Jikaze

東 3 局	西家 23100 点
北家 24000 点		南家 24000 点
	東家 27900 点	1 1

Jikaze 「自風」 are the seat wind designations for each player. At all times, every player is designated as East, South, West, or North 「東、 南、 西、 北」. For memorization, the winds are referred in that order counterclockwise. The same wind order applies to dora. By rule, East is always the dealer, while South is to the right. West is across, and North is to the left relative of the dealer. Likewise, player turns follow the regular wind order, although the order may be disrupted by calls of pon or kan. The call for chii does not disrupt the turn order.

No player retains the same wind position throughout the game, unless the game happens to end before a wind rotation occurs. During the course of the game, the dealer seat rotates among the four players. So, naturally, the designation for East also rotates with the dealer position. Likewise, the designations for the other winds rotate in a similar fashion. At all times, the counterclockwise order remains the same: East, South, West, and North.

Oya

The dealer marker, showing the East face.

Players seated East is designated as the oya 「親」 or the dealer. During the game, player is denoted as the dealer with the dealer marker; or, the dealer marker notes the original dealer, while some other means to mark the dealer is used.

The dealer seat has some benefits:

• If the dealer wins the hand, the wind seating does not rotate.
• If the dealer is tenpai at ryuukyoku (exhaustive draw), the wind seating does not rotate.
• The dealer's hand value is worth exactly or approximately 50% more than that of non-dealer hands.
• The dealer is always the first to grab four dealt tiles.
• The dealer always draws first and begins the hand.

The dealer is only disadvantaged, when non-dealer players win by tsumo. In this case, the dealer plays exactly or approximately double that of the non-dealers. This is only significant during close games, by which the point differences may be adequate enough for a place change.

Dealer rotation

During the course of the game, the dealer position rotates among the four players. This can occur in two ways:

1. A player other than the dealer wins a hand.
2. The dealer fails to attain tenpai at ryuukyoku (exhaustive draw).

Seldom, a game can end without the dealer position ever changing. Notably, this scenario can occur if a player's points fall below zero beforehand. Of course, some rules allow continuance of the game, despite the scores.

Advantages

Ideally, players greatly benefit by retaining the dealer position, in order to maximize point gains. Often, games may be won or lost regarding the dealer position.

Naturally, other players may force wind rotation by winning the hand themselves. Yet, at times, it may be beneficial for the dealer to simply concede the dealer position. Ideally, the dealer would prefer to let the wind seating rotate either when other players win points off of each other directly (by ron), other players win by tsumo using cheap hands, or being noten at ryuukyoku to minimize point losses.

Variation on the rotation rule may be applied depending on the requirement. Sometimes, the rule setting may require the dealer to win the hand, instead of merely achieving tenpai at ryuukyoku. This is to increase the pressure on the dealer to win hands. This also prevents the dealer from elongating the game by attaining additional hands by being tenpai at ryuukyoku.

Yakuhai

Main article: Yakuhai

Players who collect corresponding wind tiles to their wind seat gains possesses 1-yaku, and in turn, 1-han. If a player's wind also corresponds with the round wind, then collection of their own wind is double, or worth 2-han. Commonly, the round wind is limited to either East or South. Some games may extend into the West round.

Orientation relative to self

In addition to wind designations, three terms are used to designate other players relative to oneself. They are:

• Shimocha 「下家」, or player to the right
• Toimen 「対面」, or player across
• Kamicha 「上家」, or player to the left

These designations do not necessarily take into account of wind position, which changes in relation to each other. As the wind designations change, the relative position to oneself does not.

External links

• Seating designation diagram