Yaku: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:08, 10 August 2024

Yaku 「役」 are specific hand patterns or conditions that score points, analogous to poker hands. Each yaku is worth a specific amount of han, and multiple yaku can be combined into one hand. Basic mahjong knowledge involves learning the yaku, but it is not expected of new players to know all of them. Most importantly, every hand must include at least one yaku in order to count as a winning hand.

Han

Main article: Scoring

Each yaku is assigned a han value. Whenever a player wins, their hand's yaku are tallied up, and they score points based on the total amount of han. If a hand has multiple possible interpretations, the highest possible hand is scored.

Open vs closed

Main article: Menzenchin#Yaku

A hand is considered open if it makes a tile call from another player's discard. These include chii, pon, and open kan. Otherwise, it is closed.

Some yaku can only be scored closed; they are invalidated when the hand opens. Other yaku reduce in value if part of an open hand. The rest of the yaku score the same regardless if a hand is open or closed.

Nomi

Nomi 「ノミ」 is a hand that contains only one yaku and no dora. For example, riichi nomi 「リーチノミ」 means "riichi only". The term is mostly used for low value yaku, like tanyao and pinfu. It is acceptable to use it for higher value yaku, like chinitsu, but this is rarely done. The term is not used for yakuman, due to their value.

Yaku types

The different yaku focus on different types of patterns and circumstances. They are mostly derived from the tiles within one's hand. A number of yaku also involve the state of one's hand pertaining to the timing of certain tile draws and discards.

Riichi

A player can choose to declare riichi with any closed hand that is tenpai (one tile away from winning).

Riichi

Any closed hand in tenpai may choose to declare riichi, scoring this yaku.

Double riichi

A riichi on your first turn is a double riichi, which is worth more points.

Ippatsu

After declaring riichi, if you win by your next tile draw, you score this yaku. (Invalidated if anyone makes a tile call.)

Win location based

These yaku are dependent on how you win the hand. These yaku can allow otherwise "yakuless" hands to win.

Discard based

Chankan

Winning with a tile used for an added kan by another player.

Houtei raoyui

Winning off of the last possible discarded tile for the hand.

Draw based

Haitei raoyue

Winning with the last tile draw.

Menzenchin tsumohou

Drawing the winning tile with a closed hand.

Rinshan kaihou

Drawing a winning tile after a kan call.

Honor based

These yaku depend on the use of honor tile groups. These may be mixed with number tiles.

Honitsu

All tiles are the same suit or honor tiles.

Honroutou

All tiles are honor or terminal tiles.

Shousangen

Two dragon triplets, and a pair of the third dragon.

Tanyao

No honors or terminals are used.

Yakuhai

A triplet of: your seat wind, the round wind, or any dragon.

Sequential

These yaku require sequential tile groups.

Iipeikou

Two identical sequences (two sequences with same suit and numbers).

Ittsu

A complete string of 1-9 tiles, arranged into sequences of: 123, 456, and 789.

Pinfu

Every tile group must be a sequence (among other conditions).

Ryanpeikou

"Two iipeikou"; two sets of identical sequences.

Sanshoku

Three identically numbered sequences, one of each suit.

Terminal based

These yaku revolve around terminal, or complete lack thereof.

Chanta

Every tile group, including the pair, has an honor or terminal.

Honroutou

Every tile is an honor or terminal.

Junchan

Every tile group, including the pair, has an honor or terminal.

Nagashi mangan

Every discarded tile is either a terminal or honor

Tanyao

No terminals or honors are used.

Triplet based

These yaku require at least one triplet in order to be valid. Quads count as triplets for these yaku, but triplets don't count as quads.

Sanankou

Three closed triplets.

Sankantsu

Three quads.

Sanshoku doukou

Three identically numbered triplets across the three suits.

Shousangen

Two dragon triplets, and a pair of the third dragon.

Toitoi

Every tile group is a triplet.

Yakuhai

A triplet of: your seat wind, the round wind, or any dragon.

Suit based

Honitsu

All tiles are the same suit or honor tiles.

Chinitsu

All tiles are the same suit.

Yakuman

Main article: Yakuman

Yakuman is a special class of yaku, by which the pattern itself is awarded the maximum point limit for a single hand pattern. These are among the most difficult to complete; and players may treat them as special.

Combining yaku

Main article: Yaku compatibility

Different yaku may be implemented into a single hand. By doing so, the values applied to the different yaku also combine. In short, they stack. This aspect of the game is key towards developing larger scoring hands. With dora, the stacking effect becomes even greater.

Optional yaku

Main article: Optional yaku

A list of optional yaku exist due to the game's complexity, which can further explore possible tile combinations and patterns. Regardless, the yaku list noted above is the more commonly accepted list.

External links

役_(麻雀)

Yaku in Japanese Wikipedia

Japanese mahjong yaku

Wikipedia listing

Yaku frequency among Tenhou.net players (Japanese)

Lists all the yaku occurrences in Tenhou.net by percentages and by room

Yaku short list

Pointing out which yaku to learn first

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Yaku''' {{kana|役}} are [[List of yaku|specific hand patterns or conditions]] needed in order to score a hand.  In a sense, they are synonymous to "poker hands".  Yet, unlike poker hands, yaku are worth specific "[[scoring|han values]]"; and various yaku may be combined together into one hand.  basic mahjong knowledge involves learning the yaku, but it is not expected of new players to know them.
+'''Yaku''' {{kana|役}} are [[List of yaku|specific hand patterns or conditions]] that score points, analogous to [[wikipedia:List of poker hands|poker hands]]. Each yaku is worth a specific amount of [[han]], and multiple yaku can be combined into one hand. Basic mahjong knowledge involves learning the yaku, but it is not expected of new players to know all of them.  '''Most importantly, every hand must include at least one yaku in order to count as a winning hand'''.
-'''Most importantly, every hand must include at least one yaku, in order to count as a winning hand'''.
 ==Han==
 {{main|Scoring}}
-Each yaku is assigned han values.  Most have static values, regardless of the hand being closed or open.  However, some decrease in han value while being open.  Furthermore, some also require hands to remain closed in order to count.  For hands to maximize the total han value, different yaku may be combined into a single hand.
+Each yaku is assigned a han value. Whenever a player wins, their hand's yaku are tallied up, and they score points based on the total amount of han. If a hand has multiple possible interpretations, the highest possible hand is scored.
 ===Open vs closed===
-{{main|Kuisagari}}
+{{main|Menzenchin#Yaku}}
+A hand is considered open if it makes a [[tile call]] from another player's discard. These include [[chii]], [[pon]], and open [[kan]]. Otherwise, it is closed.
+Some yaku can only be scored closed; they are invalidated when the hand opens. Other yaku reduce in value if part of an open hand. The rest of the yaku score the same regardless if a hand is open or closed.
-Various yaku are affected by the hand's state of being open or closed.  After using the different [[naki|tile calls]], a yaku may be affected in terms of han value or even validity.  Various yaku, and even yakuman, are restricted to be closed only.  Others, they remain valid but their value is decreased by 1-han.  As for the rest, it is irrelevant whether the hand is open or closed.
+==Nomi==
+'''Nomi''' {{kana|ノミ}} is a hand that contains only one yaku and no [[dora]]. For example, '''riichi nomi''' {{kana|リーチノミ}} means "riichi only". The term is mostly used for low value yaku, like [[tanyao]] and [[pinfu]]. It is acceptable to use it for higher value yaku, like [[chinitsu]], but this is rarely done. The term is not used for [[yakuman]], due to their value.
 == Yaku types ==
-The different yaku focus on different types of patterns and circumstances.
+[[Image:Yaku example 00.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 01.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 02.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 03.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 04.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 05.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 06.png|right|250px]]
+[[Image:Yaku example 07.png|right|250px]]
+The different yaku focus on different types of patterns and circumstances.  They are mostly derived from the tiles within one's hand.  A number of yaku also involve the state of one's hand pertaining to the timing of certain tile draws and discards.
+===Riichi===
+A player can choose to declare [[riichi]] with any closed hand that is [[tenpai]] (one tile away from winning).
-=== Luck based ===
+* [[Riichi]]
+: Any closed hand in tenpai may choose to declare riichi, scoring this yaku.
+* [[Double riichi]]
+: A riichi on your first turn is a double riichi, which is worth more points.
+* [[Ippatsu]]
+: After declaring riichi, if you win by your next tile draw, you score this yaku. (Invalidated if anyone makes a [[tile call]].)
+=== Win location based ===
+These yaku are dependent on how you win the hand. These yaku can allow otherwise "yakuless" hands to win.
+'''Discard based'''
+* [[Chankan]]
+:Winning with a tile used for an [[shouminkan|added kan]] by another player.
+* [[Houtei raoyui]]
+:Winning off of the last possible discarded tile for the hand.
+'''Draw based'''
+* [[Haitei raoyue]]
+:Winning with the last tile draw.
+* [[Menzenchin tsumohou]]
+:Drawing the winning tile with a closed hand.
 * [[Rinshan kaihou]]
+:Drawing a winning tile after a kan call.
+=== Honor based ===
+These yaku depend on the use of [[honor]] tile groups. These may be mixed with number tiles.
+* [[Honitsu]]
+: All tiles are the same suit or honor tiles.
+* [[Honroutou]]
+: All tiles are honor or terminal tiles.
+* [[Shousangen]]
+: Two [[dragon]] triplets, and a pair of the third dragon.
+* [[Tanyao]]
+:No honors or terminals are used.
+* [[Yakuhai]]
+:A triplet of: your [[Jikaze|seat wind]], the round wind, or any dragon.
 === Sequential ===
-* [[Chanta]]
+These yaku require [[shuntsu|sequential]] tile groups.
 * [[Iipeikou]]
+: Two identical sequences (two sequences with same suit and numbers).
 * [[Ittsu]]
-* [[Junchan]]
+: A complete string of 1-9 tiles, arranged into sequences of: 123, 456, and 789.
 * [[Pinfu]]
+: Every tile group must be a sequence (among other conditions).
 * [[Ryanpeikou]]
+: "Two iipeikou"; two sets of identical sequences.
 * [[Sanshoku]]
+: Three identically numbered sequences, one of each suit.
-=== Triplet ===
+=== Terminal based ===
+These yaku revolve around [[terminal]], or complete lack thereof.
+* [[Chanta]]
+:Every tile group, including the pair, has an honor or terminal.
 * [[Honroutou]]
-* [[Sankantsu]] *
+:Every tile is an honor or terminal.
+* [[Junchan]]
+:Every tile group, including the pair, has an honor or terminal.
+* [[Nagashi mangan]]
+:Every discarded tile is either a [[terminal]] or [[honor]]
+* [[Tanyao]]
+:No terminals or honors are used.
+=== Triplet based ===
+These yaku require at least one [[Koutsu|triplet]] in order to be valid. [[Kan|Quads]] count as triplets for these yaku, but triplets don't count as quads.
+* [[Sanankou]]
+: Three closed triplets.
+* [[Sankantsu]]
+: Three [[kan|quads]].
 * [[Sanshoku doukou]]
+: Three identically numbered triplets across the three suits.
 * [[Shousangen]]
+: Two [[dragon]] triplets, and a pair of the third dragon.
 * [[Toitoi]]
+: Every tile group is a triplet.
 * [[Yakuhai]]
+:A triplet of: your [[Jikaze|seat wind]], the round wind, or any dragon.
-=== Special case ===
+=== Suit based ===
-* [[Nagashi mangan]]
+* [[Honitsu]]
+: All tiles are the same suit or honor tiles.
+* [[Chinitsu]]
+: All tiles are the same suit.
 === Yakuman ===
 {{main|Yakuman}}
+Yakuman is a special class of yaku, by which the pattern itself is awarded the maximum point limit for a single hand pattern.  These are among the most difficult to complete; and players may treat them as special.
+== Combining yaku ==
+{{main|Yaku compatibility}}
+Different yaku may be implemented into a single hand.  By doing so, the values applied to the different yaku also combine.  In short, they stack.  This aspect of the game is key towards developing larger scoring hands.  With [[dora]], the stacking effect becomes even greater.
+== Optional yaku ==
+{{main|Optional yaku}}
+A list of '''optional yaku''' exist due to the game's complexity, which can further explore possible tile combinations and patterns.  Regardless, the yaku list noted above is the more commonly accepted list.
+== See Also ==
+* [[List of yaku]]
 ==External links==
 {{jpwiki|役_(麻雀)}}
+* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Mahjong_yaku Japanese mahjong yaku]
+: Wikipedia listing
 * [http://tenhou.net/sc/prof.html Yaku frequency among Tenhou.net players] ''(Japanese)''
 :Lists all the yaku occurrences in [[Tenhou.net]] by percentages and by room
@@ Line 53: / Line 145: @@
 [[Category:Terminology]]
 [[Category:Yaku]]
+[[Category:Scoring]]
 {{Navbox yaku}}
+{{Navbox yaku replays}}