Alex Ho knows his pungs, kongs and chows better than you do. That’s how he won a half million US dollars
As the old ABBA song instructs, “The winner takes it all.” No need to tell Alex Ho Kwok Hung, 34, a Hong Konger who recently became the world’s top mahjong player by beating 301 contestants in a three-day World Mahjong Series held at the Wynn Macau. The tournament, organized by World Mahjong Ltd, drew players from 15 countries by offering prizes totaling US$1 million. At last year’s tournament, the first of its kind, the victor was also from Hong Kong. Does this say something about our special genius for the game? Possibly, says Ho, but not necessarily: luck is a vital factor in the game. Ho, a financial advisor at AIA, tells power how the wheel of fortune helped him earn the $500,000 first prize, and muses on whether Hong Kongers would ever deign to pick up a tile if money wasn’t at stake.
Most of power’s readers are familiar with mahjong, but some are not. As world champion, tell us how you view the game. Is it just a card game played with noisy tiles?
I think mahjong is different from a card game as there are a lot more variations with mahjong. It is our nation’s cultural heritage, and the 144 tiles … it’s a game that is under your control and manipulation. Of course, luck is the most important element, but it is crucial to have skills too and the game can train your brain. I have heard some elderly people saying that mahjong can prevent dementia. For card games, there is less variation as the game is decided upon the cards that you received. In mahjong, there are many more possibilities.
Are you able to remember the tiles that your opponents discard and guess what tiles they need to win the round? Are there any other tricks?
Yes, I do remember the tiles people discard. I normally observe the facial expression of the other three opponents and keep control of my own expression too … of course I mean during competition, not in the games I play with my friends. In competition, I will try to keep my movements consistent as I am aware that there are a lot of very skilful mahjong players around.
I will try to avoid movements that will give myself away. Of course, it was inevitable to feel nervous during the tournament, but after two or three games … sometimes I would just smile when I got some bad combination of tiles and I would say to myself, “When are you coming back, my friends [the good tiles]?” to make myself less tense. I would take things slowly, and eventually it would go smoother. I would take note of the tiles that the other three opponents discarded and that required more brainpower compared with the games played with friends.
Have you been in other mahjong competitions? Did you win in any of them?
No, this was my first time.
How did you prepare for this year’s tournament?
I did not prepare for the tournament at all. I just came and played. I heard that on the 18th [the day before the competition began] there were some sessions open for practice, but I didn’t join in.
Did you study the rules and scoring system before the match?
No, I didn’t. I was very casual about this tournament. I just wanted to participate in the World Series and I didn’t make any preparation at all. Of course, I would be lying if I say I did not have any expectation when I joined the competition. My aim was to get to the top 32. Besides, my luck with mahjong has always been quite good and I won quite a lot of games when I played with my friends, and this fostered me to join this competition.
So you didn’t come because of the cash prize?
I did, for the cash prize of the top 32 – $5,000 [laughs]. I had not thought of getting the first prize, and perhaps it’s the reason I could keep my calm in the last round and play casually.
How did you get interested in mahjong?
It started when I was very small, around eight years old. There were a lot of family gatherings at that time, around once a month. My father and his brothers would play mahjong every time they met and I would be nosy and would observe on the side, and tried to practice along. I would play with my cousins while the adults were having their own game. This was how I started to get in touch with mahjong.
And your parents didn’t stop you from playing?
No, they did not. I think it’s fine as long as you do not gamble and indulge in the game. It’s after all a game about skills and it should not be treated as a form of gambling. It’s different from playing cards in casinos in Macau, which is gambling. It’s more about skills. I guess I’d say I started playing mahjong regularly when I was around 12 or 13, but it was only after I was 18 or 19, after I graduated and started working, that I started to play the game with money.
And does each round cost a lot?
No. It’s within my financial capability.
But you mentioned you did not care much about winning money from the game.
Of course I do want to win, but the process is fun too.
Were there other reasons for you to join the World Series of Mahjong?
I think it was also an opportunity for me to meet other mahjong players from around the world and to learn from each other. The way mahjong is played really varies in different countries. For example, the way Japanese, other foreigners and Chinese play the game is very different.
How did you get to know about this tournament?
In fact, I knew about it last year, but I didn’t join because I had to pay the registration fee ($5,000). This year, I registered through Cityline. I took a quiz on the website and they sponsored my registration.
How often do you play mahjong?
Actually I have not been playing mahjong for a long time. Some of my friends are really busy and some refused to play as they kept losing money ... so I haven’t been playing much in the past year. During my prime I played four times a week, but this lasted for only two to three months. When I was young, when I was in my 20s, I would play all night long, but not now. I don’t have the stamina.
How do you plan to spend your cash prize?
I am going to give a portion to my family, to my brother. Then I am going to buy a car, and invest some in shares.
At this time?
Of course! I should buy when the shares are low, you cannot just go with the flow and buy when everyone does. You should withdraw when everyone thinks the market is doing good, and invest when everyone panics. I learned that from Warren Buffet [laughs]. Being a financial advisor myself, I would look more on the investment side.
What are the qualities that enabled you to win this year’s championship?
I think it’s because I could keep my cool throughout the whole competition and I was able to grasp every opportunity. In the last round, there were 16 games in total, and I did not do well in the first 14. I did not really start off well and I did not think of winning the first prize. I just wanted a Hong Konger to be the champion, to be honest. On the other hand, I felt that somehow it’s about fate, if you were destined to be the champion, there would be an opportunity for you to rise to it. And my chance came in the second-to-last game, and I jumped at it. Even if you had bad tiles, you still had to continue with the game, you just have to play on with a smile. This happened in the past when I was playing with my friends.
Did you win the last game by drawing the winning tile yourself?
Actually, I do not remember! I just remember the Pure Hand. Do not trust what the newspapers report! Some said I drew the winning tile myself, some said the Japanese player discarded the winning tile, which was the Character Three Suit tile. I don’t remember whether I drew it myself or the Japanese discarded it. In my faintest memory, I did draw the tile, but some reports said that the Japanese discarded the winning tiles for both the last two games, which happened to be the Character Three Suit tile in both hands. So I am confused myself, too. I only remember the Pure Hand as it turned the table around. In the last game, I just thought of winning as soon as possible.
Can stupid people be good, or great, at mahjong?
In terms of the competition, if you are stupid, you may not even get into the top 16. I believe that to get into the top 16 or top eight, each player has an equal share of chance. For instance, you may get luck in a certain round, but the others will get it in the next. I really believe that luck will go round the table and will not just stay with one person. So if everyone has an equal chance, when an opportunity comes, it becomes crucial whether you are able to make good use of it. What comes second is your skills, and whether you can react quickly. It really helps if you are able to think quickly. Those who are stupid may totally depend on luck. Mahjong involves a lot of strategic planning.
Mahjong skills can be learned, right?
Yes sure, it just comes with practice. On the first day of the tournament, I was not familiar with the rules and scoring system, but after spending a day in the games, I became familiar with the system. Besides, I was always interested in numbers and calculation and my friends have always complimented me on that ... so it helps if you know the rules and how the scores were calculated. Of course, I would not disclose my tricks [laughs]. I need to save them for next year.
Is mahjong worth playing if the ability to win money is taken away? Would Hong Kongers play mahjong for no stakes?
I think it’s still worth playing. You can’t look at it purely as a form of gambling. It also helps to develop friendships. And the Japanese don’t play mahjong for money. They play for the skills; whereas other foreigners play the game out of interest, or as a form of entertainment. But I don’t think Hong Kongers would play mahjong if money were not involved. After all, Chinese are compulsive gamblers.
What did your family think about your decision to join the tournament?
They didn’t oppose it and they encouraged me to have fun in the game. No one has expected me to win, not even myself.
