Name

Japanese

Han value

Closed/Open

Ready hand

rīchi – 立直, リーチ

1

Closed only

This yaku is often called reach because its Japanese name is phonetically similar to the English word. When a player's hand needs only one tile to win (tenpai) and the player has not claimed another players' discards to make open melds, then the player has the option to declare rīchi. Otherwise, the player may continue to play with a ready hand without making a declaration.

Conditions after declaration

To make a declaration, the player calls out “rīchi”, discards their tile sideways, and places a 1,000-point stick on the table as a deposit. From this point onward, the player must discard any drawn tile that does not allow them to win. Also, they may not change the content of their hand under any circumstances, with the exception of declaring valid closed quads.

When all four players successfully declare ready, a hand ends as an abortive draw. Players show their hands to confirm they are tenpai or suffer a chombo penalty.

In some rules, a player can declare ready only when there are four or more tiles remaining in the wall, which means the player needs to be able to draw another tile. The player owes no penalty if other players make open melds or closed quads after the declaration that prevents the player from drawing another tile.

Underneath dora

When players declare ready and win, they can have access to underneath dora indicator tiles. This includes tiles underneath the dora indicators revealed by kan calls.

1,000-point rīchi sticks

The winner of the hand receives any rīchi deposits. In the case of multiple winners, they split the deposits amongst themselves.

When draws occur after ready hand declarations, any 1,000-point rīchi sticks remain deposited near the counters and the next winner receives those rīchi deposits.

Claiming a rīchi discard

If another player claims a rīchi discard to make open melds, the player who declared ready discards the next tile sideways. If a rīchi discard is called to win at the time, the declaration is considered incomplete and therefore the rīchi stick is not forfeited.

Declaring closed quads

A closed quad can be declared after a declaration of ready when the fourth tile of a triplet is drawn. However, the quad must not otherwise change the composition of the hand or its waits. For example, when a player has {{nowrap begin}}Image:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{nowrap end}}, they can declare a closed quad when drawing the fourth Image:MJt7.png. However, when they have {{nowrap begin}}Image:MJt5.pngImage:MJt6.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{nowrap end}} waiting for Image:MJt4.png, Image:MJt7.png or Image:MJd1.png, they cannot declare a quad when drawing Image:MJt7.png because Image:MJt7.png and Image:MJd1.png would no longer be winning tiles.

Double-ready

daburu rīchi – ダブルリーチ, or daburii – ダブリー

2

Closed only

If a player can declare ready within the first go-around of a hand, they can call "daburu rīchi" to declare a double ready for two han instead of one. All other conditions are the same as declaring a normal ready.

Seven pairs

chiitoitsu – 七対子, or chiitoi – 七対

2

Closed only

Image:MJw3.pngImage:MJw3.pngImage:MJt1.pngImage:MJt1.pngImage:MJt5.pngImage:MJt5.pngImage:MJs1bird.pngImage:MJs1bird.pngImage:MJs8.pngImage:MJf1.pngImage:MJf1.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{pad|1em}}Image:MJs8.png

A hand composed of seven pairs is considered a valid hand in Japanese mahjong. The hand is one of the two exceptions to the rule requiring winning hands to have four melds and a pair, the other being thirteen orphans. The hand also has its own special rules for scoring. The format of this yaku does not count iipeikō when three pairs are in sequence. The hand of ryanpeikō does not count as including seven pairs.

In general Japanese rules, all seven pairs must be unique, that is, the same four tiles may not be split into two pairs. Some rules accept the four same tiles, for instance in Kansai region.

Name

Japanese

Han value

Closed/Open

Ready hand

rīchi – 立直, リーチ

1

Closed only

This yaku is often called reach because its Japanese name is phonetically similar to the English word. When a player's hand needs only one tile to win (tenpai) and the player has not claimed another players' discards to make open melds, then the player has the option to declare rīchi. Otherwise, the player may continue to play with a ready hand without making a declaration.

Conditions after declaration

To make a declaration, the player calls out “rīchi”, discards their tile sideways, and places a 1,000-point stick on the table as a deposit. From this point onward, the player must discard any drawn tile that does not allow them to win. Also, they may not change the content of their hand under any circumstances, with the exception of declaring certain closed quads.

In some rules, a player can declare ready only when there are four or more tiles remaining in the wall, which means the player needs to be able to draw another tile. The player owes no penalty if other players make open melds or closed quads after the declaration that prevents the player from drawing another tile.

When all four players successfully declare ready, a hand ends as an abortive draw. Players show their hands to confirm they are tenpai or suffer a chombo penalty.

Underneath dora

When players declare ready and win, they can have access to underneath dora indicator tiles. This may include tiles underneath the dora indicators revealed by kan calls.

Rīchi deposits

The winner of the hand receives any 1,000-point rīchi sticks. In the case of multiple winners, they split the deposits amongst themselves. When draws occur after ready hand declarations, any rīchi deposits carry-over and are placed near the counters, with the next winner receiving those rīchi deposits.

Claiming a rīchi discard

If another player claims a rīchi discard to make open melds, the player who declared ready discards the next tile sideways. If a rīchi discard is called to win at the time, the declaration is considered incomplete and therefore the rīchi deposit is not forfeited.

Declaring closed quads

A closed quad can be declared after a declaration of ready when the fourth tile of a triplet is drawn. However, the quad must not otherwise change the composition of the hand or its waits. For example, when a player has {{nowrap begin}}Image:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{nowrap end}}, they can declare a closed quad when drawing the fourth Image:MJt7.png. However, when they have {{nowrap begin}}Image:MJt5.pngImage:MJt6.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJt7.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{nowrap end}} waiting for Image:MJt4.png, Image:MJt7.png or Image:MJd1.png, they cannot declare a quad when drawing Image:MJt7.png because Image:MJt7.png and Image:MJd1.png would no longer be winning tiles.

Seven pairs

chiitoitsu – 七対子, or chiitoi – 七対

2

Closed only

Image:MJw3.pngImage:MJw3.pngImage:MJt1.pngImage:MJt1.pngImage:MJt5.pngImage:MJt5.pngImage:MJs1bird.pngImage:MJs1bird.pngImage:MJs8.pngImage:MJf1.pngImage:MJf1.pngImage:MJd1.pngImage:MJd1.png{{pad|1em}}Image:MJs8.png

A hand composed of seven pairs is considered a valid hand in Japanese mahjong. The hand is one of the two exceptions to the rule requiring winning hands to have four melds and a pair, the other being thirteen orphans. The hand also has its own special rules for scoring. The format of this yaku does not count iipeikō when three pairs are in sequence. The hand of ryanpeikō does not count as including seven pairs.

In general Japanese rules, all seven pairs must be unique, that is, the same four tiles may not be split into two pairs. Some rules accept the four same tiles, for instance in Kansai region.

[All, other, declare x 2, for, two, can x 2, same, daburii, han, declaring, ready x 4, of x 2, only, To, they, hand, player, a x 4, normal, or, within, chi x 2, double, one, instead, declaration, Double, the x 2, call, 2, as, r x 2, Closed, daburu x 2, conditions, If, first][All, other, declare x 2, for, two, around, can x 2, same, daburii, han, are, declaring, ready x 4, of x 2, only, they, hand, player, a x 4, normal, or, within, chi x 2, double, one, go, instead, Double, the x 2, call, as, 2, r x 2, Closed, daburu x 2, to, conditions, If, first]

Name

Japanese

Han value

Closed/Open

Self-pick

menzenchin tsumohō – 門前清自摸和, or shortly tsumo – 自摸, ツモ

1

Closed only

When a player has a closed hand and draws a winning tile from the wall or the dead wall, one han is added including when the hand previously had no yaku. Open hands are not applicable.

One-shot

ippatsu – 一発

1

Closed only, rīchi only

If a player declares ready and then completes their hand within one go-around of play, it adds one han to the hand’s value. The winning tile can be either a discard or a self-drawn tile. One-shot no longer applies when another player makes an open meld.

Last tile from the wall

haitei raoyue – 海底撈月, or haitei – 海底

1

Closed/Open

If the last self-drawn tile that the last player draws before reaching the dead wall completes that player's hand, the hand’s value increases by one han. Haitei raoyue means "to scoop up the reflected moon from the seabed."

Last discard

hōtei raoyui – 河底撈魚, or hōtei – 河底

1

Closed/Open

One han is added if a player wins on the last discard, that is, the tile discarded by the last player that drew the last tile from the wall. This hand is sometimes also referred to as haitei. Hōtei raoyui means "to scoop up a swimming fish from the riverbed."

Dead wall draw

rinshan kaihō – 嶺上開花, or rinshan – 嶺上

1

Closed/Open

When a player declares a quad, they must draw a supplemental tile from the dead wall to keep the number of tiles in the hand consistent. If that tile completes the hand, it adds one han to the hand’s value. Rinshan kaihō means "a flower blooms on a ridge".

Sometimes the pao (包) rule is applied to this yaku, that is, if a player claims a discard to make an open quad and then completes their hand with a tile drawn from the dead wall, the player who discarded the tile is responsible for paying the entire amount for the hand.

Robbing a quad

chankan – 搶槓, 槍槓

1

Closed/Open

If a player has an open triplet and draws the fourth tile, they can add it to the triplet to make a quad. At the time, another player can win on the tile, namely, they can "rob" that tile. Doing so increases the hand’s value by one han.

Example: Player A has three 6’s of dots in an open triplet and draws the fourth 6, and added it to the triplet for a quad. If player B waits to win by having a 4-5 of dots left, they can win on that 6. Player A then has to pay the full value of the hand.

Robbing a closed quad for thirteen orphans

Sometimes, a "closed" quad can be robbed to complete the yakuman hand of thirteen orphans. For example, if player A makes a closed quad out of four west tiles, and player B is only waiting for a west to complete their thirteen orphans, player B can win on the west tile. The yaku is not counted in the case since the hand has a yakuman value.

Name

Japanese

Han value

Closed/Open

Self-pick

menzenchin tsumohō – 門前清自摸和, or shortly tsumo – 自摸, ツモ

1

Closed only

When a player has a closed hand and draws a winning tile from the wall or the dead wall, one han is added including when the hand previously had no yaku. Open hands are not applicable.

One-shot

ippatsu – 一発

1

Closed only, rīchi only

If a player declares ready and then completes their hand within one go-around of play, it adds one han to the hand’s value. The winning tile can be either a discard or a self-drawn tile. One-shot no longer applies when another player makes an open meld.

Last tile from the wall

haitei raoyue – 海底撈月, or haitei – 海底

1

Closed/Open

If the last self-drawn tile that the last player draws before reaching the dead wall completes that player's hand, the hand’s value increases by one han. Haitei raoyue means "to scoop up the reflected moon from the seabed."

Last discard

hōtei raoyui – 河底撈魚, or hōtei – 河底

1

Closed/Open

One han is added if a player wins on the last discard, that is, the tile discarded by the last player that drew the last tile from the wall. This hand is sometimes also referred to as haitei. Hōtei raoyui means "to scoop up a swimming fish from the riverbed."

Dead wall draw

rinshan kaihō – 嶺上開花, or rinshan – 嶺上

1

Closed/Open

When a player declares a quad, they must draw a supplemental tile from the dead wall to keep the number of tiles in the hand consistent. If that tile completes the hand, it adds one han to the hand’s value. Rinshan kaihō means "a flower blooms on a ridge".

Sometimes the pao (包) rule is applied to this yaku, that is, if a player claims a discard to make an open quad and then completes their hand with a tile drawn from the dead wall, the player who discarded the tile is responsible for paying the entire amount for the hand.

Robbing a quad

chankan – 搶槓, 槍槓

1

Closed/Open

If a player has an open triplet and draws the fourth tile, they can add it to the triplet to make a quad. At the time, another player can win on the tile, namely, they can "rob" that tile. Doing so increases the hand’s value by one han.

Example: Player A has three 6’s of dots in an open triplet and draws the fourth 6, and added it to the triplet for a quad. If player B waits to win by having a 4-5 of dots left, they can win on that 6. Player A then has to pay the full value of the hand.

Robbing a closed quad for thirteen orphans

Sometimes, a "closed" quad can be robbed to complete the yakuman hand of thirteen orphans. For example, if player A makes a closed quad out of four west tiles, and player B is only waiting for a west to complete their thirteen orphans, player B can win on the west tile. The yaku is not counted in the case since the hand has a yakuman value.

Double-ready

daburu rīchi – ダブルリーチ, or daburii – ダブリー

2

Closed only

If a player can declare ready within the first go-around of a hand, they can call "daburu rīchi" to declare a double ready for two han instead of one. All other conditions are the same as declaring a normal ready.