Even though Akagi got on fake Akagi about using statistics to win hands...

Even though Akagi got on fake Akagi about using statistics to win hands, isn't that essentially what Akagi was doing the whole time? I found that statement oddly ironic.

No, he's good at statistics, he's good at psychology, and he believes in the heart of the tiles.

>and he believes in the heart of the tiles.
I pretty much lost belief when he did that bet with Fake Akagi with forming his hand. Total bullshit.

Akagi fucks with people too.

Fake Akagi had nothing but math. He was a coward who couldn't gamble in tough situation. This is what Akagi was pointing out.

His modus operando was simply to play safe average gains. This may work on ordinary people, but against big betters, this is death sentence. Not only do you give away your tells/queues, you can't adapt. Basically easy meal for the big leagues.

Doesn't help when the series is based around muh occult instincts and shit, which is entertaining in fiction but not really viable in real life.
He'd be great at online mahjong.

He'd get crushed by Nodoka.

Nodoka's not as easily shaken, but that's less relevant online, which is why I said that and not that he'd be great in general.

The INSTINCTS part isn't used that often, most of the time it just completes an existing strategy by saving someone from dealing into a hand or something like that

Poker pro here. The two main strategical approaches to playing limited information player vs player games is Game Theory Optimal (GTO - what fake Akagi is doing) and Exploitative (psychology, adapting to your opponent). Akagi uses both and that is the correct approach. Regarding his "voodoo" it is nonverbal thinking, which is another thing fake Akagi lacked, instead wasting time and constraining himself by articulating his thoughts which is good way to avoid mistakes but prevents some more creative plays.

Akagi reads people and their habits like a book. Then counters them with his own deductions.

Most other big league players use form of experience + deductions + luck.

Akagi is simply god like as he has immense potential to read and cover his own tells.

There is also nothing mystical about reading people and their tells. Its common practice in most professional mind games(poker/chess/rock-paper-scizzor/go/etc).

Reading people and their tells isn't "mystical" in general, I agree. It only becomes "mystical" because Akagi does it at a completely bullshit level, reading someone's entire psychology almost immediately.

What's mystical about it is that the characters can make draw the right tiles.

Every serious game Akagi plays has him patiently learning his opponent. Even with the Fake Akagi vs Akagi, he figures him out while he watches Fake Akagi boast/show tricks.

That's still an awfully short time to figure out someone so thoroughly, although maybe he's encountered a lot of people like that, since he gambles all the time off-screen/panel.

Reminder that akagi lost

Of course. No one can beat Atem.

Why is Kaiji's hair so white?

The stress of gambling got to him early.

Damn straight he did. Nobody beats the King of Games.

he won