Riichi
Riichi (立直 or リーチ) is the most commonly used yaku in the game. This yaku may apply to any closed hand and may be declared upon achieving tenpai. Due to its common usage, various specific game scenarios must be considered when using riichi.
| Type | Yaku |
|---|---|
| Kanji | 立直 or リーチ |
| English | Ready hand |
| Value | 1 han (closed only) |
| Speed | Varies |
| Difficulty | At discretion |
Rules
When a player has a closed tenpai hand, the player may declare riichi. Doing so gains the hand 1 han. To declare riichi, a player announces riichi and discards a tile facing sideways in the discard pile. This is done to indicate when riichi was called. If that tile is claimed by another player for an open meld, then the next discard is turned sideways as a replacement.
Unless the first sideways discard is claimed for a win immediately, the riichi announcer now places a bet of 1,000 points on the table. This bet is collected by the next player to win a hand. Specific rulesets may handle differently what happens to the bet on a multiple win.
After a riichi declaration, the hand remains locked and unchangeable. In this state, the player is simply waiting for a winning tile to appear, either by draw or discard.
It is not allowed to declare riichi when less than four tiles remain in the wall. The player must be able to draw one more tile in an uninterrupted set of turns. The absolute last chance to call riichi is when the player has a chance to score riichi, haitei, ippatsu, and mentsumo. Example.
Ippatsu
Ippatsu (一発) is awarded if the player receives a winning tile within an uninterrupted set of turns after the riichi declaration. Tile calls interrupt the set of turns. The latest possible chance to win with ippatsu is with the player's next drawn tile after the riichi declaration. Ippatsu is a yaku worth 1 han.
Double riichi
Double riichi (ダブルリーチ) is a special case for riichi, where the player declares riichi on the first turn. No tile call may have interrupted the turn order before the declaration, where applicable. Double riichi is worth 2 han instead of 1 han, as a bonus for the initial timing.
Kan during riichi
When a riichi declarer holds three identical tiles and draws the fourth after the riichi announcement, he may form an ankan from these tiles instead of discarding the fourth. The hand composition and the possible winning tiles may not change: It is not allowed to declare kan if, for some possible winning tile, any of the three identical tiles may be interpreted as part of a shuntsu or part of the pair.
Illegal example:
, draw: .
It is not allowed to kan the fours. The manzu tiles may either be interpreted as a 3-4 ryanmen wait and a 4-4 pair, or as a 4-man ankou with a 3-man tanki wait. A kan call would alter the wait just for a 3-man tanki. For a legal kan declaration, the three identical tiles would have to be an ankou in any interpretation. Had the player drawn a west wind, he would have been allowed to kan it.
Legal example:
, draw: , , or .
Furiten
If a riichi declarer does not win at first opportunity, he will be permanently furiten. All tiles discarded after the riichi declaration, as indicated by the discarded sideways tile, are considered to be guaranteed safe tiles.
Ura dora
When a riichi declarer wins, he may flip the tiles underneath the dora and kan dora indicators. These flipped ura dora indicators may increase the value of his hand.
Tochuu ryuukoku
Tochuu ryuukoku, or abortive draw, is in effect when suucha riichi occurs. In this case, three riichis have been called; and a fourth one is called in place. If the discarded tile is not claimed for a win, then the hand ends.
Strategy
Calling riichi is an optional play. Therefore, players often have to make various considerations, when it comes to using riichi. Often, this depends on the discarded tiles, how early or late in the hand, the hand value, and/or the player's hand composition. If possible, a player may opt not to use riichi at all and instead employ the strategy of damaten.
Advantages
- Any closed hand becomes eligible for winning by ron.
- Riichi is an automatic yaku and is eligible to count for 1 additional han (after a win).
- Access to the ura-dora (after a win).
- Kans formed by any player provide two extra dora indicators for the riichi declarer instead of one.
- Other players are recommended to defend against riichi calls, if possible or needed. Otherwise, players run the risk of falling to that hand.
Disadvantages
- It is less likely for opponents to deal in.
- By rule, the hand is locked. Therefore, it is impossible to change the composition of the hand in order to get a better wait or an improved score.
- Likewise, a player can no longer defend and instead wait for a winning tile.
- Other players still have the option to develop their hands and potentially "snipe" the hand. Example.
- It is highly recommended to declare the win on the first instance of a winning tile, even if the tile is a yasume or a lower scoring tile (based on yaku). Otherwise, the hand is subject to furiten. A riichi call disables a person's ability to be selective of points from particular players (if need be).
Miscellaneous considerations
Once again, riichi is a discretionary play. Therefore, various factors must be considered before employing using riichi. At the same time, many plays involving riichi are highly recommended. Employing riichi is a matter of the current game state. Now, here are some questions to consider:
- What game round is it?
- Is the lead currently held? Is said lead significant, or close to second place?
- Is it necessary to improve the hand by calling riichi?
- Would damaten be sufficient?
- Can the hand be improved by drawing particular tiles?
- How many tiles are available for winning?
- Is it safe to discard the extra tile, to call riichi?
- Is it worth calling riichi at all?
- Did anyone else call riichi previously?
Oikake riichi
Oikake riichi (追いかけリーチ) is a declared riichi, after another player had already declared riichi. In this state, two or even three players have simultaneously declared riichi; and thus, the game becomes a contest between two or three tenpai hands.
The process of four active riichi hands is not possible due to suucha riichi, or four called riichi. In this case, the hand ends if the fourth riichi discard is not a winning tile for any of the previous three.
External links
- Riichi in Japanese Wikipedia
- Ippatsu in Japanese Wikipedia.
- Double riichi in Japanese Wikipedia.