List of yaku
A yaku 「役」 is a certain pattern in a mahjong hand that scores points, and a necessary condition for winning. They are analogous to hands in poker. Unlike poker, multiple yaku can be combined into one hand. Under standard rules, there are 26 different yaku and 11 yakuman (a special class of high-scoring yaku). In addition, one special case may be allowed in nagashi mangan.
In order to win any hand, the hand must have at least one yaku. Even if a hand has dora, it cannot score without a yaku. Declaring a win without yaku can score a chombo penalty. Therefore, when learning the game, it is essential to learn the different types of yaku.
Each yaku has a specified amount of han 「飜」, generally based on their rarity. You can also increase the hand's han count with dora, but this does not count as a yaku. A hand's total han value, counted from adding up yaku and dora, determines the points you'll get in the end.
The most important yaku to learn is riichi, since it is very common and very easy to achieve. A new player may find it easiest to never open their hand, always calling riichi, and get a few wins. However, this strategy is far too simple for serious play; a variety of yaku should be employed.
One han closed only
Menzenchin tsumohou
|
Any closed hand that wins by self-draw scores this yaku. | |
Riichi
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Any closed hand that reaches tenpai may declare "riichi" to score this yaku. Declaring riichi requires you to bet 1000 points, and announces you are in tenpai. | |
Ippatsu
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Declare riichi, then win by your next tile draw. In addition, no player can make tile calls between the riichi call and the win. | |
Pinfu
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A closed hand that scores no fu from its composition at tenpai. This requires the hand to have: | |
Agari: or |
Iipeikou
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A hand with two identical sequences. | |
One han
Haitei raoyue
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Win by drawing the last tile from the live wall. | |
Houtei raoyui
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Win with the very last discarded tile. | |
Rinshan kaihou
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Win with a tile from the dead wall - i.e., win by the tile drawn after a kan. | |
Chankan
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Win with a tile used for an opponent's added kan. Essentially, the tile needed to complete a kan is stolen to complete a winning hand. | |
Tanyao
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A hand composed of only tiles that are numbered from 2-8. (In other words, a hand with no 1's, 9's, or honors.) | |
Agari: or |
Yakuhai
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A hand with at least one group of dragon tiles, seat wind, or round wind tiles. Each group is worth 1 han. | |
Agari: or |
Two han
Double riichi
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Declare riichi before your first discard, and before any player makes a tile call. | |
Chantaiyao
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All tile groups, and the pair, contain at least 1 terminal or honor. | |
Agari: or |
Sanshoku doujun
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Three sequences with the same numbers, across the three different suits. | |
Ittsu
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Have sequences of "123", "456", and "789", all of the same suit, appearing as "123456789". Simply having every tile from 1-9 is not enough; the hand must have those exact sequences. | |
Toitoi
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The entire hand is composed of triplets (and/or quads). | |
Agari: or |
Sanankou
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Three closed triplets (and/or quads). Each of the three triplets must be formed without calling any tiles; a triplet completed by ron does not count as closed. The fourth group can be an open triplet or sequence. | |
Agari: or |
Sanshoku doukou
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Three groups of triplets (and/or quads) with the same number. | |
Agari: |
Sankantsu
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Three quads of any type. | |
Agari: |
Chiitoitsu
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This hand is composed of seven pairs; each pair must be unique. It is one of two exceptions to the standard 4 tile groups and a pair pattern. | |
Agari: |
Honroutou
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Every tile is either a terminal or an honor tile. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without either chiitoitsu or toitoi. | |
Agari: or |
Shousangen
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Two triplets (and/or quads) of dragons, and a pair of the third dragon. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without two sets of yakuhai, from the two dragon triplets. | |
Agari: or |
Three han
Honitsu
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This is a single suit hand mixed with some honor tiles. | |
Agari: or |
Junchan taiyao
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All tile groups, and the pair, contain at least one terminal. | |
Agari: |
Ryanpeikou
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Two sets of "iipeikou". Does not combine with chiitoitsu, even though it can be interpreted as one. | |
Agari: |
Six han
Chinitsu
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Every tile is a number tile with the same suit. The most valuable yaku, outside of yakuman. | |
Agari: or |
Yakuman
Kazoe yakuman
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Any hand that scores 13+ han via regular yaku and/or dora is a kazoe yakuman. Does not combine with other yakuman. | |
Kokushi musou
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This hand has one of each of the 13 different terminal and honor tiles, plus one extra terminal or honor tile. Some rules may allow double yakuman for a 13-wait set. | |
Agari: |
Suuankou
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Have four groups of closed triplets (and/or closed quads). | |
Tsumo: or |
Daisangen
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Have three groups (triplets or quads) of all the dragons. | |
Agari: |
Shousuushii
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Have three groups (triplets or quads) of the wind tiles, plus a pair of the fourth kind. | |
Agari: |
Daisuushii
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Have four groups (triplets or quads) of all four wind tiles. Scored as a double yakuman in some rulesets. | |
Agari: |
Tsuuiisou
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Every tile is an honor tile. | |
Agari: or |
Chinroutou
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Every tile is a terminal tile. | |
Agari: or |
Ryuuiisou
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Every tile is a "green" tile, which includes: 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 Sou and/or Hatsu. | |
Agari: or |
Chuuren poutou
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A hand consisting of the tiles 1112345678999 in the same suit, plus any one extra tile of the same suit. | |
Agari: Any manzu. |
Suukantsu
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Any hand with four calls of kan. | |
Agari: |
Initial yakuman
Tenhou
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The dealer has a winning hand by their first draw. | |
Chiihou
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A non-dealer has a winning hand by their first draw. In addition, no player can make tile calls before then. | |
Special case
This yaku does not specifically deal with a player's hand, but rather the player's discards. In addition, the hand may or may not be at tenpai upon scoring. The result of nagashi mangan modifies the case of ryuukyoku, where point exchanges equate to mangan.
Nagashi mangan
|
All the discards are terminals and/or honors. In addition, none of these discards were called by other players. | |
Local
The above list is generally considered as the "standard yaku", including the yakuman. However, the game offers an even larger array of tile patterns. Various house rules may opt to use some of these yaku on their own.
External links
- List of yaku in Japanese Wikipedia
- Yaku frequency among Tenhou.net players (Japanese)
- Lists all the yaku occurrences in Tenhou.net by percentages and by room
- Pointing out which yaku to learn first
- Yaku list in Wikipedia.