Tuesday (November 11)

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Game 1

Shiratori Start

November 11, Game 1, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9022

In E1-0, Shiratori is the starting dealer and starts off 3-shanten with not much value to speak of. But, as he draws pinzu in four of his first five turns, a pinzu flush starts to become more apparent. When the 9p comes out, Shiratori calls pon to go for it.

Approaching the middle of the second row, Shiratori calls pon on the 8p. Soon after, Shiratori only has pinzu in his hand, but isn’t quite tenpai. But, any tile from 1p to 7p will give him a good wait, wanting the 3p or 7p for the widest shape. Near the end of the row, Shiratori draws the 3p to get to tenpai and waits on a 1247p wait.

To his right, Daisuke has proven to be a competitor, having called both the green dragon and a 567s sequence as Shiratori made his calls. Right after Shiratori gets to tenpai, Daisuke gets to tenpai on a 6m kanchan. A turn later, he upgrades to a wide 679m wait.

It’s two wide waits going head to head. 5 winning tiles for Shiratori versus Daisuke’s 6 winning tiles. On Shiratori’s very next turn, he draws the 1p and wins the hand. Shiratori wins with Chinitsu for 4,000 all.

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Takizawa To Top

November 11, Game 1, S2-0

In S2-0, Takizawa is in 2nd place and is 8,200 behind 1st place Shiratori.

With Takizawa’s starting hand, he is already 2-shanten with a white dragon triplet and a connected red 5m as part of a 36m ryanmen shape. On turn 2, he adds a 7s dora penchan as one of his waiting groups. As Takizawa completes the 456m sequence on turn 3, he gets to tenpai and calls riichi on the 7s dora penchan.

The chances of anyone discarding the dora is low, especially against a riichi. As such, anyone pushing will have little risk doing so (even if they don’t know it). One of those players pushing is Mizuhara. As the turns go along, she goes from a potential pairs hand to a standard hand. After completing a 567s sequence with the red 5s dora and the dora 7s, Mizuhara gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 36m ryanmen, guaranteed at least a mangan if she wins.

The riichi battle doesn’t go too long as Takizawa draws the 7s dora a few turns later and wins the hand. Takizawa wins with Riichi/Tsumo/White Dragon/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 2,000/4,000 plus a riichi stick, taking the lead.

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Deciding Dama

November 11, Game 1, S4-1

In S4-1, Shiratori is in 2nd place and is just 2,800 from 1st place. With one honba, Shiratori needs a a 1/40 direct hit, a 2/30 tsumo, or a 2/50 or 3/25 ron.

Shiratori starts off the hand at a standard 5-shanten with a connected red 5m and a lone white dragon. He is a bit closer to pairs at 4-shanten, holding pairs of red dragon and 9s. In either case, he has do a bit of work and get a bit of luck to make it work. The first row provides him with pirs of 2s and 7m to push him a bit closer to pairs, but he still maintains that flexibility to go standard.

However, as Shiratori does that, he discards the white dragon and dealer Mizuhara calls pon on that valuable dora. She is still at 3-shanten, but her danger and presence on the table is felt.

Back to Shiratori, he adds a 7s pair at the start of the second row, confirming the pursuit for pairs. He could either keep the red 5m or call riichi in order to take top spot when he gets to tenpai. But, calling riichi is dangerous with Mizuhara’s pon. When Shiratori pairs up the 3p in the middle of the second row, he chooses to wait dama on the 5m tanki.

On his next turn, he draws and discards the red 5s since it would put him furiten to wait on it. With the valuable red dora, Daisuke calls chii, looking to take the tenpai. As he discards the 5m to take that tenpai, Shiratori is able to call ron and win the hand! Shiratori wins with Chiitoi/Aka 1 for 3,200+300, finishing the game in 1st place.

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Results

Game 95

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Game 2

Surprising Speed

November 11, Game 2, E4-2
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11018

In E4-2, Tojo is the dealer in 4th place, 5,200 behind 3rd place Ooi and 8,200 behind 2nd place Nakabayashi.

Tojo starts out with an amazing 2-shanten hand with three ryanmens, a dora 3s and a secured red 5m. With so many blocks, she starts by discarding the 24p block. As she does that she completes a 234s sequence to get to iishanten. A turn later, she completes a 567s sequence. Being tenpai, she discards the 7p and waits dama on an 8p tanki, wanting to upgrade it to a better wait. Within the go-around, Nakabayashi discards the 8p and deals into Tojo. The entire table is surprised with Tojo’s wait, especially since her discards are only pinzu. Tojo wins the hand with Tanyao/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 7,700+600, moving her into 2nd place.

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Gyakuten

November 11, Game 2, S4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p9023

In S4-0, Ooi is in 2nd place and is 5,600 behind 1st place Takamiya. To get 1st place and complete the team’s daily double, he needs a 2/50 or 3/25 direct hit, a 3/40 or 4/20 tsumo, or a 3/50 or 4/25 ron.

Ooi starts out the hand at 2-shanten with a secured red 5p and two ryanmens and a pair of wests. If he can keep the hand closed and make the west into a triplet, there is a route for 1st place. On turn 4, he fills in a 4s kanchan to advance to iiishanten. With this, he also adds the potential 345 sanshoku route, needing a 4p and a 5m to make it work. If it doesn’t, he needs the west triplet. Towards the end of the first row, Ooi gets that third west.

As Ooi searches for tenpai, Tojo calls. Having already called the green dragon earlier, Tojo calls pon on the north at the start of the second row to get to tenpai on a 5s kanchan. Unfortunately, none remain in the wall.

In the middle of the second row, Ooi gets to tenpai and stays dama on a 58p wait. With the dama, he needs to tsumo or get a direct hit on the 8p dora to win.

Within the go-around, Takamiya gets to tenpai on a 1s tanki.

Wanting to widen Ooi’s options of winning, he decides to call a tsumogiri riichi. With the riichi, he is now allowed to win with any tsumo or direct hit, as well as the 8p ron. If he wins with a 5p ron, he will need one more booster.

To his left, Nakabayashi is looking to break his difficult streak, wanting to get at least something and maybe move up. Towards the end of his second row, he gets to tenpai with a chance at a mangan tsumo. Unfortunately, he needs to discards the 5p. As Nakabayashi’s hopes rise with the riichi, it immediately dies as Ooi gets calls ron.

And now it’s Ooi’s turn for hope. He needs one uradora. He makes the flip… and he gets a hit! Ooi wins the hand with Riichi/West/Aka 1/Ura 1 for 8,000, finishing the game in 1st place and completing the Abemas’ daily double.

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Results

Game 96

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