Scoring variations
Scoring allows some flexibility to the rules regarding the start and end scores. Likewise, the oka and uma may be adjusted as well.
Fu
Even the counting of fu may have some variation.
Double wind fu
A hand with four groups and a pair might have a double wind pair, by which the wind pair is both the round wind and the seat wind. This rule decides how many fu such a double wind pair is worth.
- Ari – The pair counts as 4 fu: 2 from the seat wind, and 2 from the round wind.
- Nashi – The pair only counts for 2 fu.
Rinshan fu
Normally, 2 fu are awarded for a tsumo (except when the hand scores the pinfu yaku). If the winning draw is a kan replacement tile, giving the rinshan kaihou yaku, then the win is a tsumo call; this does not always score the 2 fu.
- Ari – A rinshan still counts the 2 fu for a tsumo.
- Nashi – A rinshan does not count the 2 fu for a tsumo.
Goal score
Used at the end of a hanchan for the next two rules: If oka is used, first place gets a bonus payment, called the oka, of 3 × (goal − start score), paid evenly by the others. The game may continue into the west round if no player has reached the goal score after the south round.
- Goal > Start – Oka may be paid, shaaba may used; see those rules.
- Goal = Start – Oka is zero, shaaba is never used.
Karaten tenpai
Karaten is a state where a hand in tenpai has all of its winning tiles exhausted via discards, dora indicators, open calls, kans, and even in other players' hands.
Kiriage mangan
Score 4 han, 30 fu as a mangan, as well as 3 han, 60 fu. The exact values for these hands are 7,700 points on a non-dealer ron, split as 2,000 and 3,900 on a non-dealer tsumo, and 11,600 points on a dealer ron, split as 3,900 for all on a dealer tsumo.
- Ari – Round up to mangan, i.e., score 8,000 or 12,000 points.
- Nashi – Score the exact values.
Oka
Jackpot for getting first. All three other players pay one third of this to first place after the end of the hanchan. These points are exchanged in addition to the uma.
Renchan
Renchan are additional hands, where the wind rotation is not applied. Instead, the wind positions remain the same for an extra hand.
- Agari – The hand is repeated only when East wins.
- Tenpai – The hand is repeated when East wins, or when East is tenpai upon exhaustive draw.
- Nanba – The hand is repeated when East wins, or when East is tenpai upon exhaustive draw, or when there is any exhaustive draw during the nanba (south round).
- Option – The rules allow two possible options, agari and tenpai.
End game riichibou
If the last hand of the hanchan is a draw, there may be leftover riichi sticks on the table. This rule decides what happens with them.
- Lost – Nobody gets the leftover riichi sticks.
- Share – The players with the highest scores share the sticks equally. There is no information on how fractional sticks are handled for 3 or 4 tying players.
- Winner – The table winner gets the sticks. If several players tie for first place, better places are assigned according to initial winds.
- Back – The sticks go back to the players who bet them.
Scorekeeping
Player scores can be maintained using various means.
- Option – Each tournament can specify a suitable scorekeeping method.
- Paper – Scores are written down on a scoresheet.
- Tenbo – Scoring sticks (tenbo) are exchanged after each hand.
- Comp – This is a computer game and it keeps track of scores automatically.
Shaaba
If nobody has reached the goal score at the end of south 4th hand, then the game continues into the west round. The game immediately stops after any hand during the west round in which a player reaches the goal score. The game never continues into the north round.
- Ari – Continue into west round.
- Nashi – Always stop after south 4th hand.
Start score
Each player has this many points at the start of a hanchan.
- 0 – Start at zero points, but the game continues with negative scores.
- 25k–30k – A negative score aborts the hanchan.
Tobi
It is customary to end the game when a player falls below zero points. However, a game ending prematurely may not be desired, especially when the game is being televised. Therefore, in some rules, the game continues onward regardless.
- Ari – Game ends, when a player falls below zero points.
- Nashi – Game continues through the full progression of the game.
Uma
This is a placing bonus for first and second place after a hanchan. First place receives (larger amount × 1,000) points from forth place, and second place receives (lower amount × 1,000) from third place. These points are exchanged in addition to the oka.
- 0 – No placement bonus is exchanged.
- Tie – When scores are tied, then the uma applied are also tied.
- X/Y – First place receives (X × 1,000) points from fourth place, second place receives (Y × 1,000) points from third place.
Yakitori
Have players who do not win a hand during the entire hanchan pay a penalty to those who do, or to whoever is first. This rule is generally used in gambling games. As for the formal tournament setting, few, if any, actually use it.
- Ari – Yakitori penalty is applied.
- Nashi – Yakitori is not applied.
Wareme
Have the player in front of the wall break (the player indicated by the dice at the start of the hand) pay and receive double points. Rarely used.
- Ari – Wareme is used.
- Nashi – Wareme is not used.