A domino clicking into place on the table sounds good; arguing about whose score it was doesn’t. That’s because most of the arguments occur at the spinner, the double in the middle where all train meet and the math quickly grows complex. If you have a spinner with three or four limbs branching out, it’s … Read more

Practicing consistantly and using the All Threes calculator tool can help remove any guesswork from the game. Precision is also more highly valued in this game then hanging onto powerful tiles; so correct counting becomes the primary focus. If the board appears to be messy and you’re feeling shaky, just know that math isn’t complicated, … Read more

Even a small hand can change the odds depending on how many flower there are. Four flowers are enough to give you plain hand that holds only one chow, but it’s a winning hand! You should of take advantage of flowers since they double point value rather than just adding a flat amount. Exponential growth … Read more

You have twelve tiles in your hand and another is on its way to table. Everyone’s holding their breath waiting for last tile to make the winning shape. Half the skill of playing Japanese riichi mahjong are knowing when you’ve got a winning hand. The other half is knowing whether or not it will score … Read more

It’s perfect on paper; you’re sitting at the mahjong table with a hand that has all the makings of a winner. The shapes is clean, the yakus are lined up, and now your opponent discards the winning tile. And then it happens: someone from across the table asks how much is this really going to … Read more

Ganz Schon Clever’s grid appears straightforward, but its math is rigid. One color you don’t pay attention to will cost you points. It doesn’t care how pretty your result look. Total up the colored squares (5 of them), add on the fox bonus, deduct penalties, and estimate combo potential based off dice tempo and chain … Read more

It’s arithmetic, in Japan, they call it “riichi” mahjong. Suddenly, there you are sitting at the table with that perfect hand, and too late you realize youve called a tile that cost you half the score. That’s how it works: The game doesn’t just pay for making something. It pays you for making something specific… … Read more