Thursday (February 26)

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Game 1

Rio

February 26, Game 1, S4-0

In S4-0, the game is tight with 1st place dealer Nakabayashi just 10,600 ahead of 4th place Shibata. In 3rd place is Tojo, 2,900 from the top. She needs a 1/50 or 2/25 direct hit, a 2/40 or 3/20 tsumo, or a 2/50 or 3/25 ron.

Before she even gets her first draw, she calls pon on the red dragon. When we get a loo at her hand, we see that she’s now 2-shanten with two red fives and a pair of white dragons, more than enough value for 1st place.

However, before she is even able to get to iishanten, Nakabayashi calls riichi and waits on a 7m kanchan.

Though 1st place is within reach, she has to be careful not to deal in. If she does, her 1st place push might put her into 4th place. In the second row, she completes a 345m sequence for iishanten. Within the go-around she calls pon on the white dragon and gets to tenpai on a 5s/9s shanpon.

Toward the end of the second row, she draws a dangerous red 5p. Not wanting to discard this very live dora (especially with Nakabayashi discarding the 6p as his riichi tile, Tojo breaks her 5s pair and breaks tenpai. A few turns later, the 5p becomes safe and she discards it. On her next draw, she gets back to tenpai, this time on a 14p ryanmen. Within the go-around. Daigo discards the 1p and deals into Tojo. Tojo wins the hand with Red Dragon/White Dragon/Aka 1 for 3,900, giving Tojo 1st place.

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Results

Game 265

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Game 2

Excellent Earth Jets

February 26, Game 2, E1-0

In E1-0, Miura is the starting dealer and starts off at 3-shanten with a lone 8p for value. On turn 3, he has a chance to get to iishanten, but rejects it, discarding the 89m shape to go for tanyao. On his next turn, he gets that iishanten.

To his right, Takaki has been busy calling, having already called a south triplet and a 789m sequence. Before the row is done, he gets to tenpai on a 6m kanchan. At the start of the second row, Takaki switches to a 7m/east shanpon.

Across from Takaki, Nakada is 2-shanten but has two 3-sided waits, as well as a red 5p nd a dora 8p. At the start of the third row, Nakada throws the 8p to call riichi on a 47p nobetan, hoping for the 7p to get a 456 sanshoku, with a tsumo on top of that giving her a haneman.

Able to advance safely, Miura gets to tenpai at the start of his third row and calls riichi on a 25p ryanmen. Immediately after, Takaki discards the 2p and deals into Miura. Miura wins the hand with Riichi/Tsumo/Tanyao/Dora 1/Ura 1 for 4,000 all plus a riichi stick.

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Kana

February 26, Game 2, E4-0
Video: https://abema.tv/video/episode/444-1_s5_p11047

In E4-0, Nakada is the dealer in 4th place, but is just 9,000 from 1st place.

Nakada starts out the hand at 2-shanten. By turn 2, her hand is rid of all terminals and honours. After completing a 2m triplet and drawing a 6s dora to create a ryanmen shape, Nakada gets to tenpai and calls riichi on a 58s ryanmen. Two turns later, she draws the red 5s and wins the hand. Nakada wins with Riichi/Tsumo/Tanyao/Dora 1/Aka 1 for 4,000 all, easily moving into the lead.

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Results

Game 266

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