The Worst Shape?

Ask a poker player what the worst starting hand is and most will give you 7-2 off suit. You have a low card with another card the lowest you can get without it being possible to connect it with a straight.

I’ve been playing a lot more red 5 games recently and I would like to posit that two unconnected dora on suit is the equivalent to 7-2 off suit in poker. It’s the sort of shape you can’t pick up in a starting hand without red 5s as you don’t start with two potential dora “areas”.

And unlike poker, you can’t go for a bluff. You have to make a choice to fold or push in mahjong. Two dora starting hands are usually a push situation but what if you have unconnected floating dora?

If they weren’t in the same suit, I’d be a little happier despite them being isolated. However, with some fairly tasty shapes in the other parts of my hand, I can quite easily see myself locking in a shape around one of these doras and having to throw the other to get tempai. Immediately cutting my value by one han and potentially discarding it to another player.

Here I decide that despite 3-han, I’m going to have to keep a route open to folding depending on my progress and how I think the other players are progressing.

2 bamboo is an easy and quick discard. The red dragon, although it could be a way toward a yaku is not something I want to hold while someone else finds two others so I get rid of it instantly. However, this West is far more interesting. Not only does it give me a fairly safe way to fold if that’s the way I go but with a third, I would have a yaku locked in.

This is probably the disputable action of the hand from me. I decide that everyone else is moving slowly and I could have a chance of pushing a potentially valuable hand. (It’s East one so nothing has happened). This is risky. I’ve now left myself with little to fold with and two isolated dora. You can DEFINITELY disagree with this action.

But it was done so it’s what I make of it next…

Easy choice here, throwing the 8 characters, because now I have locked in one other shape. My two dora are still isolated. South is looking a little worrisome now with that central tile discard.

This is a more awkward choice. Money is on South going for a All Trips (toi toi) and South. I can’t see the other dora which is a concern. I decide this is a good point to drop the characters. I won’t throw either of those isolated dora out now; I either incorporate them or I try to fold with my limited means (although the three and four dots are looking safe-ish).

I’ve had some unfortunate draws. I do not believe that my 3 character drop is an error despite the outcome. I’d decided I was going to incorporate the 5 and 8 bamboo and I’ve stuck to my guns. With this draw it has (almost!) paid off! Now I really just need something to incorporate the 8 with and I have my safe-ish tiles to discard to do that.

Time to add some gas to this fire! We all look like we’re going for it now. I’ll drop the 3 and 4 dots and hope against hope that I will get that last tile that will let me incorporate the dora.

I did it! Four han / mangan hand! With even the potential to upgrade my wait if I draw a 4 or 6 bamboo. It could have been quicker but this is the sort of value I was hunting for.

Alas, not to be this time. South throws into East for a four han hand.

I’m not going to suggest this is the absolute correct way to play this hand. I’m sure others will want to dispute some of the moves (especially that West pon!) However, that 5 8 floating dora tiles are a nightmare and I was happy with the strategy I measured my decisions against.

Anyone got a shape they hate playing?