Local yaku

Local Yakus 「ローカル役」 are the yaku not used in the standard ruleset of Japanese mahjong. Some of them used to be in general ruleset, they are also known as Ancient Yakus 「古役(こやく)」. The list is extensive. This page will only record some of them, which will remain incomplete.

One-han yakus

Tsubame gaeshi

Tsubame gaeshi 「燕返し」 (lit. Swallow Reversal / Return) is a yaku for claiming a winning hand on opponent's riichi declaration tile.

  • Value: 1 han
  • Example:
  • Trivia:
    • Tsubame Gaeshi is a famous technique of the legendary Japanese swordsman, Kojirou Sasaki.
    • Sometimes Tsubame gaeshi also refers to a cheating techinique of mahjong, and is not related to the yaku. In this case, it means to swap tiles quickly between the wall in front of the player and his starting hand right after finishing haipai.

Shiiaru raotai

Shiiaru raotai 「十二落抬」 (lit. Twelve tiles falling down) is a hand with 4 melded sets waiting for a single tile (tanki). Also known as Suufuuro tanki「四副露単騎」 (lit. Four-melded single-wait).

Usually restricted to ron-only, but sometimes tsumo is also allowed under some specific rulesets.

Depending on rulesets, variation exists between allowing ankan or not.

Kanburi

Kanburi / Kanfuri 「槓振り」 is a yaku for claiming a winning hand on opponent's discarding tile right after they claimed a kan.

The winning tile is not required to be the tile exactly drawn from rinshan; that being said, as long as an opponent does a kan and discard a deal-in tile, the yaku will be achieved.

  • Value: 1 han

Sangen chiitoitsu / Suushi chiitoitsu

Sangen chiitoitsu 「三元七対子」 / Suushi chiitoitsu 「四喜七対子」 is a chiitoitsu hand containing all of three different pairs of sangenpai / four different pairs of kazehai correspondingly.

Uushin tsuukan

Uushin tsuukan 「五心通貫」 is a specific ikkitsuukan hand with a kanchan wait of 5 on its straight part. That being said, a hand containing an identical suit of 123-46-789 waiting for 5.

Two-han yakus

Sanrenkou

Sanrenkou 「三連刻」 (lit. Three consecutive triplets) is a hand with three triplets in identical suit where their number is increased by 1.

A variation exists if the triplets are in different suits: Sanshoku renkou 「三色連刻」 (lit. Three-color consecutive triplets).

Sanshoku tsuukan

Sanshoku tsuukan 「三色通貫」 (lit. Three-color straight) is a hand containing shuntsus of 123, 456 and 789 both in different suits. Also called Sanshoku ittsuu 「三色一通」 or Hon ikkitsuukan 「混一気通貫」 (lit. Mixed straight).

When their suits are identical, it becomes the standard yaku ikkitsuukan.

Kyandonhou

Kyandonhou 「鏡同和」 (Twice mixed double sequences, lit. Mirrored identities) is a hand containing two groups of identical shuntsus where their suits are different.

More specifically, the hand is built by: a sequence X in suit A, the sequence X in another suit B, another sequence Y in suit A, and the sequence Y in suit B. No restriction on the pair in general.

When their suits are identical, it becomes the standard ryanpeikou hand.

Ryandoukou

Ryandoukou 「二同刻、両同刻」 (Twice double triplets) is a hand containing two groups of identical triplets (or quads) in two suits.

Choupaikou / Sujipaikou / Chousankou

Choupaikou 「跳牌刻」 / Sujipaikou 「筋牌刻」 / Chousankou 「頂三刻」 is a hand containing three triplets in identical suit, where the numbers are stepped by 2, 3 or 4 correspondingly.

A variation exists if those triplets are in three different suits: Sanshoku choupaikou 「三色跳牌刻」 / Sanshoku sujipaikou 「三色筋牌刻」 / Sanshoku chousankou 「三色頂三刻」.

Suuzuukou

Suuzuukou 「四字刻」 (lit. Four honor triplets) is a hand containing four triplets (or quads) of honor tiles.

Two-han and above

Open riichi

Isshoku sanjun

Sanfuukou / Otakaze sankou

Uumensai

Uumensai / Uumenchi 「五門斉」 (lit. Five suits collected) is a yaku of containing all of 5 different suits in a hand: manzu, souzu, pinzu, kazehai and sangenpai.

Depending on platforms and rule details, Uumensai may have different values. Generally speaking, 2-han version is the easiest one, while extra restriction is applied if the value is higher, such as:

  • May limited in closed-hand only.
  • May not allowed in chiitoitsu-form.
  • Restricted choices on the pair and sets, e.g. Jihai-pair only.
  • Cannot be stacked with kokushi musou if valued a yakuman.

Renkaihou

Mondeikou

Mondeikou 「門泥公」 is a yaku used in 4 akadora mahjong rules. When a hand contains all four akadoras, Mondeikou is applied.

Three-han and above

Open daburu riichi

Ikkitsuukan Chantaiyaochuu

Tanfonhou

Six-han and above

Sansou shanronfui

Mangan

Kinkei dokuritsu

Kinkei dokuritsu / Chinchi dourii 「金鶏独立」 (lit. A golden cock standing alone) is a four-melded hand waiting for 1-sou's hadaka tanki. Ankans are admitted. Also called Chinchiihou 「金鶏和」.

Touchao hanchanshue

Uupin kaihou

Ryansou chankan

Iipin mouyue

Chuupin raoyui

Mangan / Yakuman

Shanron chonchu

Chiishin uushii

Chuenbukao

Mangan / Baiman / Yakuman

Renhou
「人和」
Closed only
Varies as yakuman, mangan, 5 han, or etc.
A non-dealer player wins on a discard at the first round.


Yakuman

Paarenchan

Pouhoi paarenchan

Ishino uenimo sannen

Katen gecchi

Shiisanpuutaa
「十三不塔」
Closed only
Yakuman
A player is dealt a hand, by which, no two tiles can reasonably form a tile group with a tile draw. For completion, one tile may be paired.
              Agari:  
Shiisuupuutaa
「十四不塔」
Closed only
Yakuman
A player is dealt a hand, by which, no two tiles can reasonably form a tile group with a tile draw. For completion, no tiles are paired.
              Agari:  
Suurenkou
「四連刻」
May be open
Yakuman
Four consecutive triplets in one suit.
               Agari:  


Suuchoupaikou

Chunsharin / Chunsuurin / Chunchikurin

Yakumans related to specific tiles

Kachoufuugetsu

Kachoufuugetsu 「花鳥風月」 is a hand built by four types of each triplets:

  • Hana 「花」 (Flower): Pinzu of 5
  • Tori 「鳥」 (Bird): Souzu of 1
  • Kaze 「風」 (Wind): Bakaze or jikaze
  • Tsuki 「月」 (Moon): Pinzu of 1

No further restriction on picking the pair.

Fuukasetsugetsu

Fuukasetsugetsu 「風花雪月」 is a hand built by four types of each triplets:

No further restriction on picking the pair.

Yakumans related to tile color

Kouitten

Kouitten 「紅一点」 (lit. A little red) is a hand similar to ryuuiisou by replacing the sangenpai hatsu to the red one: sangenpai chun. Also called Ittenkou 「一点紅」.

The sangenpai chun is required to complete the hand, similarly to the early version of ryuuiisou.

  • Value: Yakuman
  • Example:                
  • Trivia:
    • The yaku name originates from the verse 「萬緑叢中紅一點」, lit. A little red in the greenery.

Benikujaku

Benikujaku 「紅孔雀」 (lit. Red peacock) is a hand only built by the red souzu tiles (souzu of 1, 5, 7 and 9) and sangenpai chuun.

This yaku is harder than ryuuiisou and chinroutou, as it only contains five kinds of available tiles, and they can't perform any shuntsu.

  • Value: Yakuman
  • Example:               , Agari:  
  • Trivia:
    • This yaku is derived from ryuuiisou, as it utilizes the tiles not used by ryuuiisou. It used to have a name Kouiisou 「紅一色」 (lit. All red), but it's vague due to the fact there're many other tiles also containing red. Hence, this hand is renamed with the peacock pattern of the 1-sou.

Kokuiisou

Kokuiisou / Heiiisou 「黒一色」 (lit. All black) is a hand built only by the black tiles: the pinzu of 2 / 4 / 6 and four kinds of kazehai.

The hand is available in either toitoi or chiitoi form.

Ryuuiisourin / Kouittenrin

Ryuuiisourin 「緑一色輪」 is a hand similar to ryuuiisou by replacing the pair into the souzu of 5. Likewise, we get Kouittenrin 「紅一点輪」 by replacing the pair in a kouitten hand.

Such hands are available in chiitoitsu form, as they both contain seven kinds of available tiles to build a hand.

Yakumans related to specific things

Golden Gate Bridge

American Civil War

Nanboku sensou 「南北戦争」 (American Civil War) is a hand built with two triplets of South and North, a set of "1861" in identical suit, and a set of "1865" in another suit.

  • Restriction:
    • Menzenchin only.
    • The triplet of South / North is usually not allowed to meld or claim as ankan.
    • The two groups of years are usually not allowed in a same suit.
  • Value: Yakuman
  • Example:               
  • Trivia:
    • The yaku originates from American Civil War. Two sets of numbers indicate its starting year 1861 and the ending year 1865, while two sets of honors indicate the two belligerents: southern United States and northern United States.
    • The yaku comes from American mahjong, which generally doesn't follow the pattern of traditional mahjong (multiple sets and a pair).

Nanbokuchou period

Satsuma Rebellion / Seinan War

Touhoku Expressway

Touhoku Shinkansen

Blue Tunnel / Aonodoumon

Yakuman / Double yakuman

Daisharin / Daichikurin / Daisuurin

Shousharin / Shouchikurin / Shousuurin

Suurenkou

Isshouku yonjun

Hyakuman goku

Multiple yakuman

Chousangen

Chousangen 「超三元」 (lit. Super 3 dragons) is a hand containing all three quads of sangenpais.

When chousangen is not recognized, such hand values single yakuman as daisangen.

Daichisei

Daichisei 「大七星」 (lit. Big seven stars) is a chiitoitsu hand containing all the seven kinds of honor tiles. Also called Jihai chiitoitsu 「字牌七対子」 (lit. Seven pairs of honors).

When daichisei is not recognized, the hand values single yakuman as tsuuiisou.

Junsei ryuuiisou

Junsei ryuuiisou 「純正緑一色」 (lit. Pure all green) is an all-green hand built only with the souzu tile of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, which excludes hatsu.

When junsei ryuuiisou is not recognized, the hand may value:

Chousuushi

Chousuushi 「超四喜」 (lit. Super 4 winds) is a hand containing all four quads of kazehais.

When chousuushi is not recognized, such hand values double or triple yakuman as daisuushi suukantsu.

References

Replays

  1. Tsubame gaeshi (East 1 Round 1 honba, South seat)
  2. Shiiaru raotai (East 2 Round 1 honba, West seat)
  3. Sangen chiitoitsu (East 1 Round, East seat)
  4. Suushi chiitoitsu (East 1 Round, East seat)
  5. Uushin Tsuukan (South 2 Round, East seat)
  6. Sanshoku tsuukan (South 4 Round, East seat)
  7. Choupaikou (East 2 Round, South seat)
  8. Suuzuukou (South 4 Round, North seat)
  9. Uumensai (East 4 Round, South seat)
  10. Chousangen (East 2 Round, North seat)
  11. Junsei ryuuiisou (East 3 Round 1 honba, West seat)

External links

Local yaku in Japanese Wikipedia