Mahjong Yaku List for Beginners: Rules and Winning Hands
Published
When learning mahjong from scratch, this mahjong yaku list beginner guide organizes the foundational knowledge you need first. Understanding tile combinations and the rules for a win (completing a hand to achieve victory) allows you to enjoy playing alone without confusion.
Basic Winning Hand Shapes and Combinations of Sets
Figure 1 as text
Hand: 1m 2m 3m 4p 5p 6p 7p 8p 9p 4s 5s East East
Highlighted tiles: 4s, 5s
Notation: 123m456789p45s11z
This diagram shows a two-sided wait holding 4-bamboo and 5-bamboo in the hand. With two types of winning wait tiles, 3-bamboo and 6-bamboo, the hand is in tenpai (one tile away from a win) with a closed hand (having made no calls on other players' discards). A mahjong winning hand is generally composed of 14 tiles made of 4 sets (groups of 3 tiles) and 1 pair (2 identical tiles).
Sets come in 2 types: sequences of consecutive numbers, and triplets of 3 identical tiles. A pair consists of 2 identical tiles. Even if the shape is complete, the one-han minimum rule dictates that you cannot win without at least 1 yaku.
- Sequence: 3 consecutive numbered tiles of the same suit, like 1-characters, 2-characters, 3-characters.
- Triplet: A group of 3 identical tiles, such as three 7-circles.
- Pair: A pair of 2 identical tiles forming the core of the hand.
- Two-tile complex: A 2-tile group needing 1 more tile to form a sequence, typically a two-sided wait like 4-bamboo and 5-bamboo.
Distinguishing completed sets from incomplete two-tile complexes and keeping wide two-sided waits will speed up reaching tenpai.
Play in the app
The fastest way to absorb these concepts is to play. Play alone at your own pace against computer opponents, even with no network connection.
Free to play. Contains ads. No in-app purchases.
Basic Yaku Beginners Should Learn First
Figure 2 as text
Hand: 2m 3m 4m 6m 7m 8m 6p 7p 1s 1s Red Red Red
Highlighted tiles: 6p, 7p, Red
Notation: 234678m67p11s777z
This diagram displays a hand holding a triplet of the Red Dragon honor tile, which yields 1 han, and a two-sided wait on 6-circle and 7-circle waiting for 5-circle or 8-circle. Because a triplet of the Red Dragon honor tile is included, this is a dependable yaku that remains valid even after calling other players' discards.
Narrowing down what you study and mastering frequently occurring 1-han yaku first is the fastest path to improvement. The table below organizes commonly used yaku by han value. Han values follow standard rules and can vary by venue. Note that while dora are bonus tiles that increase points, they are not yaku, so you cannot win on dora alone.
| Yaku Name | Han | Calling Allowed | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riichi | 1 han | Closed hand only | Declare tenpai with a closed hand and deposit 1000 points |
| Ippatsu | 1 han | Closed hand only | Win within one turn of riichi before anyone calls |
| Menzenchin Tsumohou (Fully Concealed Hand) | 1 han | Closed hand only | Win by drawing the tile yourself without calling |
| All Simples (Tanyao) | 1 han | Allowed (under open tanyao rules) | Form the hand entirely from simple number tiles |
| Pinfu | 1 han | Closed hand only | Four sequences, a non-yakuhai pair, and a two-sided wait |
| Iipeikou (Pure Double Sequence) | 1 han | Closed hand only | Two identical sequences of the same suit and values |
| Yakuhai | 1 han | Allowed | Triplet of White, Green, Red Dragon, or round/seat wind |
| Haitei Raoyue / Houtei Raoyui | 1 han | Allowed | Win on the very last draw or on the very last discard |
| Rinshan Kaihou | 1 han | Allowed | Win on the replacement tile drawn after a quad |
| Chankan (Robbing a Quad) | 1 han | Allowed | Win on a tile used by an opponent to extend an open triplet into a quad |
| Yaku Name | Han | Calling Allowed | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Riichi | 2 han | Closed hand only | Declare riichi on your very first turn without prior calls |
| Chiitoitsu (Seven Pairs) | 2 han | Closed hand only | Seven distinct pairs |
| Sanshoku Doujun (Mixed Triple Sequence) | 2 han (1 han if open) | Allowed | Same numbered sequence in characters, circles, bamboo |
| Ittsu (Pure Straight) | 2 han (1 han if open) | Allowed | Form low, middle, and high sequences in the same suit |
| Chanta (Terminal and Honor Mixed Outside Hand) | 2 han (1 han if open) | Allowed | Each set and the pair contain terminals or honor tiles |
| Toitoi (All Triplets) | 2 han | Allowed | All 4 sets are triplets or quads |
| Sanankou (Three Concealed Triplets) | 2 han | Allowed | Form three concealed triplets without calling |
| Shousangen (Little Three Dragons) | 2 han | Allowed | Two dragon triplets and one dragon pair |
| Hon'itsu (Half Flush) | 3 han (2 han if open) | Allowed | Formed entirely from 1 suit and honor tiles |
| Junchan (Pure Outside Hand) | 3 han (2 han if open) | Allowed | No honor tiles; each set and the pair include terminals |
| Ryanpeikou (Twice Pure Double Sequence) | 3 han | Closed hand only | Form two pairs of identical sequences |
| Chin'itsu (Full Flush) | 6 han (5 han if open) | Allowed | Formed entirely from 1 suit of numbered tiles |
In addition, there are 2-han yaku such as Sanshoku Doukou, Sankantsu, and Honroutou, as well as yakuman hands like Kokushi Musou, Suuankou, and Daisangen that grant maximum scores alone. Little Three Dragons includes 2 yakuhai, effectively awarding 4 or more han in play.
Focusing initially on just 4 of the 1-han yaku—riichi, All Simples, yakuhai, and pinfu—enables you to plan paths to a win across many starting hands.
Match Units and Progression of a Hand
Mahjong matches are divided into structures like the East-South game or the shorter East-only game, typically starting with twenty-five thousand points per player.
The dealer rotates each hand, and the player with the most points after the final hand wins. If the dealer achieves a win, a repeat occurs and that same dealer plays another hand.
- Deal and Tsumo: 13 tiles are dealt to each player (14 to the dealer), and players take turns drawing 1 tile from the wall.
- Discard Selection: Choose 1 unneeded tile from your hand and discard it into your discard pool.
- Declaring Riichi: With a closed hand in tenpai, deposit 1000 points and turn your discard sideways to declare.
- Win and Scoring: Call tsumo on your own draw or ron on an opponent's discard to exchange points.
If the wall runs out without any player winning, an exhaustive draw occurs, and players in tenpai collect points from those not in tenpai. In the mahjong RPG Jankokushi, you can confirm listed yaku using real hands against computer opponents.
Frequently asked questions
Can you win simply by holding dora?
You cannot win with dora alone. Mahjong enforces a one-han minimum rule requiring at least 1 valid yaku in your hand.
What are the conditions to declare riichi?
You need a closed hand in tenpai, at least 1000 points, and 4 or more draws left. Once met, deposit 1000 points to declare.
Are there yaku that lose han value when called?
Yaku like Sanshoku Doujun, Ittsu, Chanta, Hon'itsu, Junchan, and Chin'itsu decrease by 1 han when called. Riichi, Pinfu, Iipeikou, and Chiitoitsu require an uncalled closed hand.
Play in the app
Play with Three Kingdoms figures and aim across the realm in the mahjong RPG Jankokushi to test the yaku and riichi you have learned.
Free to play. Contains ads. No in-app purchases.