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=Riichi Mahjong Primer= | =Riichi Mahjong Primer= | ||
<div style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em;">__TOC__</div> | |||
This article will attempt to describe how to play riichi mahjong (Japanese Mahjong) online in a clear and concise way. Therefore, any instructions related to setting up the game are omitted for this guide. | This article will attempt to describe how to play riichi mahjong (Japanese Mahjong) online in a clear and concise way. Therefore, any instructions related to setting up the game are omitted for this guide. | ||
==Game Overview== | ==Game Overview== | ||
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{{#mjt:34567p333m678s44z}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:2p}}, {{#mjt:5p}}, or {{#mjt:8p}} | {{#mjt:34567p333m678s44z}} Waiting for: {{#mjt:2p}}, {{#mjt:5p}}, or {{#mjt:8p}} | ||
Say you discarded the {{#mjt:2p}} in the past. You cannot win off ''any'' tile because you could've won with the discarded 2. If an opponent discards {{#mjt:8p}}, you cannot win. You did not discard the {{#mjt:8p}}, but you discarded a tile you could've won with - therefore, you cannot win with any tile. | Say you discarded the {{#mjt:2p}} in the past. You cannot win off ''any'' tile because you could've won with the discarded 2. If an opponent discards {{#mjt:8p}}, you cannot win. You did not discard the {{#mjt:8p}}, but you discarded a tile you could've won with - therefore, you cannot win with any tile discarded by others. | ||
It does not matter if the discarded tile wouldn't give any yaku. If you could've completed a winning shape with the tile, you are in furiten. | It does not matter if the discarded tile wouldn't give any yaku. If you could've completed a winning shape with the tile, you are in furiten. | ||
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There are two other types of furiten: | There are two other types of furiten: | ||
* If you decline to take the first possible win after declaring [[riichi]], you enter | * If you decline to take the first possible win after declaring [[riichi]], you enter furiten permanently. | ||
* If you decline to take a win with a non-riichi hand, you enter furiten until your next draw. (This applies even if winning with that tile couldn't give you a yaku.) | * If you decline to take a win with a non-riichi hand, you enter furiten until your next draw. (This applies even if winning with that tile couldn't give you a yaku.) | ||
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==Tile Calls== | ==Tile Calls== | ||
===Open Calls=== | ===Open Calls=== | ||
Chii and pon are open calls. They let you claim tiles that opponents discard, allowing you to complete the hand faster, but prevent you from gaining certain yaku (most importantly, riichi), and make other yaku cheaper. | Chii and pon are open calls. They let you claim tiles that opponents discard, allowing you to complete the hand faster, but prevent you from gaining certain yaku (most importantly, riichi), and make other yaku cheaper. | ||
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[[Kan]] is the call to complete a quad. It is complicated - new players don't need to worry about it. For the studious, there are three types of kan. | [[Kan]] is the call to complete a quad. It is complicated - new players don't need to worry about it. For the studious, there are three types of kan. | ||
*Open kan - You have 3 tiles of the same type, then any opponent needs to discard another tile of that type. Works like pon does, including | *Open kan - You have 3 tiles of the same type, then any opponent needs to discard another tile of that type. Works like pon does, including the fact that it opens your hand. | ||
*Closed kan - You have 3 tiles of the same type, then draw the 4th one. This call does not open the hand, so you may declare riichi after closed kan. | *Closed kan - You have 3 tiles of the same type, then draw the 4th one. This call does not open the hand, so you may declare riichi after closed kan. | ||
*Added kan - You previously called pon and draw the 4th tile of the same type. | *Added kan - You previously called pon and draw the 4th tile of the same type. | ||
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Despite having 4 tiles, a kan is treated as a single set. Whenever you call kan, you draw a new tile, and your hand size increases by 1. Therefore, after 1 kan call, a ready hand will be 14 tiles, and a winning hand will be 15 tiles. | Despite having 4 tiles, a kan is treated as a single set. Whenever you call kan, you draw a new tile, and your hand size increases by 1. Therefore, after 1 kan call, a ready hand will be 14 tiles, and a winning hand will be 15 tiles. | ||
After calling kan, like chii and pon, you may not | After calling kan, like chii and pon, you may not change or retrieve the tiles used for the quad after declaring kan. | ||
Calling kan will also reveal a new [[dora]] indicator. This may increase the value of anyone's hand, not just your own. | Calling kan will also reveal a new [[dora]] indicator. This may increase the value of anyone's hand, not just your own. | ||
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When the East player wins, the player's seat winds remain the same for the next round. When nobody wins and the East player has a ready hand, the seats also remains the same. | When the East player wins, the player's seat winds remain the same for the next round. When nobody wins and the East player has a ready hand, the seats also remains the same. | ||
When a non-East player wins, the winds rotate in reverse player order. The East player becomes North. South becomes East. West becomes South. North becomes West. | When a non-East player wins, the winds rotate in reverse player order. The East player becomes North. South becomes East. West becomes South. North becomes West. (The player left of you always remains left of you; the player right of you always remains right of you.) | ||
===Game Wind=== | ===Game Wind=== | ||
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Because the player seats do not change when the East player wins, whenever the East player does win, the game is extended by one round. | Because the player seats do not change when the East player wins, whenever the East player does win, the game is extended by one round. | ||
Game rounds are notated by order of winds. The first round is East 1. After the first East player fails to retain their seat, it goes on to East 2, then East 3, and East 4. Then after East 4, South 1 starts, and so on. | |||
===Game End=== | ===Game End=== | ||
A "[[hanchan]]" (half game; South game) is the most common game length in riichi mahjong. In a hanchan the game lasts for 2 winds - East and South. After the South wind ends (8 | A "[[hanchan]]" (half game; South game) is the most common game length in riichi mahjong. In a hanchan the game lasts for 2 winds - East and South. After the South wind ends (South 4; 8 rounds minimum), the game ends. | ||
However: | However: | ||
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==Dora== | ==Dora== | ||
At the start of each round, a [[dora]] indicator is revealed. The tile ''after'' the revealed dora indicator is the dora tile. For every dora tile in your hand, you gain 1 han. | At the start of each round, a [[dora]] indicator is revealed. The tile ''after'' the revealed dora indicator is the dora tile. For every dora tile in your hand, you gain extra points (+1 han/tile). | ||
For example, if {{#mjt:1p}} is the dora indicator, {{#mjt:2p}} is the dora. Having {{#mjt:2p}} in your hand will increase your hand's value. | For example, if {{#mjt:1p}} is the dora indicator, {{#mjt:2p}} is the dora. Having {{#mjt:2p}} in your hand will increase your hand's value. | ||
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===Red Fives=== | ===Red Fives=== | ||
In most modern riichi mahjong websites, red fives are | In most modern riichi mahjong websites, red fives are used. There is one red five in each suit (a red 5 of characters, a red 5 of bamboo, a red 5 in dots). | ||
Having the red five in your hand is worth | Having the red five in your hand is worth extra points, just like a dora tile. Unlike dora, having the red five in your hand gives you value. (I.e. a red five in your hand does not make a 6 more valuable.) | ||
If a red five is the dora/uradora indicator, nothing special happens; the 6 of that suit is still a regular dora as usual. | If a red five is the dora/uradora indicator, nothing special happens; the 6 of that suit is still a regular dora as usual. | ||
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Here is how the scoring system works. | Here is how the scoring system works. | ||
*A hand has a given value of "[[han]]" and a given value of "[[fu]]". | *A hand has a given value of "[[han]]" and a given value of "[[fu]]". | ||
**Han: Each [[yaku]] has a specified amount of han. A hand can gain han for multiple different types of yaku. Also, for every dora in the hand, | **Han: Each [[yaku]] has a specified amount of han. A hand can gain han for multiple different types of yaku. Also, for every dora in the hand, the hand gains +1 han. Add up the han from yaku and dora to get the total han value. | ||
**Fu is based on the hand's composition. For example, having more triplets may increase fu count. Fu is always rounded up to the next multiple of 10 fu. | **Fu is based on the hand's composition. For example, having more triplets may increase fu count. Fu is always rounded up to the next multiple of 10 fu. | ||
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==Basic Strategy== | ==Basic Strategy== | ||
A player completely new to riichi mahjong should focus on learning the gameplay, being able to make a winning hand, and learning the [[yaku]]. | A player completely new to riichi mahjong should focus on learning the gameplay, being able to make a winning hand, and learning the common [[yaku]]. | ||
Once you've learned | Once you've learned those, it's time for some more intermediate strategy. This article will cover 3 fundamental strategies: | ||
*[[Tile efficiency]] | |||
*[[Defense]] | |||
*[[Situational analysis|Point standing analysis]] | |||
===Defense=== | ===Defense=== | ||
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Defense is important for multiple reasons. When you discard another player's winning tile, you pay the full amount. If another player has a valuable hand, but you have a cheap and slow hand, then it is better to not deal in. Even if the player wins by self-draw, the amount you would pay is much less than the amount you'd pay by dealing in. | Defense is important for multiple reasons. When you discard another player's winning tile, you pay the full amount. If another player has a valuable hand, but you have a cheap and slow hand, then it is better to not deal in. Even if the player wins by self-draw, the amount you would pay is much less than the amount you'd pay by dealing in. | ||
The | The most important part about defense is the [[furiten]] rule. To recap: | ||
*A player cannot win off another's discard if they could win off any of their previously discarded tile. | *A player cannot win off another's discard if they could win off any of their previously discarded tile. | ||
*A player in riichi may not win off another's discard | *A player in riichi if they decline their first possible win, may not win off another's discard for the rest of the game. | ||
*A player not in riichi | *A player not in riichi, if they decline a win, cannot win until their next turn. | ||
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'''4. | '''4. [[Kabe|Blockade]]''' | ||
There are 4 copies of a given type of tile. Therefore, when all 4 copies of a tile are used up, it is impossible for others to have that tile. Thus, it becomes impossible for an opponent to have a sequence with that tile. | There are 4 copies of a given type of tile. Therefore, when all 4 copies of a tile are used up, it is impossible for others to have that tile. Thus, it becomes impossible for an opponent to have a sequence with that tile. | ||