Detecting Yakuman Attempts

In response to my own entry about Scoring Yakuman, here is the counter-article: Detecting Yakuman Attempts.  Naturally, this is how to defend against them.

Under all cases, a yakuman attempt can be defeated by winning a cheaper hand.  However, this is the easy explanation.  The tell-tale signs of the yakuman attempt must be determined first.

• Kokushi musou.  The first six discards should be an indicator of an attempt, which consists of tiles meant for tanyao.  If discarded tiles form taatsu, then it is even more apparent.  Usually, tenpai occurs fair late for 9starters.  The fast ones may have fairly early honor/terminal discards.
• Suuankou.  This is difficult to detect, as tiles needed for suuankou is literally any tile.  In the event of riichi, then standard defense methods would suffice.
• Daisangen.  The dragon tiles should be tracked, where if there are none or few visible, then a player wants them.  The attempt is most apparent where two are called and the third type cannot be accounted for.
• Shousuushii and Daisuushii.  Count the winds.  They're usually some of the earliest tiles discarded.  If they are few and far in-between, then someone is holding them.  This warning is to especially be heeded when one player possesses two wind pons.
• Tsuuiisou.  A low count of honor tiles in discards may indicate possession of them by one player.
• Chinroutou.  Similar as suushiishou.  Just as winds are counted there, the terminals are involved here.
• Ryuuiisou.  This requires paying attention to the green tiles.  If a player called for green tiles, then it may be necessary to assess the count of green tiles.
• Chuuren poutou.  Difficult to detect as chuuren.  However, the hand state as a honitsu/chinitsu by discards should be enough for a player to be wary.  In particular, the 1's and 9's should be given attention to.
• Suukantsu.  This is obvious when kans are being collected.  Upon tenpai, it's a matter of avoiding the tanki wait.
• Tenhou/Chiihou.  Impossible to detect, as they are won on player's first draws.  Chiihou is at least preventable with tile calls; but even then, such play is not recommended.