Riichi Mahjong is a four-player Japanese tile game played with 136 tiles: three number suits (1–9) plus seven honor tiles (four winds, three dragons), four copies of each. Every player starts with 13 tiles and 25,000 points and aims to build four sets (triplets or sequences) plus a pair — or seven pairs — then win by calling ron on a discarded tile that completes the hand. A hand needs at least one yaku to win, and the match runs over 8 hands with the highest point total taking it.
Play now — it's freeThe set holds 136 tiles: three number suits — characters, circles and bamboo — numbered 1 through 9, plus seven honor tiles: the four winds (East, South, West, North) and the three dragons (White, Green, Red). Each tile exists in four identical copies.
Four players sit at the table and are dealt 13 tiles each from a wall that holds 84 draws after the deal. Everyone starts the match on 25,000 points, and one player is the dealer (East) who leads the hand; the dealer seat rotates every hand.
A winning hand is 14 tiles in one of two shapes: four sets plus a pair, or seven distinct pairs. A set is either a triplet (three identical tiles) or a sequence (three consecutive tiles of the same number suit), and the pair is two identical tiles.
You win by ron: when a discarded tile completes your hand you claim it immediately and the hand ends in your favour. The essential condition is at least one yaku — a complete hand without any yaku cannot win, no matter how clean it looks.
The dealer opens the hand. On your turn you draw one tile from the wall and discard one to your open discard river. If the discard that lands during your turn completes someone else's hand they win instantly; otherwise play moves to the next player.
A hand ends in one of two ways: a player wins by ron, or the wall runs dry and the hand is a draw (ryuukyoku) — ready (tenpai) hands are revealed and no points move.
A full match is 8 hands, with the dealer seat rotating each hand. Every turn has a 20-second timer, and if you disconnect the AI takes over your seat until you return.
You do not always have to wait for your turn — you can claim other players' discards directly:
| Call | It builds | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Pon | A triplet of three identical tiles | May be claimed on any player's discard; you must hold the matching pair |
| Chii | A sequence of three consecutive tiles | Claimable only on the discard of the player to your left, number tiles only |
The claimed set is exposed in front of you and you discard a tile in place of the player who threw. Note: after declaring riichi you can no longer pon or chii for the rest of the hand.
When your hand is tenpai — one tile away from winning — you may declare riichi by staking 1,000 points on the table. The declaration grants you a ready-made yaku worth 1 han, but it locks your hand: no pon and no chii for the rest of the hand.
Riichi sticks stacked on the table are never lost: the hand winner sweeps them all (1,000 points per stick) on top of the hand's value.
A hand's value is measured in han, and the han of all achieved yaku add together — a hand with Riichi and Tanyao is worth 2 han, for example:
| Yaku | Value (han) | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Riichi | 1 | Ready-hand declaration for 1,000 points |
| Tanyao | 1 | Every tile in the hand is a number tile 2–8 — no terminals, no honors |
| Yakuhai | 1 per triplet | A triplet of the White, Green or Red dragon, or of the East wind |
| Toitoi | 2 | Four triplets and a pair with no sequences |
| Chiitoi | 2 | Seven distinct pairs |
| Honitsu | 2 | One number suit plus honor tiles |
| Chinitsu | 5 | A single number suit from start to finish |
The more han, the bigger the payout — a Chinitsu hand (5 han) alone already reaches the top tier of the scoring table.
Hand values follow a fixed table by han count, and the player who discarded the winning tile pays the full amount: a regular win costs the regular value, while a dealer win is paid at one and a half times:
| Han | Win value (non-dealer) | Win value (dealer) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1000 | 1500 |
| 2 | 2000 | 3000 |
| 3 | 3900 | 5850 |
| 4 | 7700 | 11550 |
| 5 | 8000 | 12000 |
| 6–7 | 12000 | 18000 |
| 8 | 16000 | 24000 |
| 11+ | 24000 | 36000 |
| 13+ | 32000 | 48000 |
Points carry across all eight hands: everyone starts on 25,000, and at the end players are ranked by balance — the highest total wins the match.
Tanyao is the fastest yaku: stay within numbers 2–8 and your hand becomes winnable almost by itself.
Hold on to dragon pairs (white, green, red): a single triplet of them hands you a yaku instantly.
Declare riichi the moment you are tenpai — a free extra han that also pressures opponents, and your stick comes back if you win.
Watch the discard river: after an opponent's riichi, avoid tiles that complete their visible sequences or triplets.
136 tiles — three number suits (characters, circles, bamboo) from 1 to 9 plus seven honor tiles (four winds and three dragons), four copies of each.
Four players, 13 tiles each. In the online tables smart AI fills any empty seat instantly.
A declaration made on a tenpai (one-away) hand for a 1,000-point stake. It grants a yaku worth 1 han but locks your hand — no pon or chii for the rest of the hand — and the hand winner collects all riichi sticks on the table.
A winning hand needs at least one yaku. A complete hand with none cannot win. The easiest yaku are Tanyao (all number tiles 2–8) or a single dragon triplet.
Pon claims a discard to form a triplet — from any player, provided you hold the matching pair. Chii forms a sequence — only on the discard of the player to your left, and only with number tiles.
A fixed table: 1 han = 1,000; 2 = 2,000; 3 = 3,900; 4 = 7,700; 5 = 8,000; 6–7 = 12,000; 8 = 16,000, and higher hands pay more. Dealer wins are paid at 1.5×, and the discarding player pays the entire amount.
After 8 hands. Everyone starts on 25,000 points and the final ranking goes by balance — the highest total after hand eight wins.
The hand is a draw (ryuukyoku): tenpai hands are revealed and no points move, then the next hand begins.
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