What is Oshihiki? Offense-Defense Judgment and Improvement Explained for Beginners

What is Oshihiki (Offense-Defense)?

Oshihiki (押し引き) is the skill of judging whether to continue attacking (push) or switch to defense (fold) in mahjong. It’s said that most mahjong skill comes from this oshihiki judgment.

“Oshi” means moving forward, “hiki” means pulling back, requiring flexible judgment according to situation.

Detailed Explanation of Oshihiki

Three Levels of Oshihiki

Oshihiki Judgment Factors

1. Your hand value
   - Points, yaku, wait quality

2. Opponent danger level
   - Riichi, calls, discards

3. Point situation
   - Rank, point difference, turns

4. Game phase
   - East round, south round, last round

Usage Examples

Real Game Situations

Example 1: Oshihiki Judgment

"This is difficult oshihiki situation"
"Mangan push, cheap fold"

Example 2: Executing Judgment

"Riichi came, so folding"
"High hand, so pushing through"

Example 3: Changing Judgment

"Dora attached, changing to push"
"Double riichi, immediate fold!"

Oshihiki Judgment Criteria

Judgment by Hand Value

Judgment by Wait Quality

Ryanmen machi (8 tile acceptance)
→ Easy to push

Kanchan, penchan (4 tile acceptance)
→ Depends on hand value

Shanpon, tanki (2-4 tile acceptance)
→ Fold unless high points

Related Terms

• Betaori: Complete fold
• Mawashiuchi: Middle ground play
• Genbutsu: Safe tiles
• Shanten-suu: Distance to tenpai
• Uke-ire: Effective tile count

Common Mistakes and Points to Note

Points Beginners Often Mistake

1. Extreme judgment

   • Always push OR always fold
   • Flexibility is key

2. Judge by points only

   • Consider wait quality too
   • Comprehensive situation judgment

3. Never change once decided

   • Situation constantly changes
   • Flexible response needed

4. Don’t read opponents

   • Judge danger from discards
   • Riichi turn timing important

Oshihiki Case Studies

Case 1: Responding to Riichi

Situation

Opponent: Turn 6 riichi
You: Tanyao only, ryanmen wait

Judgment

• Early riichi suggests high points
• Tanyao only not worth it
• → Fold recommended

Case 2: Point Situation

Situation

Last round, you're in 1st
Difference from 2nd: 15000 points
Hand: Riichi only 3900 points

Judgment

• 1st place emphasizes defense
• Survive as last dealer
• → Mawashiuchi to fold

Improving Oshihiki

Basic Thinking

1. Expected value calculation

   Win rate × Win points - Deal-in rate × Deal-in points

2. Understanding danger

   • Riichi turn timing
   • Discard tendencies
   • Presence of calls

3. Situation judgment

   • Point situation
   • Remaining turns
   • Dealer or not

Advanced Oshihiki

Practicing Oshihiki

Effective Practice

1. Game record review

   • Analyze pro records
   • Learn judgment points

2. Actual play

   • Play many rounds
   • Learn from failures

3. Situation patterns

   • Memorize common scenarios
   • Master fundamentals

Oshihiki Tips

Mindset

1. Accept decisions

   • Half-hearted is worst
   • Be thorough once decided

2. Long-term perspective

   • Think in hanchan, not rounds
   • Overall performance

3. Flexibility

   • Don’t stick to fixed ideas
   • Situation-based judgment

Judgment Guidelines

Conclusion

Oshihiki is one of mahjong’s most important skills, requiring judgment to balance attack and defense. For beginners, it’s important to first correctly evaluate hand value and opponent danger level. Through practice and experiencing various situations, appropriate oshihiki becomes natural. Remember: “To win, sometimes you need courage to accept loss.”