Tenpai: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 20:53, 22 September 2024

A hand in tenpai 「テンパイ」, or a "ready hand", is a hand that needs only one more tile to complete. Once a hand is in tenpai, if it has a yaku, it may win by self-draw (tsumo) or by another player's discard (ron) of the correct tile. A hand does not need a yaku in order to be considered tenpai, but it does need a yaku in order to win. Achieving tenpai (even without a yaku) is worth some points when a hand ends in ryuukyoku.

The direct opposite of tenpai is noten 「ノーテン」, a contraction of not tenpai. A hand in this state has absolutely no chance of winning upon the immediate draw or discard. Instead, it relies on further tile draws and discards to attain the state of tenpai.

Recognizing that a hand is in tenpai or not is one of the most important concepts in the game. Without it, a player will lack the ability to make the best decisions on which tiles to discard.

Tenpai conditions

Tenpai occurs under any of the four following conditions:

Three tile groups, a pair, and an incomplete tile group. The fourth tile group needs completion. A majority of wait patterns fall under this condition.
Four tile groups and a single tile (tanki). Completion occurs when a duplicate of the pair is drawn or discarded.
Chiitoitsu. Six distinct tile pairs and a single tile (also tanki).
Kokushi musou.

Twelve different terminals and honors, by which one is paired.

Or, the hand has thirteen different terminals and honors, by which any of them needs to be paired.

A hand in tenpai is effectively 0-shanten. A hand at 1-shanten is one tile away from tenpai, or two tiles from winning. In order to enter tenpai, most hands will need to enter 1-shanten, then draw a useful tile to enter tenpai.

Wait patterns

Main article: Machi

Every hand in tenpai involves some sort of wait pattern, or machi. Common types of wait patterns are named for easy use and recognition. Choosing your wait, if able, helps with gameplay.

Jantou

Main article: Jantou

Jantou are the tile pairs to a mahjong hand. Every hand, open or closed, requires at least one tile paired. The pair must already be in the hand by tenpai, or waiting to be completed. If the pair is not completed, it is a tanki wait.

Example tenpai hands

1.  Waiting for:  or

2.  Waiting for: ,  or

3.  Waiting for: , , or

4.   Waiting for: , or

5.   Waiting for:

6.   Waiting for:

Examples 1, 2, and 3 are closed tenpai hands. They can all declare riichi to gain a yaku. In addition, if they win via self-draw, they'll gain the yaku of menzen tsumo. The first two already possess yaku, so they don't need to declare riichi. The third hand doesn't have yaku, so it needs to declare riichi, win with menzen tsumo, or gain a conditional yaku like houtei to win.

Examples 4, 5, and 6 are open tenpai hands. Example 4 and 5 can both have yakuhai. Example 4 certainly has a yaku, via the open call on the green dragon. Example 5 could have a yaku, if the hand is seated west or the game is in the west round. The last example does not have a yaku, however, so it cannot win under normal conditions. It will need a conditional yaku (haitei, houtei, rinshan, or chankan) to win at all.

Karaten

Main article: Karaten

Karaten 「カラテン」, or empty tenpai, is a state where a tenpai hand is unable to win because every winning tile is "visible" (and thus unavailable). "Visible" tiles include tiles discarded, used as a dora indicator, in an opponent's tile call, and tiles already in the hand. While a tile may be unavaible if in an opponents hand, or in the dead wall, these would be unknown to the player.

Keishiki tenpai

Main article: Keishiki tenpai

Keishiki tenpai 「形式聴牌」, or shaped tenpai, are tenpai hands without any yaku. While these hands cannot win normally, they are still considered tenpai for the tenpai vs noten payment done at ryuukyoku. Even if a hand has no built-in yaku, it may still win with a conditional yaku (haitei, houtei, chankan, rinshan).

This is a common pitfall for many beginners. A new player might build a hand to tenpai, but due to limited knowledge of yaku, are unable to declare a win.

Ryuukyoku

Main article: Ryuukyoku

When every tile (except in the dead wall) has been drawn, the game ends in exhaustive draw. Afterwards, players in tenpai can choose to reveal their hands. Any players in noten have to pay the players in tenpai.

Agari

Main article: Naki

Agari 「和がり」 is the general call for a winning hand. Two types of winning calls are more commonly used, depending on the source of the tile:

Ron - wins on discarded tiles
Tsumo - wins on self-drawn tiles

Proper tenpai hands have a right to make these winning calls. In doing so, players must know which tiles and yaku are needed for a win. Likewise, the recognition of waiting tiles is a necessity to call on the correct tile. Otherwise, improper calls for winning hands result in chombo.

Iishanten

Main article: Shanten

Iishanten, or 1-shanten, is the state of the hand before attaining tenpai. While tenpai is 1-tile away from winning the hand, iishanten is 1-tile away from attaining tenpai.

Iishanten is closest state a hand can get to tenpai, and thus acts as a critical juncture. Progressing from iishanten to tenpai is the slowest stage of hand development, so maximizing the chance to escape iishanten is usually good. Players often need to choose whether to riichi or stay damaten, and if another opponent is in tenpai, whether to push or fold.

External links

テンパイ

Tenpai in Japanese Wikipedia

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Tenpai''' {{kana|聴牌}} is also referred to as the "ready hand".  It progressed from [[Iishanten|1-shanten]] to effectively 0-shanten.  A hand is tenpai or "ready" when only one more tile is needed to complete the hand.  The completion may be either done by draw and/or discard, where applicable.  Tenpai does not require that the completed hand has a [[Yaku|yaku]], although both a completed hand and a yaku are necessary to win.  Having achieving tenpai is worth some points when a hand ends in [[ryuukyoku]].
+A hand in '''tenpai''' {{kana|テンパイ}}, or a "ready hand", is a hand that needs only one more tile to complete. Once a hand is in tenpai, ''if it has a [[yaku]]'', it may win by self-draw ([[tsumo]]) or by another player's discard ([[ron]]) of the correct tile. A hand does not need a yaku in order to be considered tenpai, but it does need a yaku in order to win. Achieving tenpai (even without a yaku) is worth some points when a hand ends in [[ryuukyoku]].
-The direct opposite of tenpai is '''noten''' {{kana|ノー聴}}.  This word is a contraction of the English '''not tenpai'''.  A hand in this state absolutely has no chance of winning upon the immediate draw or discard.  Instead, it relies on further tile draws and discards to attain the state of tenpai.
+The direct opposite of tenpai is '''noten''' {{kana|ノーテン}}, a contraction of '''not tenpai'''. A hand in this state has absolutely no chance of winning upon the immediate draw or discard. Instead, it relies on further tile draws and discards to attain the state of tenpai.
-Overall, the recognition of a tenpai hand is one of the most important concepts of the game.  Without this recognition, then a player lacks the ability to make the best decisions on which tiles to [[tile efficiency|best discard]].
+Recognizing that a hand is in tenpai or not is one of the most important concepts in the game. Without it, a player will lack the ability to make the best decisions on which tiles to [[tile efficiency|discard]].
 == Tenpai conditions ==
 Tenpai occurs under any of the four following conditions:
-# Three [[tile groups]] and a pair ([[jantou]]).  The fourth tile group needs completion.  A majority of [[machi|wait patterns]] fall under this condition.
+# Three [[tile groups]], a pair, and an incomplete tile group. The fourth tile group needs completion. A majority of [[machi|wait patterns]] fall under this condition.
-# Four tile groups and a single tile ([[tanki]]).  Completion occurs when a duplicate of the pair is drawn or discarded.
+# Four tile groups and a single tile ([[tanki]]). Completion occurs when a duplicate of the pair is drawn or discarded.
-# [[Chiitoitsu]].  Six distinct tile pairs and a single tile (also tanki).
+# [[Chiitoitsu]]. Six distinct tile pairs and a single tile (also tanki).
 # [[Kokushi musou]].
 ::Twelve different [[terminal|terminals]] and [[jihai|honors]], by which one is paired.
 ::Or, the hand has thirteen different terminals and honors, by which any of them needs to be paired.
+A hand in tenpai is effectively 0-[[shanten]]. A hand at [[iishanten|1-shanten]] is one tile away from tenpai, or two tiles from winning. In order to enter tenpai, most hands will need to enter 1-shanten, then draw a useful tile to enter tenpai.
 === Wait patterns ===
 {{main|Machi}}
-Every hand in tenpai involves some sort of wait pattern, or '''machi'''.  Various wait patterns are conveniently named to allow quick recognition of waiting tiles.  Likewise, players who recognize these patterns may also be able to select among them.
+Every hand in tenpai involves some sort of wait pattern, or '''machi'''. Common types of wait patterns are named for easy use and recognition. Choosing your wait, if able, helps with gameplay.
 === Jantou ===
 {{main|Jantou}}
-'''Jantou''' are the tile pairs to a mahjong hand.  Every hand, open or closed, requires at least one tile paired.  The pair must either be in the hand, or the hand must be waiting to complete the pair while in possession of four tile groups.  The latter forms the waiting pattern of [[tanki]] (pair wait).  In addition, certain pairings may generate [[fu]].  The tanki pattern generates fu, as well as with certain [[jihai|honor tiles]].
+'''Jantou''' are the tile pairs to a mahjong hand.  Every hand, open or closed, requires at least one tile paired. The pair must already be in the hand by tenpai, or waiting to be completed. If the pair is not completed, it is a [[tanki]] wait.
 == Example tenpai hands ==
@@ Line 28: / Line 30: @@
 . {{#mjt:123456789p33m55s}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:3m}} or {{#mjt:5s}}
-. {{#mjt:56777p111m11144z}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:4p}}, {{#mjt:7p}} or {{#mjt:4z}}
+. {{#mjt:56777p111m44555z}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:4p}}, {{#mjt:7p}} or {{#mjt:4z}}
 . {{#mjt:111m23456s888p33z}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:1s}}, {{#mjt:4s}}, or {{#mjt:7s}}
@@ Line 38: / Line 40: @@
 . {{#mjt:1z}} {{#mjt:6'78m111'p777'3'45s}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:1z}}
-For examples 1, 2, and 3, [[riichi]] may be called, and/or a player can simply win by [[mentsumo|self draw]].  The first two possess [[yaku]] without riichi.  However, the third example does not, as it stands.  It requires riichi, mentsumo, or even the likes of [[haitei]], [[houtei]], [[rinshan]], or [[chankan]] to gain yaku.  Regardless, the first three are '''closed tenpai''' hands.
+Examples 1, 2, and 3 are '''closed tenpai''' hands. They can all declare [[riichi]] to gain a yaku. In addition, if they win via self-draw, they'll gain the yaku of [[menzen tsumo]]. The first two already possess yaku, so they don't need to declare riichi. The third hand doesn't have yaku, so it needs to declare riichi, win with menzen tsumo, or gain a conditional yaku like [[houtei]] to win.
-The last three examples are all open hands.  Both 4 and 5 may employ [[yakuhai]].  Example 4 definitely has a yaku, via the open call on the [[hatsu|green dragon]].  Example 5 could have a yaku, if the hand is seated west or the game is in the [[west round]].   The last example uses [[tanki|hadaka tanki]], by which four tile calls were used to achieve tenpai.  All that remains closed is a single tile, that needs to be matched with the exact same tile type.  However, example 6 does not have yaku as it stands.  It'll require [[haitei]], [[houtei]], [[rinshan]], or [[chankan]] to gain yaku.
+Examples 4, 5, and 6 are '''open tenpai''' hands. Example 4 and 5 can both have [[yakuhai]]. Example 4 certainly has a yaku, via the open call on the [[hatsu|green dragon]].  Example 5 could have a yaku, if the hand is seated west or the game is in the [[west round]]. The last example does not have a yaku, however, so it cannot win under normal conditions. It will need a conditional yaku ([[haitei]], [[houtei]], [[rinshan]], or [[chankan]]) to win at all.
 == Karaten ==
 {{main|Karaten}}
 [[Image:Dead Wait.png|thumb|right|250px|Example of a karaten riichi, with all waiting tiles circled in red.]]
-'''Karaten''' {{kana|空聴}}, or '''empty tenpai''', is a state where a [[tenpai]] hand does not have the ability to win.  This is due to unavailability of all instances of winning tiles.  The "visible tiles" may either be discarded, used as a dora indicator, or already exist in one's hand.  Furthermore, they may be held in other player's hands or even reside within the dead wall. However, the latter case is beyond a player's visibility.
+'''Karaten''' {{kana|カラテン}}, or '''empty tenpai''', is a state where a [[tenpai]] hand is unable to win because every winning tile is "visible" (and thus unavailable). "Visible" tiles include tiles discarded, used as a dora indicator, in an opponent's tile call, and tiles already in the hand. While a tile may be unavaible if in an opponents hand, or in the dead wall, these would be unknown to the player.
 ==Keishiki tenpai==
 {{main|Keishiki tenpai}}
-'''Keishiki tenpai''' {{kana|形式聴牌}}, or '''shaped tenpai''', applies to hands with no yaku.  Such hands still remain relevant at ryuukyoku regarding tenpai vs noten payments.  The definition of tenpai does not necessarily apply to [[yaku]].
+'''Keishiki tenpai''' {{kana|形式聴牌}}, or '''shaped tenpai''', are tenpai hands without any yaku. While these hands cannot win normally, they are still considered tenpai for the tenpai vs noten payment done at ryuukyoku. Even if a hand has no built-in yaku, it may still win with a conditional yaku ([[haitei]], [[houtei]], [[chankan]], [[rinshan]]).
-This is a common pitfall for many beginners.  Hands are built to tenpai.  However, due to lack of or limited knowledge of the yaku, players may find themselves unable to declare a win.  Often, the hand simply lacks yaku.  Otherwise, [[furiten]] may also be a reason.  In this state, it is still possible to produce yaku via [[haitei]], [[houtei]], and even possibly [[rinshan]].  This is particularly true of open hands.  For closed hands, [[mentsumo|tsumo]] may count as an additional option.
-== Dead hand ==
-A [[dead hand]] involves a minor penalty, but not subject to [[chombo]].  Dead hands often involve minor mistakes, such as a certain number of accidental bumps to the wall or a mistake regarding [[naki|open calls]].  A player with a [[dead hand]] is never considered tenpai, even if the tiles in the hand show a state of tenpai.
+This is a common pitfall for many beginners. A new player might build a hand to tenpai, but due to limited knowledge of yaku, are unable to declare a win.
 == Ryuukyoku ==
 {{main|Ryuukyoku}}
-At the end of the hand where all tiles have been drawn other than those in the [[dead wall]], points are rewarded to tenpai hands.  Yet, even while in tenpai, players may opt to take the '''noten penalty''', instead of revealing the hand.
+When every tile (except in the [[dead wall]]) has been drawn, the game ends in [[exhaustive draw]]. Afterwards, players in tenpai can choose to reveal their hands. Any players in noten have to pay the players in tenpai.
 == Agari ==
 {{main|Naki}}
-'''Agari''' {{kana|和了}} is the general call for a winning hand.  Two types of winning calls are more commonly used, depending on the source of the tile:
+'''Agari''' {{kana|和がり}} is the general call for a winning hand.  Two types of winning calls are more commonly used, depending on the source of the tile:
 * [[Ron]] - wins on discarded tiles
 * [[Tsumo]] - wins on self-drawn tiles
@@ Line 73: / Line 71: @@
 == Iishanten ==
 {{main|Shanten}}
-'''Iishanten''' {{kana|一向聴}}, or 1-shanten, is the state of the hand before attaining tenpai.  While tenpai is 1-tile away from winning the hand, iishanten is 1-tile away from attaining tenpai.
+'''[[Iishanten]]''', or 1-shanten, is the state of the hand before attaining tenpai. While tenpai is 1-tile away from winning the hand, iishanten is 1-tile away from attaining tenpai.
-With regards to tenpai, this may be a critical juncture to the hand as, in order to attain tenpai, the player must discard a particular tile.  Ideally, that tile should be a [[genbutsu|safe tile]].  Likewise, it may also be a point where the player needs to decide upon [[riichi]] or utilize [[damaten]] (or hidden tenpai).  Regardless, when the hand is at iishanten, a player must be ready to anticipate these kinds of decisions, when tenpai does occur.
+Iishanten is closest state a hand can get to tenpai, and thus acts as a critical juncture. Progressing from iishanten to tenpai is the slowest stage of hand development, so maximizing the chance to escape iishanten is usually good. Players often need to choose whether to [[riichi]] or stay [[damaten]], and if another opponent is in tenpai, whether to push or [[defense|fold]].
 == External links ==