Compared with other styles, Riichi mahjong removes flowers and jokers, requires at least one scoring pattern to win, and adds furiten, dora, and the riichi declaration. Calling tiles can cost you more than in Hong Kong play, so hands often stay closed. Discards also matter more, because each player’s discards are public and shape what is safe. The basic turn stays the same, so your tile knowledge carries over.
At a glance
| Topic | Riichi | Hong Kong | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiles | 136 | 144 | 152 |
| Flowers or jokers | None | Flowers and seasons | Flowers and jokers |
| Winning shape | Four sets and a pair, plus two special hands | Four sets and a pair, plus a few special hands | Must match a hand on the card |
| Minimum to win | One yaku | Often 3 faan | The hand itself |
| Open hands | Lose many patterns | Fine, though they may score less | Exposures are common |
| Discards | Each player’s own rows | Usually a shared center | Shared center, named aloud |
| Declaring you are ready | Riichi | None | None |
| Win-blocking rule | Furiten | None in most games | Dead hand rules differ |
| Bonus tiles | Dora | Flowers and seasons | None |
What carries over
- Tile names, sets, and the shape of a hand.
- The rhythm of draw and discard.
- The habit of watching other players’ sets.
- Basic ideas about building efficient hands.
What changes if you come from Hong Kong style
Stay closed more often. In Hong Kong play, calling is a fast and useful way to finish. In Riichi, calling costs you riichi, pinfu, and more. If you call with no clear yaku, you may finish a shape that cannot win.
Read individual discards. Discards stay in front of each player, in order. That lets you see what is safe against each person, thanks to furiten.
Scoring is different. Instead of faan, you count han and fu. Our scoring guide compares them.
What changes if you come from American mahjong
You choose your own hand. There is no card. Any shape with a yaku works.
No Charleston, no jokers. Each tile is what it says.
Runs count. American hands are built from a list, and you may be used to sets. In Riichi, runs are the backbone of most hands.
Pairs are rarer. You need only one, except for seven pairs.
What changes if you come from Mahjong Solitaire
Almost everything except the tile faces. Our comparison explains it.
Things you may enjoy
- The tension of riichi. Once you declare it, you can only wait, and everyone knows.
- Defense. Thanks to furiten, you can reason about which discards are safe.
- Long games. Riichi games often run over several hands, with a final score that shifts until the end.
Common beginner mistakes
- Calling as you would at a Hong Kong table. Check that you have a yaku first.
- Looking for flowers. Riichi sets do not use them.
- Discarding without looking. Your discards now restrict you, because of furiten.