Shimocha (Right Player) - The Player to Your Right

What is Shimocha?

Shimocha refers to the player sitting to your right at the mahjong table. Since mahjong proceeds counter-clockwise, shimocha is the player who acts immediately after you.

Crucially, shimocha can chi (call for sequences) from YOUR discards, while you can only pon or kan from theirs. This asymmetry makes shimocha awareness essential for strategic play.

Table Position

Seating arrangement (your view):

        Toimen (opposite)
              ↑
    Kamicha ← You → Shimocha
    (left)         (right)

Turn order: You → Shimocha → Toimen → Kamicha

Calling Relationships

Other Player	You Can Call	They Can Call From You
Kamicha	Chi, pon, kan	Pon, kan
Shimocha	Pon, kan	Chi, pon, kan
Toimen	Pon, kan	Pon, kan

Strategic Importance

Feeding Shimocha

Key consideration:
- Shimocha can chi your discards
- You can speed up their hand
- Or you can "squeeze" (shibori)

Squeez tactics:
1. Watch shimocha's river
2. Identify their needs
3. Don't feed useful tiles
4. Force them to draw

Reading Shimocha

Shimocha’s Action	Interpretation	Response
Early calls	Fast hand	Increase alert
No color discard	Flush hand	Squeeze that suit
Keeping terminals	Honroutou/yakuman	Careful
Middle tiles only	Tanyao	Watch 4-5-6

Common Mistakes

Position confusion
- Shimocha = right side (counter-clockwise flow)
- Don’t confuse with kamicha (left)
Chi direction
- You can’t chi from shimocha
- They CAN chi from you
- One-way relationship
Pronunciation
- “Shimocha” not “shitaya”
- Mahjong-specific reading
Strategic neglect
- Don’t ignore shimocha threat
- They directly benefit from your tiles

Squeezing Shimocha

Basic Squeeze Technique

How to squeeze:
1. Watch called tiles
   - 4 was called? Don't give 2-5
   - Track the related tiles

2. Hold useful tiles
   - Keep what they need
   - Cut at end if safe

3. Manage dora
   - Don't feed dora to shimocha
   - Hold until safe

When Shimocha Calls

Call Type	Dangerous Tiles	Reason
Numbered chi	Same suji, nearby	Sequence hand
Honor pon	Other honors	Yakuhai/honitsu
Terminal call	Other terminals	Honroutou

Kamicha: Left player
Toimen: Opposite player
Chi: Calling for sequence
Shibori: Squeeze tactics

Summary

Shimocha is the player to your right who can chi from your discards. This makes them a direct strategic concern - careless discards can accelerate their hand. Learn to read shimocha’s calls and river, practice squeeze tactics, and be mindful of what you feed them. Controlling the flow to shimocha is a fundamental skill in mahjong.