May 28, 2011 | 4:32 pm

GONE FISHING

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

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                                                                    GONE FISHING

                          Not really—-just gone for the Holiday Week-end with friends and family.  Will be back with a new posting next week.

                                                              HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!

Til then…..
MAY THE TILES BE WITH YOU!

May 22, 2011 | 7:43 pm

DEAD OR ALIVE?

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

                                                                    DEAD OR ALIVE?

About a month ago I wrote a post about a player who declared herself Dead, because she had made Exposures for a hand she thought was no longer on the card—one she remembered from the 2010 card—the 2nd Consecutive Run hand, which required a Pung and a Kong of 2 consecutive numbers in any one Suit.
She made Exposures of a Pung of 3Dots and a Kong of 4Dots.

The theme of the post was that it was not a good idea to call yourself Dead, because it gave you opponents a 25% greater chance to win and it was the responsibility of the other players to make that discovery, not yours.

Well, a really sharp reader, Arlene Herman, wrote to point out that the player’s Exposures were legit—calling attention to the 1st Quint hand, which require a Pung of 3s and a Kong of 4s in any one Suit.  So Kudos to you, Arlene, for your expert reading of the new card and many thanks for your comment. 

Now let’s talk about another situation regarding a Dead hand.  I got an email from a reader who asked if I thought her play-mates were being unfair and “mean” when her hand was called “Dead” because she mistakenly exposed a Concealed hand. She felt, since she was playing a “friendly” game, and the card was “new”, her mistake might (should) have been forgiven.
 
Having been there a couple of times in my playing life, I was sympathetic to the situation, understanding the feeling of being wrong….But Mah Jongg is inherently a competitive game.  Making a mistake has consequences and players do and should take advantage of it.  So unfortunately, reader, No, your play-mates were not unfair or mean.  It’s the game. And hopefully, from now on you will check whether a hand is Exposed or Concealed before you start to play.

Til the next time….
MAY THE TILES BE WITH YOU!

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May 15, 2011 | 8:48 pm

JOKER EXCHANGE

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

                                                            JOKER EXCHANGE
An interesting question came up in a game the other day about whether it was a good idea to always exchange a Joker for a missing tile.

Mostly, capturing another’s Joker is a consummation devoutly to be wished.  But it’s not always a good strategic move, because it has the potential to help your opponent.  Circumstances define when it helps you and when it helps your opponent.

So let’s talk about when you can make the exchange.
In most cases, making the Joker exchange is good for you—for sure, if there is more than one Joker exposed by your opponent.

So when should you not make the exchange?  When it can lead to giving your opponent a Jokerless hand.

Here is a situation that requires your caution.  The game is more than half over and at this point usually, players have made Exposures. One player has made two Exposures, using only one Joker .  You have come to the conclusion that the rest of her hand requires a Pair(s) for Mahj.  (There should be no doubt in your mind about the hand if three Exposures have been made.) This is particularly true for this year’s card because so many hands require at least one or two Pairs. If you make the exchange, you have effectively provided your opponent with a Jokerless hand, if she wins.  Not good…..  It can be a sign of your inexperience or carelessness or both.  And it is costly.

And don’t make the exchange when all you need to declare Mah Jongg is a tile for a Pair.  Since you can’t use the Joker, it’s of no use to you, but may prove to be of value to your opponent’s hand.

Don’t be tempted to grab an exposed Joker until you are fairly sure the exchange helps you and not an opponent.

So ‘Til the Next Time…..
MAY THE TILES BE WITH YOU!

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May 10, 2011 | 12:29 am

THE 2011 CARD

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

THE 2011 CARD

I always wondered why a new card comes out on April, 1st.—April Fool’s Day.  Could the League be having a joke with it’s members?  It’s the members of the League’s Board of Directors are some of the people who create it every year, deciding which hands to use and every year’s production is unique, some are more challenging than others (although I find hands from previous years frequently pop up again) and this one’s is no exception.

So let’s see what some of the unique features of this year’s card are. 

The most obvious one is the number of hands that require one or more Pairs.  That’s almost every hand in every Section.  There is only one hand in the 2468,  Consecutive Run, 369 and Sections, two Odd hands, two Quint hands,  and two Winds/Dragon hands that require no Pair,  —and that’s it!  Nine out of 44—not counting Singles and Pairs.  And the last two Consecutive hands are even more difficult. Two hands call for five Pairs—the 6th Even hand and the 5th 369 hand. My favorite Like Numbers hand with Flowers is gone. So that’s the bad news. 

The good news is that 2011 requires one Soap.
Lots of 2s, and 1s, 7s , more Kongs of Dragons, still Kongs of Flowers, are some of the features of the card.  An Exposure of a Pung of East or West reveals a Closed hand and a Pung of any Dragon reveals the Like Numbers hand.  Exposure of a Pung of 8s is not from an Even hand.  It’s either the 1st. or 2nd Consecutive hand, or the 4th. Winds/Dragon hand.  Exposure of a Pung of nines is either the 3rd. Winds/Dragon hand or the 2nd. Consecutive Run hand.  Finally, prices have gone up for some hands.
I suspect that with time and playing , it will get “easier”.  Or maybe not. But don’t despair!  There’s always next year!

Til next time…
MAY TH TILES BE WITH YOU!

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May 8, 2011 | 5:31 pm

TRIBUTE TO MY READERS

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
TO ALL MOMS
(EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT A MOM)

AND MAY THE TILES BE WITH YOU…

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May 1, 2011 | 9:44 pm

STRATEGY CLASS IN L.A.

Posted by Elaine Sandberg

STRATEGY CLASS FOR NOVICE PLAYERS IN L.A.

ARE YOU A SLOW PLAYER?

DO YOU PLAY THE SAME HANDS OVER AND OVER?

DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE FINDING A HAND?

IS IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A HAND TO CHANGE TO?

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR HAND?

CAN YOU TELL WHAT HAND AN OPPONENT IS PLAYING FROM THE EXPOSURES?

ARE YOU A STRONG DEFENSIVE PLAYER?

WE’LL COVER THESE TOPICS AND LOSTS MORE!!!!
COME SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS AND IMPROVE YOUR PLAY AT THE

AMERICAN JEWISH UNIVERSITY

3 FRIDAYS——-MAY 13TH,  20TH AND 27TH

1-2:30 P.M.

CALL 1-310-440-1246 TO REGISTER

SEE YOU THERE!!!!!!!
AND MAY THE TILES BE WITH YOU!!!

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