Backup Hands II, 2024

Greetings and salutations from your overbooked Bubbe, who is just now getting an article together!

I spent the afternoon with my friend, Fern Bernstein, taping a podcast about the New Card. We talk about strategy and favorite hands, and of course lots of gossip about the card and new developments in the world of mah jongg. As soon as it is put online, I will send you a link! 

As promised, today I will talk more about backup hands. One thing that I love about this new card is that there are all sorts of opportunities to switch, especially if you haven't made any exposures--but even if you have, almost any hand can be "salvaged". It's virtually impossible to have your hand called dead with one exposure, as long as it's not illegal. Often, even if two melds are exposed, there may be a backup hand ripe for switching!

I'm going to talk about a few double exposures that indicate more than one option. No doubt you can come up with some of your own: 

333 5555 could be CR7.2 (two consecutive pungs in craks, the next two kongs in bams) or O2a (pungs of 1 and 3 in craks, kongs of 3 and 5 in bams). 

If you have 3333 5555 (two kongs) exposed, you might be playing CR3.3 (pair of Flowers with three consecutive kongs in different suits) or O5a, (four Flowers with kongs of 3's and 5's in different suits and product of 15 in third suit).

Two consecutive pungs in the same suit like 444 555 could be CR2, CR5, CR7.1 or 7.2 (or CR8 erroneously exposed!!--quick, switch it to CR7.1 or CR7.2, pung and kong hands).

Two of the same pung in different suits like 999 999 could be LN1, CR6, or 369 2 (or CR8 or W7 erroneously exposed--again, quick, switch to LN1, a pung and kong hand!)

Two of the same kong in different suits like 4444 4444 could be Y3, LN3, or CR4. 

Of course, usually by the time you have two exposures, it may be very late in the game to switch AND win--but hopefully your hand will not be called dead.

But what if the hands are extremely similar, like W1a and W4? They both include pungs of East and West and a kong of Souths (EEE WWW SSSS). Even with all three of those melds exposed, you could switch between the hands based on whether you have Flowers, or if you are unable to get the pair of Norths. Jokers could help you achieve the final North kong, even if there were several North tiles already on the table. It's easier to switch that way, from W4 to W1a, as the pairs are harder to obtain--BUT, if you are trying for W1a and suddenly pick up a Flower, you may consider going for W4. Keep the backup option open as long as you can, meaning save that Flower for at least a few turns. You may end up sticking with W1a, but in the meantime you might be able to exchange the Flower for a Joker!

Tomorrow I'm going to give you a quiz on possible backup hands. Keep an eye out for it!

Some of you have been eagle-eyed, catching my typos and giving me the opportunity to correct my mistakes. PLEASE don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or see something that appears wrong or confusing: bubbefischer@gmail.com

I also got requests to subscribe to my blog. This is a VERY old platform. If anyone is tech savvy (something Bubbe most definitely is NOT), and would like to help me migrate to Substack, please let me know!!

See you tomorrow!

Bubbe