Kan: Difference between revisions

While it appears as a four-of-a-kind, the tiles used for the kantsu actually function as a [[koutsu|three-of-a-kind]] plus one extra tile. Therefore, the set counts towards the [[Yaku#Triplet|triplet-based yaku]], such as [[toitoi]] and [[sanankou]]. After declaring kan, the player is required to take an extra tile draw from the [[dead wall]]. This drawn tile is called the '''[[rinshanpai]]''', or '''dead wall draw'''.  After the kan call and player's discard, then another [[dora|dora indicator]] is revealed.

The main benefits of kan are the revealed kan dora, a draw from the dead wall, and somewhat increased [[fu]] count. However, any of your opponents can also benefit from kan dora, so kan is inherently risky. Therefore, you should [[kan strategy|assess the situation]] before you make a kan.

# Then, a replacement tile is drawn from the dead wall. This acts as the replacement tile to maintain the proper hand size for four groups and a pair.

A special case may involve the yaku, [[chankan]]. If the kan call involves a shouminkan and the added tile is a winning tile for another player, then chankan may be applied upon the declaration of another player's winning hand. In this case, the hand ends before the player even gets to draw the extra tile from the dead wall. Thus, the process of calling kan gets interrupted in favor of another player's winning hand.

'''Daiminkan''' {{kana|大明槓}} is also called an "open kan".  A player possesses three of a tile type within the hand. Then the fourth is discarded.  The player may claim the discarded tile and form a daiminkan. Upon doing so, the player has opened the hand, if the hand was initially closed.

 

Most rules do not allow to flip the kan dora indicator immediately after a daiminkan declaration. It is usually flipped after discarding, or upon another kan declaration on the same turn. Some rules allow the kan dora indicator to be flipped immediately.

A daiminkan may not be made with the last discard of the game, which invokes the follow up procedure to take a [[rinshanpai]].  Because all tiles from the regular wall are used, no replacement tile from the regular wall to the dead wall could be made in order to maintain the dead wall at 14 tiles.  Taking a rinshanpai in this case would reduce the dead wall count to 13, which not acceptable.

Some rules invoke [[Sekinin barai#Sekinin barai for rinshan kaihou|sekinin barai]] on a player discarding into the daiminkan.

'''Shouminkan''' {{kana|小明槓}} is referred as an "added kan", where a player had previously called pon to form a '''minkou''', or open triplet.   Upon drawing the fourth tile, the player may add that tile to the minkou and upgrade it to a shominkan. If the fourth tile was discarded by another player, it cannot be claimed by kan. The kan dora indicator is flipped at the same time as for a ''daiminkan''. Another term to describe this kan is '''kakan''' {{kana|加槓}}.

The player may declare this kan during any turn; and therefore, the player does not need to declare kan immediately at first opportunity. If the player has just claimed a discarded tile instead of drawing a tile from the wall or the dead wall, then the ability to declare kan is disabled on this turn. The player would have to wait for the next tile draw instead. It is also forbidden to declare a kan while the wall is empty, because the dead wall cannot be replenished.

This kan call is vulnerable to one specific yaku: [[chankan]] or robbing the kan. If another player is tenpai and the added tile completes his hand, that player may call ''ron'' immediately after the ''shominkan'' declaration. It ends the hand before the kan is completed; therefore no new kan dora indicator is flipped.

Also known as a "closed kan", a player may draw all four of a tile type. Unlike the other two kan types, '''ankan''' {{kana|暗槓}} keeps the hand closed, unless the hand has been opened previously. Thus, even with an ankan call, the player may still have the option of declaring [[riichi]] even with such a kan call, calling kan during riichi barring restrictions, and/or winning the hand via [[mentsumo]].

Per rule variation, the kandora indicator is flipped immediately with an ankan call, rather than waiting for the player's discard or the rinshan draw.

Like a shominkan, an ankan may be declared during the player's turn.  As such, the player holds all four tiles. The same restrictions as for the shominkan apply.  An ankan may not be subject to chankan, except against a [[kokushi]] [[tenpai]], if the rules allow.

If in possession with the proper tiles, a player may call kan more than once consecutively. Theoretically, up to 4 kan calls can be made in one turn.

Under most professional rulesets, a player is not allowed to call kan if it would change the hand's possible winning tiles, or if it would change any possible interpretation of the hand. If, for any winning tile, any of the three identical tiles can be interpreted as part of a [[shuntsu|sequence]] or part of the pair, the kan is not allowed.

Kan cannot be called after drawing the [[Haiteihai|last tile]], as the live wall is empty and so a tile cannot be moved to the dead wall.  Part of the kan process requires live tiles from the end of the wall to be transferred to the dead wall. If this is not possible, then kan is not possible.

After [[naki|taking a discarded tile]], a player cannot call kan, even if a player has the tile(s) available in hand to do so. The next opportunity to call kan comes after the next tile draw. This does not apply when a daiminkan is called, as the kan causes a tile to be drawn immediately.