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3rd December 2002 - Meanwhile, in Newcastle... Here's a pic of Jaime in Newcastle studying for an MA in International Relations.  "Thank God we weren't playing for money or I'd've been killed." Jaime. The girl sitting on Jaime's left is called Bobo. She comes from Taiwan, as do most of the others in the picture, I think.
Note the black tiles. This black mahjong set was Jaime's farewell present when he left Lang Education Centre, Hiroshima, in September 2001.
29th November 2002 - Ray's Epic Game
However, a little later on...
But then, Ray did it again:
The late Allan Jenkins found out how to play the game, showed me the beginnings of it, but did not practise the latter part.
1st November 2002 - "Tetsuman" at Akadenwa: Tetsuya Is the New "Big Swinging Dick", Ray Replaces David in the Other Direction!
By that time Tetsuya was already surging ahead, several games to the good, and there were still six hours of play remaining, and Master's beer stock to run through. During Yasu's second game, David reached Tenpai every hand, and every time Tetsuya pipped him to the post. At the end of one particularly trying pipping, where David had gon Riichi on san-men machi Tenpai, he expelled his passion by standing up and stalking to the window and back cursing and swearing, after which, play continued.
At 7:30 in the morning we broke up. Tetsuya had made money in 9 out of 10 games he played, and come top in 7 of them, if I read the score sheets aright. Neither Yasu's stamina at the beer bottle nor Jezz's luck could do anything against him, although Jezz finished ahead on +25. Tetsuya raked in a record-breaking Y8310.
30th October 2002 - Kevin Returns to Take Up Mahjong Kevin returned to the mahjong table tonight to resume his studies of the game (see 16th May. He came round to David's and was joined by Hiroko Hurley and Jezz. Don sat in the bishop's seat for the sake of his back and looked on.
Until the time of her parturition draws nigh it seems that Mrs Hurley will be keen to make up the numbers at these Thursday evening practice sessions.
25th October 2002 - Yasu's Night at Kodama We all (Ray, Jezz, David, Noda) headed straight for Kodama tonight. Five of the six tables were busy, but the one in the corner nearest the door was available. The first game was largely taken up with food orders. Mama-san cooked up two large servings of yakimeshi with miso soup, which kept Noda and Ray quiet for a while. In fact, it may have been the food that contributed to Ray's Yakitori remaining on the table at the end of the first game. Later on in the evening Mama cooked up an omlette flavoured with soy sauce for Ray. A little later David also received one, leaving Jezz feeling a bit miffed and out in the cold. But what is to be said against our lady's favours is more than I know. By this time Yasu had rolled in. He did little in the first game, but went from strength to strength thereafter, finishing top in the third, fourth and fifth games. Noda left after the third game, ahead by 40 points and Ray's Yakitori fine to the good. The jansou was beginning to empty and we switched to the table in the far corner, where Yasu's nocturnal prowess manifested itself. By the end of the evening's play the reckoning stood as follows, and when you look at it you will see why I am reluctant to attempt to reproduce it as a table. Noda left early so Jezz paid him off and Ray's Yakitori fine was transferred between the parties:
18th October 2002 - Ray and Noda Seesaw (or How "Down-then-Up" Is Better than "Up-then-Down") If ever there was a fellow who gave the lie to the phrase "the luck of the Irish" it must be Ray. Jezz, Ray and David all skipped noodles at Bizenya and went directly to Akadenwa where they played one game before Noda arrived - straight from Hiroshima airport after returning from a business trip to Tokyo. Since Master tends to lose quite often when he makes up the numbers at a table, Jezz suggested that he join us, which he did. In that first game Ray was repeatedly pipped to the post, as if to illustrate the point that E. N. Whitney makes in A Mahjong Handbook: "...in mahjong, unlike most gambling games, it is not the highest handRay was the only player down at the end of the game, with his Yakitori tessera still on the table in front of him. Master was top... By now Yasu had also joined us so we made up two tables of three players each. Yasu, Master and Jezz at the one by the door, Noda, Ray and David at the middle table. At the middle table things started well for Johnny Foreigner. Noda threw away the Six of Coins; David cried Ron! on a hand that contained seven bonus tiles. Ray looked at the tile and after a dramatic pause also said Ron. Noda's tray was nearly empty. Ray then racked up a series of wins, largely at the expense of Noda who at one stage was on -60. But the game was not over. Noda recovered his form, and by the end of two games was top dog on the middle table. Icarus-like, Ray rose too high too fast and got burnt. David chugged along, never rising through the dizzying stratosphere nor yet burning too badly when he crashed. His Chombo is worth noting, however.
11th October 2002 - Yasu Cleans Up at Akadenwa! It being the Mrs's birthday, I was unable to attend the evening's proceedings. Noda, Ray, Jezz and Yasu played at Akadenwa. Apparently, after Noda had left, the intrepid remnant played on and Yasu cleaned up in the final game, which left Jezz down at the end of the evening for the first time since 19th July 2002). The foreboding was there, I hear, as it would have been the thirteenth victory, had he won, and on a Friday too.
Well done to Jezz for setting the record, and to Yasu for bringing it to an end! 4th October 2002 - Smile Smiles on Jezz Tonight's session took place at Smile. Noda, Ray, Jezz and David played a game before Yasu and Tetsuya arrived and made up a second table. At the end of the first game the scores were:
Meanwhile, on the other table, Yasu found himself once again with his Yakitori on the table at the end of the game. Tetsuya was the only winner, although Ray was also in the black after that game, his loss at the table being less than Yasu's Yakitori fee. By the end of the second part of the evening, when Noda and Ray called it a night, the scores stood as follows:
In the meantime he had been joined by Mari, and they, together with David and Yasu, headed for Mac, where Jezz managed to swiftly give back his winnings with beers all round after tipping over the Jenga tower.
26th July-27th September 2002 - Summer Slips Her Leash I have of late been somewhat preoccuppied with circumstances beyond my control.
Thus wanton summer hath slipped her leash In short, it's been a while since I filed a report about the state of play in the Hiroshima Cock'seye Mahjong Club and I must admit that nowadays most matters, be they of never so great and bulging a salience, albeit though they occurred but a few short hours ago, wain swiftly in the memory's orbit. But I have by me a Kodama-Jansou score sheet dated 26th July 2002. It records the beginning of our miseries and so I shall faithfully deliver it unto you:
The following week Jezz, Ray, Noda, David and Yasu assembled at Kodama. I do not have the score sheet with me. The week after, on 9th August, David was in Budapest, but J, R, N and Y spent the night at Akadenwa. They told me who won, but I forget. Since then every Friday has seen us gathering at Bizenya for ramen before heading up to Akadenwa, which is just two doors away. Akadenwa Papa's cooking skills have lately reached a new heights of epicurian ambition inasmuch as he now and then heats up a few mouldy chips, dishes them out six to a saucer garnished with a tooth pick, and serves with all the ceremony of a members' dinner at Whites and with much solicitation as to the taking of precautions in due regard the excessive heat of their luke warm bodies. He also fetches bowls of ramen or dishes of rice from Bizenya for hungry players. In this he excels. Ray noted that Akadenwa Papa can probably get his orders from Bizenya and up to the mahjong parlour swifter than Bizenya can deliver orders to customers in the shop. Be that as it may, it has now become a common thing to greet Akadenwa Papa in Bizenya rather than in Akadenwa. Strumpets and Jezibels! I have mislaid all the score sheets that lay loosely betwixt the one I set out just before and the one that comes hereafter. If anybody can remember what happened between these sheets, please drop me a line. I discover a note in my diary, which reminds me that Yoko and a friend of hers joined us at Akadenwa on 23rd August. That day David had a total of Y5,100 in his pocket, which was exactly how much his table debts and jansou fee came to. So he walked home without a yen in his pockets, but owing the world nothing. I see another note, undated, telling me that Ray did Jezz, David and Yasu the courtesy of subsidizing their evening to the tune of Y4,830, with somewhat less than a half going to Jezz, one sixth going to Yasu and the remaining portion to David. David absented himself from the game on 20th September and is therefore unable to report upon the events of that evening. The next night was his stag night, so called. Akadenwa Papa offered to open Akadenwa, the Cock'seye Mahjong Club assented, and so we spent much of the night there on the 21st September as well. The party included Noda, Yasu, Ray, Jezz, Tim, Tetsuya. Akie also turned up, and somebody else. Tim and David baled out and headed for Toriwaka's, missing Brendan and Don who popped into Akadenwa later but had gone by the time they returned. David lost at the table all night. Unlucky at gambling, lucky in - what?... Jezz won again. 27th September 2002 - Six Players, Two Tables, One Winner Once again, we assembled at Bizenya and then went up to Akadenwa. In the first game David was comfortably ahead until the very last hand when, hoping to finish off the game in the black, he went reach, and promptly suffered a double Ron with the wretched 5-coins (not a red one) from Jezz and Noda to end up at the bottom of the heap on -37. At some stage Ray completed Suuanko, which is his speciality, and the master generously supplied him with a soft drink as a prize. (What happened to free beer?) By that time Yasu had joined us and Tetsuya came rushing in in time to make up a second table. But, by the end of the evening everybody was down, except Jezz, who has not lost since 26th July. You go Riichi, waiting for three possible tiles to finish. Then Jezz goes Riichi, waiting for one, of which but one remains in play. Then somebody throws a tile that you don't need and you grind your teeth as Jezz goes "Ron!" What was it old Kipling wrote about treating "those two imposters just the same"?
The Rest of This Year's News (Much of this info got lost... Details will be reconstructed from memory if and when they can be remembered and photos will be restored if and when they can be or found...)
19th July 2002 - Record Attendance for Neil's Visit
  6th July 2002 - Jezz Wins Back Some of His Cash 28th June 2002 - Noda San: The New Big Swinging Dick! 21st June 2002 - Jezz is Back 14th June 2002 - Yasu Ends His Duck 31st May 2002 - Oguri Tetsuya Joins Our Circle 24th May 2002 - Yasu's Double Yakitori 16th May 2002 - Introducing Kevin Sirface 10th May 2002 - Kodama Full; Back to Akadenwa, Again 3rd May 2002 - "All Female Staff" at After Five The remarkable thing about this mahjong parlour, located in Dobashi, Hiroshima, is that despite the advertising blurb proclaiming that it had an "all female staff", we were greeted by a man when we rushed upstairs. Not only that, but there was not a single woman to be found on the premises! 2nd May 2002 - Four-Player Mahjong at David's 19th April 2002 - Akadenwa Papa Pulls a Fast One 12th April 2002 - Back to Bizenya and Akadenwa Papa 5th April 2002 - Nowt, But Not For Owt 25th March 2002 - Yoko's Yakitori The game took place at "Smile" mahjong parlour in Kanayamacho, Hiroshima. Yoko lost hand after hand and has not been seen since... 14th March 2002 - "Introducing 3-Player Mahjong"
 8th March 2002 - Allan's Mother Visits Akadenwa 1st March 2002 - Chinitsu Chitoi 28th February 2002 - The Last Game at David's Old Flat (301 Yasuda Building)  22nd February 2002 - Smile Mahjong! 15th February 2002 - Ray's Recovery 9th-10th February 2002 - All Night Mahjong Party in Memory of the Late Allan Jenkins   
8th February 2002 - Four Mourners Play Mahjong at Akadenwa 4th February 2002 - Allan in Fatal Motorcycle Accident 1st February 2002 - Farewell Mama-san! 25th January 2002 - Yasu Drinks Hurley Under the Mahjong Table David found himself losing big time and decided that under the circumstances the best thing to do was to keep drinking. In fact, an even better idea seemed to be to try and out-drink BF Yasu. David ordered a beer. Yasu ordered a beer. David had not swigged the beer so far down as the top of the label when Yasu, almost apologetically, called for another beer. David downed his beer and gamely ordered another beer to keep up. But at best he was doomed to play "keep-up" all night, or for at least as much time as he could stave off the easier option of plain and simple "give up". Yet somehow, in the last game, where he was seeing 26 tiles where there were only 13, David managed to finish ahead with his best performance of the evening.
David had to stop a couple of times on the way home to throw up. Yasu, for his part, strolled off none the worse for wear.
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Jezz, Yasu and Noda.
