How Scoring Works — Yaku or Nothing
A riichi hand needs at least one yaku — no yaku, no win, no exceptions. Yaku award han; han pair with fu (minipoints from the hand's shape and wait) to set the payout on the classic table: mangan, haneman, baiman, sanbaiman and the summit, yakuman. Open hands pay a price: several yaku lose 1 han when the hand is not concealed. Dora add 1 han each — they never make a hand legal by themselves, but they fatten one that already is.
The Yakuman — 13 Han, Take a Bow
Kokushi Musou (Thirteen Orphans) (13): one of every terminal and honor plus a pair of any of them. Suuankou (Four Concealed Triplets) (13). Daisangen (Big Three Dragons) (13): pungs of all three dragons. Daisuushi (Big Four Winds) (13): pungs of all four winds. Shousuushi (Little Four Winds) (13): three wind pungs plus the fourth as the pair. Tsuuiisou (All Honours) (13). Chinroutou (All Terminals) (13). Ryuuiisou (All Green) (13): bamboo 2,3,4,6,8 and the Green Dragon. Chuuren Poutou (Nine Gates) (13): concealed 1112345678999 in one suit. Tenhou (Blessing of Heaven) (13): the dealer wins on the dealt hand, before any discard. Chiihou (Blessing of Earth) (13): a non-dealer wins on their very first draw, before any call interrupts.
The Big Closers — 6 to 3 Han
Chinitsu (Full Flush): one suit only — 6 han closed, 5 open. Ryanpeikou (3, closed only): two separate pairs of identical runs. Junchan: a terminal in every set — 3 closed, 2 open. Honitsu (Half Flush): one suit plus honors — 3 closed, 2 open.
The Twos — the Workhorses
Double Riichi (2): riichi declared on your very first discard. Sanshoku Doujun (2 closed, 1 open): the same run in all three suits. Ittsu (Pure Straight) (2 closed, 1 open): 1-9 in one suit. Sanshoku Doukou (2): the same triplet in all three suits. Sanankou (2): three concealed triplets. Sankantsu (2): three kongs. Toitoi (All Triplets) (2). Chiitoitsu (Seven Pairs) (2, closed only). Honroutou (2): terminals and honours only. Shousangen (Little Dragons) (2): two dragon pungs plus the third as the pair. Chanta (Outside Hand) (2 closed, 1 open): a terminal or honor in every set.
The Ones — Fast and Frequent
Riichi (1): declare with a concealed ready hand and a 1,000-point stick. Ippatsu (1): win within one go-around of declaring riichi. Menzen Tsumo (1): concealed self-draw. Pinfu (1): all runs, valueless pair, two-sided wait — the featherweight. Tanyao (All Simples) (1): no terminals or honors. Yakuhai (1 each): a pung of dragons, your seat wind, or the round wind. Iipeikou (1, closed only): two identical runs. Haitei/Houtei (1): the wall's last tile or the last discard. Rinshan Kaihou (1): winning on a kong replacement. Chankan (1): robbing a kong. Dora (1 each): indicator-picked bonus tiles — han, never yaku.
Riichi Sticks, Fu and the Table
Declaring riichi stakes a 1,000-point stick — the winner of the hand collects all staked sticks. Fu count the hand's minipoints: 20 for the base, plus bonuses for triplets (concealed worth double, terminals/honors worth double again), kongs, a valueless-pair wait, and the wait shape; a concealed ron adds 10, and totals round up to the nearest 10. Han and fu meet at the payout table, where 5 han is mangan, 6-7 haneman, 8-10 baiman, 11-12 sanbaiman and 13 the yakuman. The strict 20-fu open pinfu house rule ships as a switch.
Sources & scope
This reference describes the rules implemented in Hé Fēn; an event’s own rulebook takes precedence at that event. Reference links checked 13 September 2026. We are not affiliated with these organisations.
- Riichi rules, 2025 edition European Mahjong Association. Competition rules for EMA play. Use the published edition and its annotations; other Riichi tables can differ.
- WRC rules and clarifications World Riichi Championship. The 2025 rules, clarification notices and optional rules. A distinct competition standard, not a universal label for every Riichi game.