Like Mahjong, Like Life

To those true blue players, we’ll realize mahjong reflects a person’s true character and personality. And to a large extent, the art of mahjong can time and time remind you about, life.

1) Its not all about yourself
My no.1 rule in teaching people how to play mahjong (if they are even willing to learn or i’m kind enough to teach) is that the basic rule of playing mahjong is not just about winning, but about winning faster than your opponents. Sounds simple and logical enough but sometimes we kinda forget that. We cannot be just concerned about whats in front of us, what cards we have, what we are doing, but also to know whats going on, whats going to happen, and hence adapt to the situation. Stop staring at your own cards…they wont change! Just like how if you wanna be self-centered, and base everything that is going to happen around you base on what you want to happen, yes, sometimes it works, but when it doesn’t, you must be ready to be real disappointed to be slapped in the ass.

2) What we have in the start does not equate to what we have in the end.
Sometimes we are luckier to start with better cards. Sometimes our hand would look like shit. No doubt a good hand increases the chances of winning, or winning more, but it does not necessarily mean that way. Some of us, when we see a bad hand, we get dispirited and give up totally, and sometimes when we get a good one, we get carried away and insist on doing big even if nothing seems to move. Mahjong is like that, just like life. Some of us might be luckier to start a step in front of our peers, some of us might be in a worse off position and not as ‘lucky’ in our background. But its the ending, the result, what we do in the process, our decisions, how we play the game that ultimately decides if we win or not, and not what we started out with. The point is if we give up and anyhow play, even if our cards are super good, chances are we wont win! So dont totally give up!

3) To stay calm and remain rational
It is said in many fields of study, be it in the art of war, the secrets to successful investing/trading, the secrets to winning a sport : is to remain exceptionally rational and calm despite the situation. When something is repeated over and over again, it has to make some sense. Same thing for mahjong. Sometimes when we lose like a dog, we will really sink to become one, and hence maximize our losses. The point is, just like in life, there are things that are within our control, and there are things that are not. And things that are within our control should remain in our control. When luck becomes a bitch it wont help by resigning to it and commit stupid mistakes. I’m, yes often described as a ‘good loser’ cuz i don’t lose my temper, don’t start to anyhow play, etc. But thats cuz i know if i sink into that i will just lose more! Don’t let emotions get the better of you, though we know sometimes its not that easy. Reminder to self.

4) The key to getting some things is about knowing when to let some others go
Ironic as it sounds, seasoned players would understand what I’m talking about. There are times when a gut feeling might drive an intense stubbornness which eventually does pay off. There are also times when giving up a plan or changing it fast enough will actually pay dividends or minimize your losses. If you lose this round, it does not mean you will lose this game; If you lose tonight, you still can win tomorrow. Measure your risks, count the cards, predict the probability. Know when to let go.  Change is the only constant in this world. Change when you need to.

5) Play with the intention to win and the preparedness to lose
Duh. If you want to play a game that you’ll definitely win, go challenge daryl in running, like now. The great Kimura Takuya said in a show when he was a school teacher ” i told my baseball kids that even if we are trailing behind and losing a game, we should still give our best to the very end” Lose, but still play properly la! Like dota like that. If you want to start acting like an idiot and irritate everyone in the game cuz you are losing, THEN HOW? Like throw chips into the air, bark at people…..at least my kahkis don’t do that…anymore. Like Melvin last time lose will throw chips into the air and spoil game one. I guess being in his 30’s did make him a more mellow person.

I really thank god, or whichever genius it was that came up with this game, and also to bless me with the intelligence and skill and strength in character to make me such a all-rounded, friendly, skillful and lovable mahjong kahki, which in turn helped me make some good friends.

All that being said, actually i would love to whack a mahjong tile into a kahki’s skull or push a dice up a winner’s nostril or just bite off someones hand when he zi mou man tais or jump on the table and shit and urinate on everyone’s card when i call man tai and never win. But,

Fuck.

- nomiseel

I was very intrigued with this article as I have been going through this as well when I was playing mahjong. When it comes to playing mahjong, you meet lots of people with different characters and playing style. I for one, so far have been a ‘not too bad’ player. When I lose, I really lose, and I don’t go on throwing my temper about neither do I make sarcastic remarks but rather just look tired and kinda defeated.

This article is a great guideline etiquette for people who are beggining or learning to play mahjong, but dont forget its just a game. Have fun learning, tuition fees for mahjong is not at all that big for the price you pay to have fun.