Machi

Machi is the Japanese term for "tenpai wait patterns". Given any mahjong hand at any instance, players are waiting for specific tiles either to develop their hands or complete it. Wait patterns arise during hand development, when mahjong tiles in possession in the hand are in need of other tiles in order to complete mentsu (melds) or the entire hand. Wait patterns during tenpai are of particular interest, simply because that is one of the main goals of hand development.

Mentsu

Main article: Mentsu

Mentsu are the tile melds used to develop and compose the hand. To form a complete hand, players must possess 4 melds and a pair. Though, there are three exceptions to the pattern, namely: chii toitsu, kokushi musou, and nagashi mangan.

Hand development

Main article: Tile efficiency

Tenpai wait patterns overview

Many patterns arise during tenpai, such that they are named. These patterns may develop well before tenpai, but they are of particular interest during tenpai. After all, it is in the best interest of the player to know wait tiles during tenpai, in order to not miss it or even choose to change wait patterns, if needed.

Basic wait patterns

Ryanmen

Main article: Ryanmen

Waiting for:

Penchan

Main article: Penchan

Waiting for:

Shanpon

Main article: Shanpon

Waiting for:

Kanchan

Main article: Kanchan

Waiting for:

Tanki

Main article: Tanki

Waiting for:

Nobetan

Main article: Nobetan

Waiting for:

Complex wait patterns

Ryanmenten

Main article: Ryanmenten

Waiting for:

Sanmentan

Main article: Sanmentan

Waiting for:

Chuuren poutou kyuumen machi

Main article: Chuuren poutou

Waiting for: Any of the same suit tiles, 1 through 9.

Junsei Kokushi musou 13 machi

Main article: Kokushi musou

Waiting for: Any of the 13 tiles shown here.

Other combinations

These combinations involve patterns that do not have specific names. Instead, they use combined forms of the other patterns. Furthermore, they mostly consist of consecutive, or closely consecutive, numbered tiles. Recognition of these patterns can produce some significantly powerful waits, which may be immune to suji and have large numbers of waiting tiles.

Ryanmen with tanki

Main article: Ryanmen with tanki

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with penchan

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with shanpon

Main article: Ryanmen with shanpon

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with triple shanpon

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with kanchan

Waiting for:

This pattern could also considered as ryanmen with tanki.

Ryanmen with tanki and shanpon

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with tanki and kanchan

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with shanpon and kanchan

Waiting for:

Ryanmen with shanpon and nobetan

Waiting for:

Ryanmenten with shanpon

Waiting for:

Ryanmenten with nobetan

Waiting for:

Kanchan with tanki

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Double kanchan with tanki

Waiting for:

Kanchan with nobetan

Waiting for:

Shanpon with tanki

Waiting for:

Triple Shanpon

Waiting for:

Quadruple Shanpon

Waiting for:

Double Ryanmen

Waiting for:

Double Ryanmen with tanki

Waiting for:

More than 5 tiles wait

6 tiles

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

7 tiles

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

8 tiles

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

Waiting for:

9 Tiles

Waiting for:

This is the Junsei Chuuren tenpai.

13 Tiles

Waiting for:

This is the Junsei Kokushi tenpai.

External links

ReachMahjong wait guide
Tenhou wait calculator