A low score is good in 101 Okey because the game is scored as penalties, and the player with the fewest points wins.

The finisher earns minus 101, which subtracts from their total, while a player who never opens is hit with plus 202. Tiles left in your hand at the end also add points. Over several rounds, these totals accumulate, and the lowest running score takes the match. This inverted scoring is why finishing quickly and opening reliably matter so much: every point you avoid brings you closer to winning.