Toitoihou

Toitoihou 「対々和」, often shortened to toitoi 「対々」 is a standard yaku. Known as "All Triplets" in English, toitoi requires all four tile groups to be either triplets or quads.

Toitoihou
Type Yaku
Kanji 対々和
対々
English All triplets
Value 2 han
Speed Medium
Difficulty Easy

Tile pattern

               Agari:   or  
                 Agari:   or   

Closed toitoi

              Ron:   or  

If this hand wins by tsumo, then it counts for the suuankou yakuman. Otherwise, it's a toitoi mixed with sanankou.

Formation

As the name implies, this yaku requires koutsu. Usually, this yaku is called open due to the ability for pon to claim discarded tiles from any player, giving this yaku the nickname of "pon palace". This yaku does not reduce in value once opened.

Viability

Naturally, this yaku is reasonable if your hand has many triplets and/or pairs. Note, though, that toitoi looks easier than it actually is. There are only 2 tiles can turn a pair into a triplet (4 tiles in mahjong; 2 are already in the pair). Meanwhile, a ryanmen can be turned into a sequence with 8 tiles. While you can pon to turn pairs to triplets, your opponents might not discard the tiles you need to pon. The 2 tiles could be in the dead wall, or used in an opponent's hand.

Pairs made out of middle tiles (tiles from 3-7) are particularly hard to pon, because middle tiles are more likely to be kept in an opponent's hand. If you have multiple pairs made out of middle tiles, this yaku becomes slower to complete.

In addition, a hand with many pairs can also form chiitoitsu. The (very rough) rules of thumb between toitoi and chitoitsu are:

  • If you have 4 pairs and one turns into a sequence or triplet, you should probably go for a regular hand structure. This may or may not be toitoi.
  • If you have 5 pairs, you should likely go for chiitoitsu. Keeping the option for toitoi is fine (e.g. 4 pairs, 1 triplet, 2 lone tiles. The hand can turn into chiitoi if you discard the triplet, can toitoi if you pon) so long as the pairs are reasonable to pon.
  • If you have 4-5 pairs, and one of the pairs cannot be turned into a triplet, because both remaining tiles of the pair are visible, then favor chiitoitsu.

Compatibility

^ Ippatsu requires riichi to be of any use.

RCH DRI IPP SMO TAN PFU IPK ITT YAK SDJ SDO TOI SNA SNK CHA JUN RPK SSG HRO HON CHN CHI RIN HAI HOU CHK
TOI                                                  

Toitoi is incompatible with any yaku requiring a sequence, meaning pinfu, iipeikou, ittsu, sanshoku doujun, ryanpeikou, and chankan (since it can only win on a sequence wait). It also cannot be combined with chiitoitsu, since it doesn't use mentsu.

Toitoi with mentsumo and junchan actually form yakuman, as suuankou and chinroutou respectively. Toitoi with chanta forms honroutou instead.

External links

Toitoihou in Japanese Wikipedia