya wins the hand with Riichi/Tsumo/Pinfu/Aka 3 for 6,000+100 all plus four riichi sticks, easily moving into 1st place.

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Takame

November 6, Table A, Game 1, S1-3

In S1-3, Takamiya is in 1st place and wants to keep it going. One riichi stick is available for the next winner.

Takamiya starts off with a 3-shanten hand with a secured red 5s and a ryanmen in hand. Early on, Miura calls pon on both the red dragon (later calling an added kan) and white dragon, giving some potential danger, especially with a single green dragon in his hand. By the end of the first row, Miura draws a second green dragon, opening the possibility of a yakuman with one more green dragon left in the wall. Though, at the start of the second row, Kobayashi draws that last green dragon and holds onto it.

Back to Takamiya, she has gotten herself to a ryanmen-ryanmen iishanten. After making a 567s sequence and a 567m sequence, Takamiya gets to tenpai on a 47p ryanmen, wanting the 7p. She stays dama so that she has the ability to defend if she draws something dangerous against Miura. Near the end of the second row, Akutsu discards the valuable 7p and deals into Takamiya. Takamiya wins the hand with Pinfu/Sanshoku/Aka 1 for 8,000+900 plus a riichi stick.

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Ura San Surprise

November 6, Table A, Game 1, S4-0

In S4-0, Akutsu is in 3rd place and 5,800 behind 2nd place Miura. To move up in rank, Akutsu needs a 2/50 or 3/25 direct hit, a 3/40 or 4/20 tsumo, or a 3/50 or 4/25 ron.

Akutsu starts out the hand with a triplet of 7m and a connected red 5p dora. Within the first five turns, she makes three ryanmens and gives the possibility for a tanyao hand. On turn 6, he gets to iishanten with a 69p ryanmen and 25s ryanmen left to resolve. On turn 8, Akutsu gets a 2s and calls riichi on a 69p ryanmen, wanting the 6p tsumo for a guaranteed 2nd place. Otherwise, he will need at least one or two ura.

Two turns later Miura discards the 9p and deals into Akutsu. For Akutsu to move into 2nd, he will need one uradora. As a surprise, Akutsu’s 7m becomes the uradora to suddenly upgrade his hand to a mangan! Akutsu wins the hand with Riichi/Aka 1/Ura 3 for 8,000, finishing in 2nd place.

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Results

Game 85

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Table B, Game 1

Hinata Heights

November 6, Table B, Game 1, E4-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9019

In E4-2, Hinata is the dealer in 1st place, but her lead is only a tiny 700.

Hinata starts out the hand pairing up the double east to get to 4-shanten. Her hand quickly shifts to a manzu honitsu and gives her a third east and pairs of red dragon and west. By turn 5, she is iishanten.

To her left, Tojo is at iishanten as well. At the end of the first row, Tojo is the first to tenpai and stays dama on a 3p tanki.

Approaching the middle of the second row, Hinata fills in a 2m kanchan and gets to tenpai on a red dragon/west shanpon, staying dama. On her next turn, she draws a fourth east and calls a concealed kan. With the kandora flip, the 4m in her hand becomes the new dora. On Tojo’s turn, she decides to call a 7s tanki riichi to take advantage of the new uradora chance. Immediately after, Hinata gets the west and wins the hand. Hinata wins with Tsumo/Honitsu/Double East/Dora 1 for 6,000+200 all, putting her above 50,000.

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Top Challenger

November 6, Table B, Game 1, S3-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11016

In S3-0, Tojo is in 2nd place and is 21,500 behind 1st place Hinata.

Tojo starts off the hand at 3-shanten and is a 3p dora and a 2m away from a 123 sanshoku. On turn 2, she draws a red 5s, then a 3p on her next turn. At the end of the first row, she draws a 2m and gets to iishanten.

On turn 8, Tojo fills in a 4s kanchan for tenpai and calls riichi on a 36s ryanmen, guaranteed at least a dealer haneman if she wins.

Holding a perfect iishanten with a red 5p, 4th place Asami keeps pushing to try to move upwards. In the middle of the second row, she gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 25s ryanmen, needing one more han for mangan.

Near the end of the third row, Asami draws and discards the 6s and deals into Tojo. Tojo wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Sanshoku/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 18,000 plus one riichi stick, coming within 2,500 of 1st place.

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Results

Game 86

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Table A, Game 2

Jetting Forward

November 6, Table A, Game 2

In S2-0, Kazuma is in 4th place, 2,500 behind 3rd place dealer Nakabayashi and 9,800 behind 2nd place Hori.

Kazuma starts out the hand 3-shanten with a dora 7p. Within the first row, Kazuma pairs up the green dragon to advance to 2-shanten, but otwherwise doesn’t advance. In the middle of the second row, Kazuma fills in a 3p penchan and gets to iishanten.

To Kazuma’s left, Hori is iishanten with a west triplet and a 2s away from a souzu straight. Making a 7m pair at the end of the second row, Hori gets to tenpai and waits on a 2s kanchan.

In the third row, Kazuma fills in a 6s kanchan and calls riichi on an 8p kanchan, having a suji trap. Within the go-around, Hori draws and discards the 8p without hesitation and deals into Kazuma. Hitting the uradora, Kazuma wins with Riichi/Ippatsu/Dora 1/Ura 1 for 8,000.

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Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11517

In S3-0, Kazuma starts out with an annoying standard 5-shanten (4-shanten for seven pairs) and needing a lot of good draws for good advancement. Discarding honours and terminals in his first six discards, Kazuma is suddenly 2-shanten with tanyao guaranteed.

By the middle of the second row, Kazuma creates a 567m iipeikou, guarantees himself a good wait and even a potential 567 sanshoku as well. Near the end of the row, Kazuma completes a 567p sequence and calls riichi on a 457s wait, wanting the 7s. Within two turns, Hori discards the 4s and deals into Kazuma. Kazuma wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Tanyao/Iipeikou/Aka 1 for 8,000, moving into 1st place.

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Hori Highlight

November 6, Table A, Game 2, S4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p8018

In S4-0, Hori is the final dealer and 8,700 behind 3rd place Nakabayashi.

Right after the bat, Hori gets to iishanten with a likely tanyao and a secured red 5s. On turn 2, Hori guarantees both tanyao and a good wait, needing 58m578p to get to tenpai. It takes a few turns, but Hori gets to tenpai at the start of the second row and calls riichi on a 578p wait. If he can win on the 5p, he will add pinfu. If he is lucky enough to win on the 8p, he will add both sanshoku and pinfu for haneman.

Within the go-around, Nakabayashi discards the valubale 8p and deals into Hori. Hori wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Tanyao/Sanshoku/Aka 1 for 18,000, moving into 3rd.

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Results

Game 87

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Table B, Game 2

Ippatsu

November 6, Table B, Game 2, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9020

In E1-0, Shiratori starts out the hand 3-shanten with two good shapes and a lean towards all simples. To his right, Futoshi is also 3-shanten with the foundation of a manzu straight. Between the two of them, Futoshi is clearly the one who moves faster. By turn 4, Futoshi is tenpai with ittsuu guaranteed and calls riichi on a 6s kanchan, guaranteed at least a mangan.

Back to Shiratori, he is 2-shanten with all simples still in view. At the start of the second row, he advances to a perfect iishanten. A turn later, he gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 36p ryanmen, wanting the 3p for a 345p sanshoku. Within the go-around, Honda discards the 6p and deals into Shiratori. Hitting an uradora, Shiratori wins the hand with Riichi/Ippatsu/Pinfu/Tanyao/Dora 1 for 8,000 plus one riichi stick.

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Tomohiro Time

November 6, Table B, Game 2, S4-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p10021

In S4-2, Honda is in 4th place and is 19,500 behind 3rd place Futoshi. It’s a lofty task, but with two riichi sticks and two honba, Honda needs a haneman direct hit or tsumo, or a sanbaiman ron to move up.

Honda starts out the hand at 4-shanten with a red 5s and a pair of the double south. With almost every single draw, Honda advances. In two straight draws, Honda makes a lone 5p to create a 345p sequence. On turn 4, Honda fills in a 6s kanchan to secure the red 5s. A turn later, Honda fills in a 3m kanchan and calls riichi on a 4s/south shanpon. If he draws the south, he just needs one more booster to get to 3rd place.

To his right, 2nd place Shimoishi is just 4,000 behind 1st place Shiratori and needs to win anything to take top spot. Twoard the end of the second row, Shimoishi calls riichi and waits on a 4p/5m shanpon.

Two turns later, Honda draws the south and wins the hand. With the flip, Honda gets the well-needed uradora to boost the hand to a haneman. Honda wins the hand with Riichi/Tsumo/Double South/Aka 1/Ura 1 for 3,000+200/6,000+200 plus three riichi sticks, finishing the game in 3rd place.

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Results

Game 88

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