Offensive vs. Defensive Strategy in American Mahjong

I have beef with "Defensive" play in American Mahjong.

My beef? Is with how people use the term.

Too often, I hear things like:

• "Can't win? It's time to play defense."

• "I don't like being defensive."

• "I'm not experienced enough for that."

The reality is, you probably started learning beginner defensive strategy in Mahjong 101. And if you've played at all since that first lesson, you've probably picked up quite a few defensive skills along the way.

So let's talk about it. But first...what is defense in mahjong?

Offensive Strategy vs. Defensive Strategy in American Mahjong

(Disclaimer, these are my own definitions. You will probably find that others have differing opinions elsewhere.)

I'm not a sports person, but I think offense and defense in mahjong are a lot like sports.

Offense is about scoring.

Defense is about preventing the other team from scoring.

I teach that mahjong works the same way.

Offensive play in American Mahjong is anything you do to build and strengthen your hand.

Defensive play in American Mahjong is anything you do to prevent other players from building or strengthening their own hand.

Sometimes, a move is both offensive and defensive.

For example, a joker exchange.

If you take a joker that helps your hand and removes it from the table so no one else can use it, that is both offensive and defensive at the same time.

The best players aren't just building their own hand. They are constantly balancing both strategies.

Because strong defensive play is not separate from offense. It works alongside it…and sometimes it works at the same time (whether you realize it or not).

So getting back to my beef with "defensive" play in American Mahjong. Here's my rebuttal to those comments I brought up earlier.

• "Can't win? It's time to play defense." | This positions defensive play as something that only happens when all hope is lost. The reality is that defensive play begins the moment you decide which tiles to pass in the first right, and it doesn't end until someone wins or a wall game is declared. As an instructor, I think it's a mistake to frame defensive play as something that you only "turn on" when you can no longer win. Offense and defense exist together, simultaneously and we must teach it like that if we want to develop strong, well-rounded players.

• "I don't like being defensive." | Then, I'd argue this person either doesn't understand defensive play or just doesn't actually like the game of American Mahjong. American Mahjong is competitive by nature. Defensive strategy is found in our passes during the Charleston, most joker swaps, and nearly every discard. It's a part of the game's DNA, there's no escaping it, whether you "like it" or not. Even the rule book tells you to throw your hand to prevent someone else from winning if you can't.

• "I'm not experienced enough for that." | For some reason, players have been taught that it takes years of experience before you can start learning defensive strategy. And while it's certainly a skill you develop overtime, the clock starts the moment you learn the game. Often, a player's first foray into defense is when they're taught what not to pass together during the Charleston OR how to read exposures at the table.