Riichi Mahjong · 1 han（closed only）
Riichi in Riichi Mahjong: Rules, Han, Scoring and Win Rate
The yaku that gives riichi mahjong its name: Riichi is worth 1 han. When your hand is closed (no chi, pon or open kan) and tenpai, you declare it, turn your discard sideways and put up a 1,000-point riichi stick. It gives any hand a yaku, which makes it the yaku you'll use most.
On this page
The rules for Riichi
- Closed hand: no chi, pon or open kan (a closed kan is fine)
- Tenpai after your declaring discard
- At least 1,000 points to put up the riichi stick
- At least 4 tiles left in the wall (you must get one more draw)
- You may declare while furiten, but then you can only win by tsumo
After you declare
- Your hand is locked: any tile you can't win on is discarded (this site does it for you)
- No chi, pon or open kan; a closed kan only with the tile you just drew, and only if your waits stay the same
- Pass on a winning tile and you're furiten for the rest of the hand — tsumo only
- When you win, the ura dora are revealed — only riichi hands get them
- Win within one go-around with no calls for ippatsu; riichi on your very first discard is double riichi
How Riichi is scored
The yaku, han, fu and points below are computed live by the same scoring code the game uses.
Riichi · Ron
| Riichi | 1 han |
| Total | 1 han 40 fu · 1,300 points |
|---|
Non-dealer, East round, no dora, no honba.
Riichi · Tsumo
| Riichi | 1 han |
| Menzen tsumo | 1 han |
| Pinfu | 1 han |
| Total | 3 han 20 fu · 700 / 1,300 points |
|---|
Non-dealer, East round, no dora, no honba.
Riichi · Ron
| Riichi | 1 han |
| Tanyao | 1 han |
| Pinfu | 1 han |
| Total | 3 han 30 fu · 3,900 points |
|---|
Non-dealer, East round, no dora, no honba.
Common combinations:
| Combination | Han |
|---|---|
| Riichi | 1 |
| Riichi + menzen tsumo | 2 |
| Riichi + ippatsu + tsumo | 3 |
| Riichi + pinfu + tanyao | 3 |
| Double riichi (instead of riichi) | 2 |
Dora, red fives and ura dora come on top, so riichi hands often score more than the table shows.
Riichi odds and results
We let four computers at normal level play 40,000 hands on this site's table and counted the yaku in every win:
| Yaku | Share of wins |
|---|---|
| Riichi | 46% |
| Menzen tsumo | 22% |
| Yakuhai | 40% |
| Tanyao | 19% |
| Pinfu | 12% |
| Ippatsu | 8.9% |
| Chiitoitsu | 3.7% |
| Iipeikou | 2.4% |
| Sanshoku doujun | 1.6% |
| Honitsu | 0.76% |
| Ittsu | 0.57% |
Source: 40,000 computer hands on this site (all four at normal level), 33,226 wins. A win usually has several yaku, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
- Riichi was in 46% of all wins — the most common yaku. On average 0.8 players declared riichi per hand.
- After declaring, the riichi player won the hand 50% of the time and dealt in 9.0%; their average result for that hand was +3,870 (including the stick they put up).
- Wins with riichi averaged 8,200 points; all wins averaged 5,500.
- Among riichi wins, 20% had ippatsu, 32% picked up ura dora, and 47% were by tsumo.
When to riichi, and when to stay quiet
- First to tenpai with a good wait (two-sided or better): riichi right away. Without it, a hand with no other yaku can't win by ron.
- You already have a yaku and enough points: if tanyao plus dora is already mangan, the extra han may not be worth a locked hand you can't fold. Staying quiet (dama) is an option.
- Bad wait (kanchan, penchan, tanki): early on, wait for a better shape; late in the hand most players riichi anyway.
- Someone riichied first: chase only with a good wait and a valuable hand; otherwise defend.
To practice, open a table of free online riichi mahjong — the computers play with you and count the points for you.
FAQ
How many han is Riichi?
Riichi is 1 han and closed only. Riichi on your first discard is double riichi, 2 han.
Do you always pay 1,000 points for riichi?
Yes. Once the riichi stands, your 1,000-point stick goes to the table and the next player to win takes it; after a draw it carries over. Only if your declaring discard is ronned does the riichi not count.
Can you riichi with no yaku?
Yes — riichi is itself a yaku. That's its main job: a hand with no other yaku can win by ron or tsumo after riichi.
Can you make a closed kan after riichi?
Only with the tile you just drew, and only if your waits don't change. Chi, pon and open kan are not allowed.
Related yaku
Ippatsu 1 han（closed only）
Win within one go-around of riichi for 1 more han: the rules, what cancels it, examples and odds.
Double Riichi 2 han（closed only）
Riichi on your first discard for 2 han instead of 1: the rules, what stops it, examples and the odds of a tenpai start.
Menzen Tsumo 1 han（closed only）
Win on your own draw with a closed hand for 1 han: requirements, tsumo fu, pinfu tsumo, and why calling loses it.
Try it at the table
Riichi Mahjong — Play Japanese Riichi Mahjong free in your browser against three AI opponents. Standard online rules with red fives, ippatsu and ura dora, a yaku guide, wait and furiten hints, and three AI levels. No sign-up.