Curriculum · 9 / 50
Basic yaku
Without a yaku, a completed hand cannot win at all; riichi, menzen tsumo, tanyao, yakuhai and pinfu are common starting patterns to learn.
The principle
In riichi mahjong, forming four groups and a pair is not enough to win: you also need at least one yaku, a pattern the rules reward. Without a yaku you cannot declare ron or tsumo, even with a complete hand. It is the first thing to check before aiming for the win.
Rule and example
Several beginner-friendly yaku only exist with a closed hand, with no chi or pon call. Riichi (1 han) is declared when a closed hand reaches tenpai, while menzen tsumo (1 han) rewards a closed hand won by self-draw. Pinfu (1 han) needs four sequences, a valueless pair and a two-sided wait (ryanmen). Iipeikou (1 han) pairs two identical sequences.
What changes
Other yaku stay available even after a call. Tanyao (1 han) is a hand made only of simple tiles (2 to 8), with no terminals or honors. Yakuhai (1 han per group) is a triplet of a dragon, the round wind, or your seat wind. Beware: each chi or pon removes the yaku reserved for closed hands, such as riichi or pinfu.
Mistake to avoid
The classic beginner trap is confusing dora with yaku. Dora add han but are not a yaku: a hand full of dora with no yaku simply cannot win. Always identify your yaku first; dora only raise the value afterward.
Rules references
- Tenhou rulesReference profile used for game mechanics and scoring.
- WRC Rules 2025International rules compared whenever their options differ from Tenhou.