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If These Tiles Could Talk

If These Tiles Could Talk

My Friend Calls Blanks the Devil

Oct 5, 2026 · 9 min · 6 segments

One of my Mahj friends calls blanks **the devil.** Another says they give you **hope,** although she only plays with two, so apparently we're rationing hope around here. Me? I prefer no blanks. I…

One of my Mahj friends calls blanks **the devil.** Another says they give you **hope,** although she only plays with two, so apparently we're rationing hope around here. Me? I prefer no blanks. I play and teach NMJL rules, but there's another reason: I actually like what happens when the tile you need is gone, and Mahjong asks, **“Now what?”** We’re talking blanks, house rules, learning to pivot, and why I can understand the appeal of a little Mahjong hope… while still leaving those blanks in the box. And if you invite me to your table and you play with blanks? I'll honor your house rules. Will I accept a second invitation? I’ll need to check my calendar. If you’d like to continue the conversation beyond the podcast, I invite you to explore my books:⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cris-Bonser/author/B0GL96J5S8

One of my Mahj friends calls blanks **the devil.** Another says they give you **hope,** although she only plays with two, so apparently we're rationing hope around here. Me? I prefer no blanks. I…

Speakers: Cris BonserHost

Top entities: Mahjong×6

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈115 followers

Hope with Boundaries1:53 – 3:44

Cris BonserHost

1:53

But there's also a strategy reason I prefer to leave them in the box.

Cris BonserHost

1:58

And that brings me back to my two friends.

Cris BonserHost

2:01

Friend number one doesn't require much explanation.

Cris BonserHost

2:04

Blanks.

Cris BonserHost

2:05

The devil.

Cris BonserHost

2:07

There's really not a whole lot of nuance here.

Cris BonserHost

2:09

She has taken a position, and every time she says it, I giggle.

Cris BonserHost

2:13

I'm not personally prepared to assign quite that much spiritual significance to a magenta.

Cris BonserHost

2:19

But I appreciate the conviction.

Cris BonserHost

2:21

Then there's my other friend.

Cris BonserHost

2:24

She says blanks give you hope.

Cris BonserHost

2:26

And initially I thought, hope? But the more I thought about it, okay.

Cris BonserHost

2:31

I can see that.

Cris BonserHost

2:32

Because a blank isn't necessarily about undoing a mistake, sure, maybe you discarded something and three turns later realized, oh, oh, I needed that.

Cris BonserHost

2:43

But maybe you knew perfectly well that you needed the tile when it was discarded.

Cris BonserHost

2:48

You just couldn't take it.

Cris BonserHost

2:49

Maybe it was part of a single or a pair.

Cris BonserHost

2:52

Can't call it.

Cris BonserHost

2:53

Maybe it would eventually work in a pung or a kong, but when it was discarded, you didn't have enough natural tiles or jokers to make the exposure.

Cris BonserHost

3:01

Can't call it.

Cris BonserHost

3:03

Maybe at that exact moment in the game, there was simply nothing you could do.

Cris BonserHost

3:08

And then a few turns later, you draw something.

Cris BonserHost

3:11

Your hand changes.

Cris BonserHost

3:13

Suddenly, that tile sitting in the discard pile is exactly the tile you need and wish you could have.

Cris BonserHost

3:21

And a blank says, maybe.

MahjongGameGame
50%6 mentions

Society
Leisure and recreationSociety
Tile GamesGames
MahjongGames > Tile Games
American MahjongGames > Tile Games > Mahjong
National Mah Jongg League strategyGames > Tile Games > Mahjong > American Mahjong
Mahjong tilesGames > Tile Games > Mahjong
Blank tiles as optional wild or replacement tilesGames > Tile Games > Mahjong > Mahjong tiles
Game strategyGames > Tile Games > Mahjong
Game instructionEducation
Mahjong instructionEducation > Game instruction
American Mahjong lessonsEducation > Game instruction > Mahjong instruction
Social gamingSociety > Leisure and recreation
Mahjong house rulesSociety > Leisure and recreation > Social gaming
Education
Games

Hope with Boundaries1:53 – 3:44

Cris BonserHost

1:53

But there's also a strategy reason I prefer to leave them in the box.

Cris BonserHost

1:58

And that brings me back to my two friends.

Cris BonserHost

2:01

Friend number one doesn't require much explanation.

Cris BonserHost

2:04

Blanks.

Cris BonserHost

2:05

The devil.

Cris BonserHost

2:07

There's really not a whole lot of nuance here.

Cris BonserHost

2:09

She has taken a position, and every time she says it, I giggle.

Cris BonserHost

2:13

I'm not personally prepared to assign quite that much spiritual significance to a magenta.

Cris BonserHost

2:19

But I appreciate the conviction.

Cris BonserHost

2:21

Then there's my other friend.

Cris BonserHost

2:24

She says blanks give you hope.

Cris BonserHost

2:26

And initially I thought, hope? But the more I thought about it, okay.

Cris BonserHost

2:31

I can see that.

Cris BonserHost

2:32

Because a blank isn't necessarily about undoing a mistake, sure, maybe you discarded something and three turns later realized, oh, oh, I needed that.

Cris BonserHost

2:43

But maybe you knew perfectly well that you needed the tile when it was discarded.

Cris BonserHost

2:48

You just couldn't take it.

Cris BonserHost

2:49

Maybe it was part of a single or a pair.

Cris BonserHost

2:52

Can't call it.

Cris BonserHost

2:53

Maybe it would eventually work in a pung or a kong, but when it was discarded, you didn't have enough natural tiles or jokers to make the exposure.

Cris BonserHost

3:01

Can't call it.

Cris BonserHost

3:03

Maybe at that exact moment in the game, there was simply nothing you could do.

Cris BonserHost

3:08

And then a few turns later, you draw something.

Cris BonserHost

3:11

Your hand changes.

Cris BonserHost

3:13

Suddenly, that tile sitting in the discard pile is exactly the tile you need and wish you could have.

Cris BonserHost

3:21

And a blank says, maybe.

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