Japanese mahjong: Difference between revisions

The object of riichi mahjong is to score the most points. At the start of each round, players draw and discard tiles, competing to be the first to get a winning hand. When a player wins, the hand is scored based on its value. If the hand is won directly off another player's discard, the discarder must pay the winning player for its value. If a player draws their own winning tile, everyone else splits the payment. After a player wins, hands reset, and the next round starts. Once the final round ends, the game ends, and whoever has the most points wins first place.

The procedure of drawing, discarding, and maintaining a round ends with a few different scenarios. A player can win the hand, the tiles can run out, or a few "abortive draws" force the game to be restarted. Afterwards, the tiles are reshuffled to setup the next hand, or [[renchan]].

A game is organized into rounds, which are named after winds. Each wind round, every player gets a chance to be a dealer. Like player order, the round's wind rotates from East ->  South -> West -> North. For example, East 1 means it is the first round and the first player's dealer turn. East 2 means it is the first round, and the second player's dealer turn. This continues until East 4, then the game continues to South 1.

When a dealer wins the round, they get to stay dealer, thus extending the game by 1 round of play. In addition, 1 [[honba]] is added (honba increases winning value slightly). So a game at East 1, 4 honba means the dealer won four times in a row. In many rulesets, the dealer also gets to keep the seat if in [[tenpai]] (and no one won the round).