How Mahjong is Played.

This page is a rule guide aimed at helping beginners reach a level where they can play Mahjong together with experienced players!
Let the experienced players handle complex rules like score calculation, and for now, let's focus on learning the basics to enjoy the game!

If you've learned the rules and can play mahjong but find it difficult to win, try keeping the following 10 strategies in mind.

Chombo refers to fouls in Mahjong. There are various types of Chombo, each with its own penalties. Additionally, Chombo is not only considered a foul but also a violation of etiquette, so be careful.

The Dora is a beginner’s ally! Simply having it adds one han as a bonus tile. Creating a one-han yaku like Tanyao can be challenging, but the Dora gives you a bonus just for holding it. This makes it a valuable point-boosting tile for all players, not just beginners!

Have you ever experienced being unable to declare a win in a mahjong game because someone pointed out you were in a "Furiten" state?　In online games, the system automatically determines if you're in Furiten, so many players might rely on the game without fully understanding the concept.　However, when playing mahjong in person around a table, declaring a win while in Furiten will result in a Chombo (penalty), which can disrupt the game and inconvenience other players. Therefore, it’s important to learn and remember the conditions for Furiten properly!

Have you ever experienced being unable to declare a win in a mahjong game because someone pointed out you were in a "Furiten" state?　In online games, the system automatically determines if you're in Furiten, so many players might rely on the game without fully understanding the concept.　However, when playing mahjong in person around a table, declaring a win while in Furiten will result in a Chombo (penalty), which can disrupt the game and inconvenience other players. Therefore, it’s important to learn and remember the conditions for Furiten properly!

Points (Fu) are an essential element in Mahjong scoring and something you must learn to play effectively. Even if you don’t fully understand scoring, knowing how to calculate Fu allows you to use a scoring table to determine your score. Imagine needing 3,000 points to win but not knowing your hand’s value because you can’t calculate Fu—that’s frustrating, right? However, Fu calculation isn’t as hard as it might seem. Let’s overcome any hesitation and master this skill!

Open meld refers to the act of claiming tiles discarded by other players to complete a set. There are three types of open melds: Pung, Chi, and Kan.

Riichi is the most frequently occurring yaku in mahjong. The fact that Japanese mahjong is often called Riichi Mahjong demonstrates how important and fundamental this rule is.

Are you simply guessing safe or dangerous tiles? The key to logical deduction, rather than relying on a kan (kong), lies in the concept of 'suji' (sequence). To avoid losing in Mahjong, it's important to thoroughly learn the theory behind suji.

Yakuman refers to the highest-scoring hands in Mahjong, representing a special class of combinations. These hands are much harder to achieve compared to regular hands, but the sense of accomplishment upon completing one is unparalleled.
In this article, we will explain the basics of Yakuman, its types, conditions for completion, and tips for aiming for Yakuman.