Reached Mahjong Saint rank in 520 games in Mahjong Soul | How to win and play in the Jade Room

Preface

The other day, I managed to reach the rank of Mahjong Saint in the online mahjong game "Jantama".
I was happy when I reached 7th dan in Tenhou, but I was able to get promoted in Mahjong Soul in a shorter number of games, so it gave me a different kind of sense of accomplishment, which was great.
参考までに、この記事執筆時点（2021年2月）での半荘戦の通算対戦数は520戦でした（下記の成績画像参照）。人によって差はあると思いますが、一つの目安にしてもらえればと思います。
I believe I was able to achieve this in such a short number of games because of the experience I gained playing on Tenhou.

This time, I'd like to share my personal opinion on what sets you apart from other players when battling in the Jade Chamber.

I've listed my Mahjong Soul stats below.
As you can see, my batting style is somewhat defensive, so please understand that it may differ in many ways from the approach of offensive players.
I mainly play half-game matches, which I believe are easier for defensive players.

Regarding the offensive aspect

Rather than focusing on the precise, definitive aspects of the game, such as tile efficiency and criteria for deciding when to push or fold, I'd like to write about the more fuzzy, less precise aspects.

Therefore, when compared with actual statistical data, there may be approaches that are not the best choice.
I don't necessarily think that what I write here is absolutely correct, but I think I can at least say that "this kind of thinking is what allowed me to become a Mahjong Master."

My own understanding is based on what I've learned from the books and ideas of various people, so I hope it can be of some help to readers.
Personally, I believe that it's more beneficial to adopt tactics that suit your personality and are easy to implement, rather than trying to learn the most efficient tactics in the shortest time possible.

Even a win of 1000 points is important.

Those who primarily play East Wind Mahjong or Three-Player Mahjong will understand the importance of ending a round with a 1000-point win.
By ending your turn as dealer, which only comes around twice in a single game, you can significantly reduce the chances of other players increasing their score.
特に沈んでいる他家の親を流せれば、4着候補を作ることができます。

Furthermore, if you don't win, the risk of other players drawing the winning tile or paying a penalty for not having a winning hand increases, so the expected value for the round will be negative.
Just by participating in one game, unless you win or the game ends in a draw, you can expect to lose points, soScoring 1000 points is worth more than 1000 points.It is important to be fully aware of this.

This doesn't mean you should take any risk, even if it's just 1000 points, to go for a win; rather, it means that even if it's only 1000 points, the value of striving for a win is surprisingly high.
I think everyone has experienced having a good hand ruined by a cheap win.
Just like with that experience, I think we should properly recognize that there are effects that are invisible to the person experiencing the anxiety.

When chasing a reach, try to do it in a good shape.

If you are not in a ready hand and someone declares a ready hand first, the basic strategy is to consider folding.
However, if I happen to reach a ready hand while discarding safe or otherwise valuable tiles, I might make a push-or-fold decision and declare a chasing reach.

If both players declare "reach" and the game devolves into a battle of attrition, the player with the most winning tiles will naturally have the advantage.
moreover,二軒リーチが掛かると、さすがに他家はベタオリに移行する可能性が高くなります。
In that case, it becomes a battle between players who have declared "reach," so it is desirable to have a good hand that makes it easier to draw tiles.

Before reaching the Jade Room, even if you declared a riichi with a bad hand, other players who hadn't declared riichi would often deal into your winning hand. However, in the Jade Room, many players naturally choose to fold properly.
Even when I have a tile that looks like it will lead to a win, when it comes down to a draw, I just can't seem to draw it.

While a poorly formed riichi isn't always bad, I think it's important to calm down before going for it, even if it's a high-scoring hand.

Regarding defense

I have a feeling that what we should be focusing on in the tug-of-war is not so much the offensive aspects, but rather the defensive ones.
Defensive play is by no means a passive act; rather, it's an action taken to minimize goals conceded when the risks outweigh the rewards.
In other words, if the return from attacking is low, then the decision is made to fold rather than try to win.
I'd like to write about the points to consider when deciding when to give up on winning.

When folding or rotating, notice whether other players are pressing the button.

When another player declares a preemptive reach, you might be lucky enough to draw a safe tile or be able to discard a tile without breaking up your hand, allowing you to play well.
At that time,Always keep an eye out to see if other players who haven't declared "reach" are discarding dangerous tiles.
If there is a player who is pushing a dangerous tile with a discard from their hand, assume that they are also in a ready hand and discard tiles that are safe for both of them.

When you're pushing forward with a hand that's only slightly close to a winning hand, it's extremely painful to deal into someone other than the opponent you're wary of.
Make sure to check carefully to see if any other players are pressing the button.
I feel that this is an area where thoroughness can easily make a difference.

Be mindful of the remaining number of Dora tiles.

This might be related to offensive play, but in mahjong, since "reach" is a powerful move, I think that declaring "reach" even with a bad hand is often the right move if you're the first to make your move.

However, if you haven't seen any dora tiles or honor tiles in the middle or later stages of the game, or if you don't possess any red tiles or dora tiles yourself, it's natural to assume that other players have relatively more of them.
他家が打点を確保している手牌の場合、追っかけ立直される可能性が高くなるため、ドラ含みの追いかけ立直をされて大丈夫な状況なのか、注意しておく必要があります。

Conversely, if you have many dora tiles, you can assume that other players have few dora tiles, which gives you a stronger reason to push forward in terms of scoring points.

Regarding situation assessment

In mahjong, situational judgment isn't about deciding whether to push or fold, but rather about things like what turn it is, and the current ranking and score.
In the East round, or when the scores are fairly even, it doesn't really affect whether you push or fold,As the game progresses through the South and towards the end, it directly impacts the final standings, thus greatly influencing decisions about whether to push or fold.

和了率や放銃率の成績が良くなくても、この判断が優れている人は、平均順位や順位分布も理想的な形になっていることが多いと感じられます。

When you're ahead in the score, try to tone down your aggressiveness.

When I'm ahead in the score, my decision to push or pull tends to lean more towards defense.
Because if you already have a certain number of points, you don't need to work as hard to collect them as you would if you didn't have any.

Mr. Miinin'sMahjong tactics using statisticsAs it says in '',The value of a winning hand fluctuates depending on your current score and the progress of the game.
To put it in extreme terms, if you have 50,000 points, there's little need to force yourself to go for another player's reach.

When you have points, you might feel that you have to compete to avoid being overtaken.
However, personally, I dislike it more when I'm in fourth place and the other players play defensively and completely fold.
If you play defensively, the chances of other players who don't want to play defensively dealing into your hand increase, and if someone draws a winning tile, the dealer will have to pay the difference.
If you understand that dropping out is an indirect attack on others, perhaps the act of dropping out will become more enjoyable.

Even if your score is low, if your parents are still there, don't go all-out.

If you lose a lot of points early on and your remaining points drop below 10,000, you'll feel pressured to make a comeback quickly.
However, that doesn't mean that aggressively pushing with cheap hands is a good idea unless it's the final round.
In particular, if you still have your turn as the dealer, bet on it and be patient.
Other families will likely be less inclined to press the last-place parent.
There's a good chance you can recover if your parent keeps winning, so don't give up hope.

Assist the player to your left who is dyeing their hair.

In the world of mahjong, the idea of assisting other players is also important.
There are various types of assists, but I will write about the one you'll encounter most often: assists when the player to your left is going for a flush.

Basically, if you expect to win, there's no need to hold onto your tiles; you can play freely without any problems.
However, if you don't expect to win and the dealer is your rival in terms of points, it's effective to let the player to your left call a tile to keep the dealer in check.

If you're a dyer, it's easier to judge how much noise is acceptable.
Be wary if your opponent starts discarding honor tiles or safe tiles of colors that aren't part of a flush.
Be careful not to misjudge the timing of when to make the sound and end up losing money yourself.

Afterword

I wrote this article as a way to review my own playing style.
I plan to continue playing in the same room, but as my rank goes up, I expect my opponents' ranks will also increase.
I'm not sure how far this current fighting style will take me, but I'll continue with it to a certain extent until I hit a clear wall.