Michał Tkaczyk

Region

Kraków, Poland, Europe

Joined

Spring 2026

Achievements

1st place — Retro Mahjong Taikai 2024 (local) 8th place — Budapest Riichi Open 2026 (EMA) Certified WRC Referee Main organizer of regular riichi meetings in Kraków, Poland

Background

"I have been connected to Japanese culture since my early teens, originally through martial arts. I trained in judo and ju jitsu for seven years, and then spent another seven years as a certified referee. This experience shaped my approach to discipline, focus, and calm decision making. I discovered riichi at the end of 2021 through a minigame in a larger game series. The mechanics immediately caught my attention, and I decided to learn the rules properly. In 2022 I played riichi live for the first time, and in 2023 I participated in my first EMA tournament in Mysłowice, Poland. Since then, I have been actively developing my skills and competing regularly. I have played in more than 30 tournaments of various levels across Europe, continuously refining my strategic approach and table discipline. My dream is to play at the World Riichi Championship, and, if the opportunity ever comes, to compete in a Saikyōsen event in Japan.