Monday (January 5)

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Game 1

Shibata Start

January 5, Game 1, E1-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11534

In E1-0, Shibata is the first dealer in the first game of 2026.

Shibata starts out the hand at 2-shanten, looking to secure a pair to have the best chance of a good wait. Within the first few turns, he pairs up the 5s and gets to a ryanmen-ryanmen iishanten. After creating a 567s sequence and switching to a 2s pair, Shibata gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 25m ryanmen.

Across from him, Daisuke is at 2-shanten. After a pon of the green dragon dora and the south, Daisuke gets to tenpai and waits on a 58p ryanmen.

However, on Daisuke’s next turn, he draws and discards the red 5m and deals into Shibata. With an uradora hit, Shibata wins the hand with Riichi/Pinfu/Tanyao/Aka 2/Ura 1 for 18,000.

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Overtake

January 5, Game 1, S2-2

In S2-2, Hisato is the dealer in 2nd place, behind Shibata by 100. The next winner will get 2,600 in bonuses.

Hisato starts off the hand pairing up the white dragon to get to 3-shanten. Within the go-around, he is able to call pon on the white dragon to secure a yaku. A few turns later, he draws a fourth white dragon and calls an added kan. The flip makes the one 7s in his hand into a new dora. With his rinshan draw, he gets to iishanten. With a 456s chii on his next turn, he gets to tenpai on a 58s ryanmen. Within a few turns, he calls ron on the 5s off Hori and wins the hand. Hisato wins with White Dragon/Dora 1 for 3,900+600 plus two riichi sticks, pushing him into the lead.

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Results

Game 177

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Game 2

Takamiya

January 5, Game 2, E3-1

In E3-1, Takamiya is in a 3rd place tie and is 3,000 behind 1st place dealer Kazuma. With two riichi sticks in the pot, the winner of the next hand will be in 1st place.

Takamiya starts out the hand at 3-shanten with a secured dora 6p. Within the first few turns, Takamiya draws the red 5s and pairs it up, getting to iishanten by the middle of the first row.

To her right, Okada is quizkly advancing. On turn 5, Okada pairs up the 6p and gets to tenpai on a 6p/4s shanpon, staying dama.

Within the go-around, Shimoishi draws the red 5m to get to tenpai and waits on an 8s kanchan.

Right after, Takamiya draws the 8s to fill in her own kanchan and calls riichi on a 3s kanchan. In the middle of the second row, Takamiya draws the 3s and wins the hand. Takamiya wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 2,000+100/4,000+100 plus two riichi sticks.

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Kazuma

January 5, Game 2, S1-1

In S1-1, Kazuma is in a 3rd place tie, 2,000 behind 2nd place Okada and 11,400 behind 1st place dealer Takamiya. A riichi stick is in the pot.

Kazuma starts out with a messy 5-shanten hand with no value or good shapes. Spending the entire first row discarding terminals and honours, Kazuma is able to get to 2-shanten with a red 5s. At the start of the second row, Kazuma has a chance to be iishanten, but instead breaks his 8p kanchan shape to try for tanyao and a better shape. A turn later, he gets that improvement, guaranteeing himself both tanyao and a good wait.

Though there is this hope, Takamiya is faster. Having already called twice, she gets to tenpai near the end of the second row and waits on a 25m ryanmen.

On Kazuma’s turn, he makes a 2m triplet for tenpai and calls riichi on a 58m ryanmen. In the third row, he draws the 5m and wins the hand. Kazuma wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Tanyao/Aka 1 for 2,000+100/4,000+100 plus a riichi stick, enought to move into 1st.

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Geki Goes Ahead

January 5, Game 2, S4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11029

In S4-0, Shimoishi is the last dealer, sitting 2,800 behind 2nd place Kazuma and 5,800 behind 1st place Takamiya.

Shimoishi starts out quite behind at 5-shanten, but he does have two dora 5m (including the red 5m) and the red 5s. Despite starting so far behind, Kazuma seems to advance with every single draw. By the middle of the row, he calls pon on the white dragon to secure a yaku. He advances so quickly that the red 5s becomes deadweight and he discards it. In the second row, he is the first to tenpai and waits on a 2s/5m shanpon. A turn later, he improves to a 14s ryanmen wait, guaranteed a dealer mangan.

However, all eyes are on Takamiya, who has been building a flush hand. Towards the end of the second row, she gets to tenpai on a 36p ryanmen, guaranteed a baiman if she wins.

If Takamiya wins, she ends the game in 1st. If Shimoishi wins, he moves into 1st place.

In the third row, the battle is won by Shimoishi as Okada discards the 1s and deals into Shimoishi. Shimoishi wins the hand with White Dragon/Dora 2/Aka 1 for 12,000, taking the lead.

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Results

Game 178

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