Which Tile Should You Discard?
This puzzle series is designed to test whether you are ready to think deeply in critical moments. While Mahjong games can move fast, sometimes it pays off to calculate what tile discard will maximize your chances of winning! Hover over each box to see the explanation of the correct solution! (on mobile, solutions will automatically display, so ignore them until you attempt)
Beginner
The correct move is to discard the 3 of Dots, as this prepares your hand to win with either a 4 of Dots OR 7 of Dots tile. Any other discard would only prepare your hand to win with one potential draw!
Intermediate
The correct tile to discard is the 5 of Dots, leaving you with three possible winning draws: 3 of Dots, 6 of Dots, and 9 of Dots. Typically, having a long sequence of tiles with no repeats is a good setup for winning.
Advanced
Alright, we tried to make this one as hard as possible, so if you solved this, congrats! The correct discard is the 3 of Dots. This is because it prepares your hand to win a whopping 4 potential draws: 2 of Dots, 5 of Dots, 8 of Dots, and White Dragon. This one would be hard to spot in a fast-paced game, but with practice it is possible. You might've noticed that many other moves leave you with 3 potential draws, which is already very good.
How Much Money?
Check back soon for our next puzzle series, which will test your understanding of Mahjong's scoring system. These will be videos where we show a game scenario that leads to a win, then ask you to calculate how much money would change hands!