Mahjong Practical Tactics

Author: Zhou Tianzhu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-01
Features: This book is one of the series "Puzzle and Card Entertainment Handbook." It provides an in-depth yet easy-to-understand introduction to mahjong theory, strategies, and tactics, such as the best timing for eating, punging, and chii, when to adopt a defensive or offensive stance, how to spot cheating at the table, and how to guess the hand type by observing opponents' eye movements. It is an indispensable practical guide for mahjong enthusiasts.
1. Don’t rush to eat or pung in the early game
Generally, players don’t eat or pung the first card dealt. This is because they wait to see if their draw luck is good or bad in their round before deciding. Let the card pass through—it may appear again later. There’s no need to rush to eat or pung. Moreover, immediate eating or punging might cause you to miss a good card. Eating or punging too early can easily reveal your strategy, reduce your operational base, and put you in an unfavorable position. This is called "letting go to catch."
When playing mahjong, if you rush to call eat or pung in the early game, you may overlook the bigger picture, such as building a high-scoring hand. So, while "letting go" may seem like it takes more time and effort upfront, it often saves energy in the long run. The result is often that you achieve success effortlessly—this is the lesson this strategy teaches us.