Mentsu: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:03, 10 April 2024

Mentsu 「面子」, known as "tile groups", "melds", or "sets" in English, are used to create a winning hand. They are subdivided into four types: shuntsu (sequence), koutsu (three-of-a-kind), kantsu (four-of-a-kind), and jantou (pair). They are further categorized by their state being "open" or "closed".

Forming these groups is a central part of developing a mahjong hand, because it is required for attaining tenpai and completing hands altogether. Two main factors go towards the formation of these tile groups: suit and number (or type).

The tile groups

Mahjong features four types of tiles in terms of suits: the numbered suits and honors. Every tile group must be of a single suit - therefore, a mix of suits would be invalid.

In addition, honor tiles can only be used by themselves. An honor tile group must be made out of identical copies of one honor tile; you cannot mix different honor tiles together. In other words, honors can be used in pairs/triplets/quads, but not sequences.

Shuntsu


Anjun - Closed	Minjun - Open	Minjun - Open (middle number called)

Shuntsu 「順子」 (sequences) is a tile group consisting of three sequential numbered tiles. Note that 9 does not "wrap around" to 1 - you cannot have sequences of "891" or "912". In addition, you cannot make sequences by using honor tiles.

Self-drawn sequences are called anjun 「暗順」. The open variety are minjun 「明順」. To form a minjun, players are limited to calling tiles from kamicha, or the player from the left. Discarded tiles from the other two players, that are needed to complete this meld cannot be called upon. Furthermore, an added restriction is applied by kuikae, which applies to calls off of previously completed sequences.

Koutsu


Ankou - Closed	Minkou - Open

Koutsu 「刻子」 is a tile group, consisting of three of the same type of tiles. In English, koutsu are referred as "triplets". Players may develop minkou 「明刻」 (open triplets) by calling on a discarded tile while already having a pair of said tile.

Kantsu

Main article: Kan


Ankan - Closed	Minkan - Open	Shouminkan - Open (added)

Tile groups involving four-of-a-kind take on a different nature than the other tile groups. Kantsu 「槓子」 must be declared by kan, to be useful. Kan is a special tile call in the game. This call forms a meld from four identical tiles. After the declaration of "kan", then a special set of rules are invoked.

Jantou

Main article: Jantou

This is the pair of the hand, or the jantou 「雀」. The terms mentsu and group do not refer to the pair, but only to the triplets, quads, and sequences.

External links

面子

Mentsu in Japanese Wikipedia

Overview

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Mentsu''' {{kana|面子}} are the tile groups used for the [[Japanese mahjong|game]].  The groups follow a similar pattern to the regular card game, gin rummy, where the focus is on groups of three tiles and sometimes four.  They are subdivided into four types: '''shuntsu''' (sequence), '''koutsu''' (three-of-a-kind), '''kantsu''' (four-of-a-kind), and '''jantou''' (pair).  They are further categorized by their state being "open" or "closed".  Forming these groups is a central part of [[Tile efficiency|developing a mahjong hand]], because it is required for attaining [[tenpai]] and completing hands altogether.  Two main factors go towards the formation of these tile groups: suit and number (or type).
+'''Mentsu''' {{kana|面子}}, known as "tile groups", "melds", or "sets" in English, are used to create a winning hand. They are subdivided into four types: '''shuntsu''' (sequence), '''koutsu''' (three-of-a-kind), '''kantsu''' (four-of-a-kind), and '''jantou''' (pair). They are further categorized by their state being "open" or "closed".
+Forming these groups is a central part of [[Tile efficiency|developing a mahjong hand]], because it is required for attaining [[tenpai]] and completing hands altogether. Two main factors go towards the formation of these tile groups: suit and number (or type).
 ==The tile groups==
-Mahjong features four types of tiles in terms of suits: the numbered suits and [[jihai|honors]].  Every tile group must be single-suited; and thus, a tile group cannot be of mixed suit.  It is [[Chombo|improper]] to possess such a mix when declaring a win, as the hand would not be complete.   Honor tiles take an even greater restriction, by which tile groups must be of particular tiles.  Different honor tiles cannot be mixed with suited tiles or other honor tiles.  Tiles among honor groups must be identical to each other.  To complete these any of these tile groups, players must either self-draw from the wall or may [[Naki|call on discarded tiles]], presuming that two out of three of a tile group are in possession.  While the tile groups are subdivided into three categories, they are further subdivided into the state of being open or closed.
+Mahjong features four types of tiles in terms of suits: the numbered suits and [[honor]]s. Every tile group ''must'' be of a single suit - therefore, a mix of suits would be [[chombo|invalid]].
+In addition, honor tiles can only be used by themselves. An honor tile group must be made out of identical copies of one honor tile; you cannot mix different honor tiles together. In other words, honors can be used in pairs/triplets/quads, but not sequences.
 ===Shuntsu===
@@ Line 12: / Line 16: @@
 |}
-'''Shuntsu''' {{kana|順子}} is a tile group consisting of three sequential numbered tiles.  Self-drawn sequences are called '''anjun''' {{kana|暗順}}.  The open variety are '''minjun''' {{kana|明順}}.
+'''Shuntsu''' {{kana|順子}} (sequences) is a tile group consisting of three sequential numbered tiles. Note that 9 does not "wrap around" to 1 - you cannot have sequences of "891" or "912". In addition, you cannot make sequences by using honor tiles.
-To form a '''minjun''', players are limited to calling tiles from [[kamicha]], or the player from the left.  Discarded tiles from the other two players, that are needed to complete this meld cannot be called upon.  Furthermore, an added restriction is applied by [[kuikae]], which applies to calls off of previously completed sequences.
+Self-drawn sequences are called '''anjun''' {{kana|暗順}}.  The open variety are '''minjun''' {{kana|明順}}. To form a '''minjun''', players are limited to calling tiles from [[kamicha]], or the player from the left. Discarded tiles from the other two players, that are needed to complete this meld cannot be called upon. Furthermore, an added restriction is applied by [[kuikae]], which applies to calls off of previously completed sequences.
 ===Koutsu===
@@ Line 24: / Line 28: @@
 |}
-'''Koutsu''' {{kana|刻子}} is a tile group, consisting of three of the same type of tiles.  In English, koutsu are referred as "triplets".  Players may develop '''minkou''' {{kana|明刻}} (open triplets) by calling on discarded tiles, while in possession of pairs.
+'''Koutsu''' {{kana|刻子}} is a tile group, consisting of three of the same type of tiles. In English, koutsu are referred as "triplets".  Players may develop '''minkou''' {{kana|明刻}} (open triplets) by calling on a discarded tile while already having a pair of said tile.
 ===Kantsu===