In the online mahjong game Tenhou, there are two types of games: East-South games (half-game) and East-Wind games.
This is a matter of personal preference, but I've written down my opinion on which option is better.
I hope you'll read this with the understanding that some people have these kinds of reasons.
A collection of articles on improving your mahjong skills, techniques, mental game, Tenhou (online mahjong platform), etc.
conclusion
I believe that in Tenhou, we should play East-South games.
The reason is that in real-life mahjong games, the East-South game is the most common format.
The reason is that matching the feel of hitting the ball in real life with the feel of hitting it online reduces discrepancies.
For those who don't play in real life, I think playing East Wind games is a good option.
From the perspective of rank points
From the perspective of earning rank points in Tenhou, East Wind games are more efficient.
The reason is that a Southeast game takes about twice as long as an East game, but you only get 1.5 times the points.
Therefore, if your goal is to raise your rank, playing East Wind games is a better option.
雀魂の場合
雀魂（じゃんたま）にも、東風戦と半荘戦（天鳳でいう東南戦）があります。
ただ、雀魂の場合は天鳳と違って、段位によって効率の良し悪しが逆転すると言われています。
具体的には、低い段位（雀傑★★あたりまで）では半荘戦の方が段位ポイントの期待値が高く、高い段位（雀豪★以降）になると、逆に東風戦の方が効率的になるようです。
段位が上がるにつれて、ラス（4着）のペナルティが半荘戦の方でより重くなっていく仕組みによるもののようです。
天鳳のように「常に東風戦の方が効率的」とは言い切れないのが、雀魂の面白いところです。
ただし、効率だけで選ぶ必要もないと思います。
たとえば、スピードが問われる副露判断に自信がない場合は、半荘戦の方がじっくり考える時間を確保しやすく、向いていると思います。
また、単純にある程度じっくり打ちたいという好みの面もあるはずです。
自分が今どの段位にいるかという効率面と、自分のプレイスタイル・好みの両方を踏まえて、選ぶルールを決めればいいのではないでしょうか。
From a technical standpoint
I often hear people say that "East Wind games are of a higher level."
Indeed, East Wind games are always like the endgame.
A single mistake can lead to an immediate last-place finish, and even points from a formally ready hand cannot be wasted in this battle.
Therefore, a high degree of precision is required in deciding when to push or pull, such as when to call, and there are many factors to consider.
In this sense, I think East Wind games are very difficult.
When people start playing mahjong, many begin with the East-South game.
Therefore, unless there is a particularly strong sense of purpose, I think many people will choose to play the Southeast game.
I think the average skill level is higher in East Wind games because those who deliberately choose to play East Wind games have strong reasons for doing so.
However, I don't think there's any fundamental difference in the level of which of the two rules is superior.
I think it's similar to the difference between having and not having the designated hitter rule in baseball.
Reasons why we should play the Southeast game
As mentioned earlier, the reason I think we should play Southeast-style games is because that's the only type of game we play in real life.
If your only goal in the world of Tenhou is to aim for the highest rank possible, then East Wind games are probably more time-efficient.
However, even in real-life mahjong, I want to play Tenhou while maintaining as much of a sense of knowing when to push and when to fold as possible.
If you actually play more East Wind games in real life, then you should stick to that format.
Ideally, training yourself to use each of these methods appropriately and switch between them would be a better way to improve your adaptability.
However, I don't have the mental resources for that right now, so for the time being I plan to stick with the Southeast strategy.