Riichi Mahjong Player Guide
This guide is primarily use as a quick refresher for new players I play with in-person. If I've sent this to you, hopefully you'll have some fun! Dont worry too much about scoring - we're (hopefully) not gambling!
The Tiles
The Sticks suit (Usually call "souzu"), The 1 of sticks is usually a bird.
The Pin suit (Usually called "pinzu")
The Number suit (Usually called "manzu")
Honor tiles, consisting of 4 winds (East, South, West & North) and 3 dragons (White, Green & Red)
Basic Hands
The goal of Mahjong is to create a hand with 14 titles. This hand contains 4 sets of 3 and a pair. Like so:
Sets of 3 can either be a sequence or three of a kind.
Three of a kind:
Sequence:
(You cannot make a sequence out of the honor tiles like dragons or winds!)
On your turn
Each turn begins with you drawing a tile from the wall, this draw should bring your hand to 14 titles. Once drawn, you can either:
- Declare that the drawn tile won you the game (Tsumo)
- Discard a tile from your hand, returning it to 13 tiles
When you discard a tile, other players have the option of "stealing" it.
Any player can take the tile to make 3 of a kind
(Pon)
Only the player after you can take the
tile to make a sequence (Chi)
If a player takes the tile, they must place the sequence or 3 of a kind to their right open for everyone to see.
This continues until somebody either draws a tile to complete their hand (Tsumo) or they "steal" the tile from someone to complete their hand (Ron).
You can steal for 3 of a kind from
any player, but you can only take a
sequence from the player
before you.
You can steal for
anything if it wins you the game.
Yaku & Scoring
Riichi Mahjong scoring can be a little confusing - especially for new casual players.
You start with 25,000 points, the game ends after each player has been dealer once & if someone has 30,000 points, or if someone has negative points.
The value of a hand is determined by the amount of Yaku & Fu. As a beginner you should use a scoring calculator, but it's important to know some basic Yakus' since you'll need at least 1 in your hand to score points.
Here's a few easy to remember Yakus:
- Menzenchin tsumohou (Closed hand)
- Not stealing any tiles, and drawing your winning tile.
- Riichi (Closed Hand)
- Announce you are 1 tile from winning with a closed hand. You must discard all draws unless they win you the game. You can win from Drawing or "stealing" (Ron)
- Tanyao (Can be open or closed)
- Win without 1, 9 or Honor tiles in your hand.
- Yakuhai (Can be open or closed)
- Have at least 1 set of dragons, Round winds, or Seat winds in your hand.
- Toitoi (Can be open or closed)
- All 3 of a kind & 1 pair
If you won by drawing (Tsumo) the point value of your hand is taken from everyone's points, If you won by stealing (Ron) the point value of your hand is taken from that players points. If you think someone is about to win make sure you dont discard the tile they need!