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Points (Fu) – How mahjong is played.

Quick Points (Fu) Calculation Chart

If you don’t need a detailed explanation and just want to quickly check Fu assignments, refer to this chart.

For those who want to learn Points (Fu) calculation in detail, proceed to the next section.

Mahjong Scoring

Before diving into Fu calculation, let’s briefly explain Mahjong scoring.

A Mahjong hand’s score is determined by Han (multipliers) and Fu (base points).

Also, from this point onward, we will refer to "points" as "Fu."

• Han: The number of multipliers based on yaku (winning hands) and dora (bonus tiles).
• Fu: The base points calculated from the melds, pairs, and winning method.

Once you know the Han and Fu, you can calculate the score using the formulas below.

For example, a non-dealer hand with 2 Han and 30 Fu would be calculated as follows:

30 ✕ 4 ✕ 2^2

2^2 equals 4, so:

30 ✕ 4 ✕ 4 = 480

This 480 points are paid by each non-dealer. Since Mahjong scores are rounded up to the nearest 10, it becomes 500 points.

For the dealer, their payout is double: 480 ✕ 2 = 960 (rounded to 1,000).

Dealer: 1,000 points
Non-dealer: 500 points

Mental calculation can be challenging, so Mahjong scoring often involves memorizing scoring tables or using a reference chart.

However, even with a chart, you must calculate the Fu of your hand. This is why learning Fu calculation is essential for Mahjong players.

How to Calculate Fu

Fu calculation is essentially simple addition. Once you learn the rules, it becomes straightforward.

Let’s review the five main components involved in calculating Fu.

• Base Points (Futei)
• Winning Method (Tsumo or Ron)
• Types and Counts of Melds (Sequences, Triplets, Quads)
• Type of Pair (whether it’s a scoring Yaku pair)
• Waiting Pattern (two-sided, middle wait, single wait, etc.)

Using these five elements, you can determine the total Fu for any hand.

Base Points (Futei)

Base points, also called Futei, always add 20 Fu to every hand regardless of its shape.

Winning Method

The winning method affects Fu. Tsumo (self-draw) adds 2 Fu, while a closed Ron (declaration of victory by discarding another player's tile) adds 10 Fu. For an open Ron, no Fu is added.

Meld Types and Counts

The type of melds in your hand affects the Fu. Additionally, whether the tiles are middle tiles (2–8) or terminal/honor tiles (1, 9, and honors) is important, as terminal/honor tiles have twice the Fu value of middle tiles.

Middle Tiles (2–8)

Terminal and Honor Tiles (1, 9, and Honors)

Add up the Fu for each meld in your hand. For example, a closed triplet of middle tiles is worth 4 Fu, so having two such melds would be worth 8 Fu.

Type of Pair

A pair only adds Fu if it is a scoring Yaku pair, such as dragons, round wind, or seat wind. Non-scoring pairs do not add any Fu.

Waiting Pattern

The waiting pattern of your hand affects the Fu. Single waits (e.g., waiting for one specific tile), edge waits (waiting for 1 or 9), and middle waits (e.g., waiting for 5 in a 4-6 sequence) add 2 Fu. Two-sided waits (e.g., 2 or 5 for a 3-4 sequence) and pair waits add no Fu.

Examples of Waiting Patterns

Single Wait: 2 Fu	Single Wait Winning Tile
Edge Wait: 2 Fu	Edge Wait Winning Tile
Middle Wait: 2 Fu	Middle Wait Winning Tile Middle Wait
Two-sided Wait: 0 Fu	Winning Tile Two-sided Wait Winning Tile
Pair Wait: 0 Fu	Winning Tile Pair Wait Winning Tile

Summing Up Fu

After calculating Fu for each component, simply add them together.

Round Up to the Nearest 10

The final Fu value is always rounded up to the nearest 10. For example, a total of 32 Fu becomes 40 Fu.

Special Fu Cases

Some hands have special rules where the regular Fu calculation does not apply.

• Seven Pairs (Chiitoitsu): Always 25 Fu
• Pinfu Tsumo: Always 20 Fu
• Open Pinfu-like Hands: Always 30 Fu

Seven Pairs (Chiitoitsu): 25 Fu

Seven Pairs is always scored as 25 Fu, regardless of other factors like waiting patterns or meld types. This rule overrides the standard Fu calculation and does not round up.

Pinfu Tsumo: 20 Fu

When a Pinfu hand is won via Tsumo, the score is always 20 Fu. Since Pinfu is a "no Fu" yaku, only the base 20 Fu is counted, and no additional Fu are added.

Open Pinfu-like Hands: 30 Fu

An open hand that meets all Pinfu conditions except for being closed is scored as 30 Fu. This ensures the minimum score of 1,000 points is met.

Example of an Open Pinfu-like Hand

Pair

Sequence

Sequence

Two-sided Wait

Called Tile

According to the explanation so far, for an open Pinfu-like hand, a Ron win scores 20 Fu, and a Tsumo win scores 30 Fu.

• Base Points: 20 Fu
• Winning Method: 0 Fu (Ron) / 2 Fu (Tsumo)
• Melds: 0 Fu (Sequences)
• Pair: 0 Fu (Non-scoring pair)
• Waiting Pattern: 0 Fu (Two-sided wait)

However, for a Ron win with an open Pinfu-like hand, the above rule is overridden, and it is scored as 30 Fu.

For example, if the hand has only the **Tanyao** yaku (1 Han), it would typically score 20 Fu, but this falls short of the minimum Mahjong score of 1,000 points. To ensure the minimum score is met, the hand is scored as 30 Fu as an exception.

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Practice Problems

Now that you understand how to calculate Fu, the next step is practice. Below are several examples for you to try. Consider the yaku and Han values for each hand as well.

For simplicity, assume all examples occur in the East round, with the East player as the dealer, and no Reach is declared.

Example 1

Tsumo

Example 2

Tsumo

Example 3

Ron

Example 4

Ron

Example 5

Ron

Conclusion

Learning Fu calculation helps you identify big scoring opportunities in Mahjong. Fu is one of the two fundamental elements of Mahjong scoring. By mastering Fu and point calculation, you’ll know which yaku and tiles are most critical in any situation, allowing for more strategic play.