1. Introduction

Defense raises your win rate by cutting down deal-ins. Good defense isn’t only “full folding”—it includes holding safe tiles in advance and minimizing damage while keeping your hand structure alive.

2. What Is Defense?

The goal is simple: when danger is high, minimize loss. Pushing recklessly into fast or strong lines leads to big negative swings. Folding safely preserves chips for the next hand. Sometimes you can “steer” the hand with safer tiles and still recover shape later.

3. Safety Fundamentals

Know why a tile is safe, so your choices are evidence-based—not just intuition.

• Genbutsu (Current Discards): a tile your opponent has already discarded—safest versus that opponent.
• Suji: number relationships that remove certain two-sided waits. Use carefully (watch for “matagi suji” that can still be dangerous).
• Kabe (Wall): when all four of a number are visible, sequences crossing that number disappear; neighbors become relatively safer.
• Matagi Suji: tiles that “straddle” an opponent’s likely central block can still be dangerous.
• Furiten: an opponent cannot ron on a tile they discarded—your repeated discard of it won’t deal in to that player.
• Yakuhai Behavior: seat/round winds and dragons are often dangerous early but can become safer late; open hands change this drastically.

4. Push/Fold Framework

Decide “how far to push” by adding up these factors:

1. Opponent speed/commitment: fresh riichi (especially the ipatsu window) is maximum danger; multiple open melds also signal speed.
2. Your hand value: with mangan-level value you can justify some push; with 1000-point hands, fold cleanly.
3. Wait quality: ryanmen tenpai pushes better; tanki/penchan/kanchan tend to fold.
4. Remaining draws (turn count): later turns reduce returns—lean defensive late.
5. Dealer vs. non-dealer: dealer loss hurts more; dealer continuation has value—avoid large risks as dealer.
6. Score table: leaders favor folding; trailers may need to push—unless someone looks very fast, then minimizing damage can be best.

5. Practical Defense Techniques

• Basic order when folding: ① genbutsu → ② suji (watch matagi) → ③ use kabe logic → ④ re-evaluate honors (early risky / later relatively safer).
• Hold safe tiles proactively: keep 1–2 potential safe tiles while building, so you can pivot to defense.
• Beta-ori vs. Mawashi-uchi: full fold on pure genbutsu, or “spin” through relatively safer tiles to preserve shape and reclaim tenpai later.
• Early/Mid/Late: early honors are volatile; mid-game info improves suji/kabe accuracy; late game—prioritize genbutsu.

6. Worked Examples

Example A: Opponent fresh riichi; you’re iishanten (non-dealer)

Opponent (North) declares riichi. You’re iishanten with part of your hand like [2・3] "6・7" (7・8) [白・白] (9) …
In the ipatsu window, counter-attacking is most dangerous.
Choice: if you have genbutsu, cut them. If not, prefer suji weakened by kabe; honors are generally risky here.
Conclusion: even at iishanten, fold the first turn after riichi and minimize damage.

Example B: You’re dealer, ryanmen tenpai; opponent looks fast with two opens

Your wait is "5・6" (two-sided). You lead the table by a small margin.
Opponent across has 2 open melds → speed signal.
Choice: securing top matters most. If genbutsu runs out you may push, but base plan is safer line to avoid a swing.
Conclusion: favor beta-ori → mawashi-uchi; avoid reckless push that hands over the lead.

Example C: Cheap hand as non-dealer; someone ponned double East early

They show [東・東・東] quickly. Your hand is around 1000 points like [1・2・3] (7・8) "2・3" …
Choice: you’re likely outsped; the return on pushing is thin.
Conclusion: secure safe tiles early and prepare to fold. Avoid risky honors and matagi suji.

7. Practice Methods

• Count safe tiles every hand: what genbutsu exist on the table? what can you keep as potential safeties?
• Push/fold notes: after each hand, write one line: “Which info made me push/fold?” to build repeatable logic.
• Replay review: compare deal-in rates when cutting genbutsu → suji → kabe candidates in order.

8. Related Articles

• Tile Terms: Safety & Dangerous Tiles
• Tile Terms: Winds & Yakuhai

9. What Comes Next

With solid defense, your average placement stabilizes. Finally, in STEP 5 we’ll focus on Experience Through Actual Play: increasing volume and reviewing replays to tighten your push/fold and accelerate improvement.