Sunday, September 2, 2012

One or Two things about Date Selection

Those who play mahjong (a game similar to card game played by four participants but using a special set of tiles instead of cards) know how important luck is. I play this game a lot and I recorded all the results in the past several years. This provides good statistics to analyse how the luck cycle runs.

First I look at the stems and branches of the month and day together with the hours during which the game goes on. I am surprised to find that the so-called beneficial and harmful elements do not affect the game at all. The colours of the clothing also have nothing to do with inviting good luck or bad luck.

Next I use the QMDJ charts to see what happens. Well, this is more complicated as it also indicates the directions and whether to take offensive or defensive strategies. However, it is quite difficult to apply the technique for a game like mahjong. You have only 25% to select the seat and may be 50% to be assigned the seat you want. Whether you should be offensive or defensive depends on the cards and situations that cannot be predetermined. In this case, date selection is of no use at all.

I seldom use date selection unless I have to do something important and that date selection can help. I select the date and time to sign a listing agreement with a realtor to list a house to sell or to lease and I am more than satisfied with the results. I picked a date to open an account to trade stocks and shares and it proved to be good. However, I do not pick a date to actually buy or sell as I think other factors are more important for such actions. Luck is not everything.

I picked (among several convenient days) the date for my son's wedding. Well, it turned out to be raining for the whole week except that day and there was no unexpected interference. Everyone was happy to enjoy the occasion. That is all. All other things about the marriage depend on other factors. Date selection is not to be praised for success or condemned for failure.

JY

6 comments:

Foon Chik said...

Dear Master Joseph

When you looked at the influence of the stems and branches on your luck in mah jong, did you just look at your own four pillars chart? Or did you compare your luck with the other 3 players?

Best Regards,
Foon


Joseph Yu said...

No, I don't.

JY

Foon Chik said...

Dear Master Joseph

I am a rare mah jong player, and only take part when they need another 'leg', and usually get told off for being too slow because I look at the tiles instead of just feeling them.

I have heard regulars say things like they lose more or (win more) when a certain person is at the table.

Although luck is important in mah jong, could it be that for any set of 4 players, the influence of the interactions between the elements of the players is more important than the influence of timing?


Best Regards,
Foon

Joseph Yu said...

What I notice is that some people win most of the time while some others lose most of the time. It is interesting to find that those who win most of the time may not be good at the game. Some are even lousy players. I also notice that good players are winners more often than losers and this is understandable.

Another thing I notice is that once you make a silly mistake, your luck turns and you will lose. Once you take a risk and win, then it will be your lucky day.

The thing is that win or lose has nothing to do with the stem and branch of the month, day and hour.

JY

lucy ng said...

Master,

any way to turn some luck onto myself?

Joseph Yu said...

Luck 運氣 is just the cycle of qi movement. Follow the natural course and you will be lucky. Struggling to manipulate and change the course, bad luck will be at hand.