Chapter 6: From Mahjong Novice to Expert
【Value Comparison of Gap Tiles ("Kalong" / 卡窿)】
I. Symmetric Sets
Based on the symmetry of suit tiles 1-9, the 7 types of gap tile sets can be divided into three and a half symmetric groups:
① 13 & 79
② 24 & 68
③ 35 & 57 & 46
We compare their Tile Acceptance Chance, Improvement Opportunity, Triple-Gap Possibility, and Hand Extension across these groups.
II. Tile Acceptance Chance (Efficiency Ranking: High to Low)
(Applicable in rule variations allowing "chī" / eating, e.g., Zhangzhou 16-Tile Mahjong)
Acceptance efficiency is inversely proportional to a tile’s standalone discard value:
Tiles discarded more frequently by opponents are easier to accept ("chī"), yielding higher efficiency.
Gap Tile Acceptance Efficiency:
13 = 79 > 35 = 57 = 46 > 24 = 68
III. Improvement Opportunity (Efficiency Ranking: High to Low)
"Improvement" refers to evolving a low-efficiency gap set into a higher-efficiency double-sided set, increasing acceptance paths.
Examples:
| Current Set (万) | Improved Sets (Double-Sided) |
|----------------|-------------------------------|
| Middle Tiles: 3-5 🀇 | → 2-3 🀇 / 5-6 🀇 |
| Middle Tiles: 5-7 🀇 | → 4-5 🀇 / 7-8 🀇 |
| Middle Tiles: 4-6 🀇 | → 3-4 🀇 / 6-7 🀇 |
| Edge-adjacent: 1-3 🀇 | → 3-4 🀇 |
| Edge-adjacent: 7-9 🀇 | → 6-7 🀇 |
| Shoulder Tiles (2/8): 2-4 🀇 | → 4-5 🀇 |
| Shoulder Tiles (2/8): 6-8 🀇 | → 5-6 🀇 |
Double-Sided Set Ranking:
Edge-adjacent > Shoulder Tiles > Middle Tiles
Gap Set Improvement Efficiency:
35 = 57 >= 46 = 13 = 79 > 24 = 68
IV. Winning Efficiency & Hand Extension (Efficiency Ranking: High to Low)
When encountering Triple-Gap Sets (e.g., 1-3-5 🀇) during win-readying ("tīng"), evaluate based on:
- Discard Safety
- Improvement Potential
- Win Probability
Scenario: Triple-Gap Set 1-3-5 🀇 (万)
- Early/Mid-Game: Discard 🀇1 → Prioritize improving to 3-5 🀇 (higher improvement potential)
- Endgame: Discard 🀇1 is safer than 🀇5.
Reason: 🀇1 can form only 2 win patterns:
① Basic Win: 🀇1 pair
② Double-Sided Set: 2-3 🀇 (waiting for 🀇1 or 🀇4)
Whereas 🀇5 enables 4 patterns:
① Double-Sided 3-4 🀇 (🀇2/5)
② Gap Set 4-6 🀇 (🀇5)
③ Double-Sided 6-7 🀇 (🀇5/8)
④ 🀇5 pair
(Note: Sets 5-7-9 follow the same logic as 1-3-5)
Key Strategy:
- Theory favors discarding 🀇2 / 🀇8.
- Practical Adjustment: If 🀇2 is unsafe but 🀇6 is discard-safe → Discard 🀇6. A suboptimal wait is better than furnishing a winning tile . If all options are unsafe → Prioritize defense.
Listening Principles:
- Early/Mid-Game: Listen for "Safe Tiles"– e.g., if 🀇4 was discarded in early rounds, discard 🀇7 to wait for 🀇4 ("Prefer frequently discarded tiles, avoid rare ones"
- Endgame: Balance discarding with defense → Avoid furnishing the winning tile at all costs.
