Mahjong Scoring Basics: Understanding Points and Patterns

Scoring in mahjong can seem intimidating at first, but understanding the basics will dramatically improve your gameplay. This guide breaks down the fundamentals of how points are calculated and what makes hands more valuable.

Why Scoring Matters

You might be tempted to just play for completion, but understanding scoring helps you:

Make strategic decisions about which tiles to keep
Know when to risk calling tiles vs staying concealed
Evaluate hand value before declaring mahjong
Understand when to play defensively if opponents have high-value hands

Scoring Varies by Variant

Important: Mahjong scoring is NOT universal. Major variants include:

Japanese Riichi - Complex yaku system with han and fu
Hong Kong - Faan-based scoring with special hands
Chinese Official - Point-based system with specific patterns
American (NMJL) - Card-based with annual changes

This guide focuses on general principles that apply across variants, with emphasis on Riichi mahjong as it's most popular online.

Basic Scoring Principles

Across all variants, these principles generally hold true:

1. Concealed > Open

Concealed (Closed) Hand:

All sets formed from self-draws
Worth significantly more points
Can declare riichi (in Japanese variant)
More flexible

Open Hand:

One or more sets claimed from discards
Faster to complete
Lower point value
Reveals your hand to opponents

Rule of Thumb: A concealed hand is often worth 2-4x more than the same hand open.

2. Difficulty = Points

Harder hands to complete earn more points:

All sequences (easy) = Low points
All triplets (harder) = Medium points
Pure hand (one suit) = High points
Special patterns (rare) = Very high points

3. Honor Tiles Add Value

Triplets of:

Dragons (Red, Green, White) = Bonus points
Seat Wind (your direction) = Bonus points
Prevailing Wind (round wind) = Bonus points

4. Terminal and Honor Tiles

Hands using 1s, 9s, winds, and dragons typically score higher than simpler hands.

Japanese Riichi Scoring Fundamentals

Japanese mahjong uses a han and fu system:

Han (飜) - Multipliers from yaku (winning patterns)
Fu (符) - Base points from hand composition
Yaku (役) - Required patterns to win

You Must Have At Least 1 Yaku to Win

Unlike some variants, you cannot win in Riichi mahjong without a scoring pattern. Common beginner yaku:

1 Han Yaku (Easy):

Riichi (立直)

Declare ready hand, bet 1000 points
Hand must be concealed
Cannot change your hand after declaration
1 han

Tanyao (斷么九) - All Simples

Only 2-8 tiles, no terminals or honors
Easy to form
Can be open or closed (closed = more valuable)
1 han

Pinfu (平和) - All Sequences

Four sequences + valueless pair
Must be concealed
Must have open wait (multiple winning tiles)
1 han

Yakuhai (役牌) - Value Tiles

Triplet of dragons
Triplet of seat wind
Triplet of prevailing wind
1 han each

2 Han Yaku (Medium):

Toitoi (對對和) - All Triplets

Four triplets + one pair
No sequences
Can be open or closed
2 han

Chanta (混全帶么九) - Terminals/Honors in Every Set

Every set contains a terminal or honor
2 han (1 han if open)

Sanshoku Doujun (三色同順) - Three Color Straight

Same numerical sequence in all three suits
Example: 345m, 345p, 345s
2 han (1 han if open)

3 Han Yaku (Advanced):

Honitsu (混一色) - Half Flush

One suit + honor tiles
3 han (2 han if open)

Junchanta (純全帶么九) - Pure Terminals

Every set contains a terminal (1 or 9)
No honors
3 han (2 han if open)

6 Han Yaku (Very Rare):

Chinitsu (清一色) - Full Flush

All tiles from one suit only
No honors
6 han (5 han if open)

Han Values and Payouts

1 han = 1,000-2,000 points
2 han = 2,000-3,900 points
3 han = 3,900-7,700 points
4 han = 7,700-12,000 points
5+ han = Mangan (8,000-12,000 points)

Values vary based on fu and whether you're dealer

Dealer (East) Bonus

The dealer (East player) receives 50% more points:

Regular player win = 1,000 points
Dealer win = 1,500 points

Dealer also pays more when others win.

Hong Kong Scoring Basics

Hong Kong style uses faan (番) or fan:

Minimum Points to Win

Most house rules require:

3 faan minimum to declare mahjong
Or chicken hand (0-2 faan) with penalty

Common Scoring Hands (Faan Values)

1 Faan:

All Chows (all sequences)
No Honors (no winds/dragons)
Common Hand (simple completion)

3 Faan:

Mixed One Suit (one suit + honors)
All Types (all three suits + honors)

6 Faan:

Pure One Suit (all one suit, no honors)
All Honors (all winds and dragons)

Limit Hands (Max Points):

Thirteen Orphans
Nine Gates
Four Kongs
All Honors

Flower and Season Bonuses

Each matching flower/season adds 1 faan.

Chinese Official Scoring

Uses a point-based system (not han/faan):

Minimum 8 points required to win
Maximum 88 points (limit hand)
Multiple patterns can combine
Very detailed scoring rules

Common patterns:

All Sequences (6 points)
All Triplets (6 points)
Pure One Suit (24 points)
All Terminals (64 points)

American (NMJL) Scoring

Completely different system:

Must match a hand from the annual card
All hands worth 25 cents to several dollars
Fixed values per hand
No combining patterns
Charleston adds strategy

Practical Scoring Strategy for Beginners

Starting Out

Don't worry about maximizing score initially
Focus on completing any valid hand
Learn 3-5 basic yaku first (Riichi, Tanyao, Yakuhai)
Gradually add more patterns to your repertoire

When to Go for Points

Go for Higher Score When:

You have a strong hand developing
You can stay concealed
You're ahead in points (safer to wait)
Late in the game (need points to win)

Go for Speed When:

You have a weak hand
Opponents seem close to winning
You're dealer (faster rotation = more dealer turns)
You need any win to avoid last place

Reading Point Potential

Low-Value Hand Indicators:

All sequences
Many simple tiles (2-8)
Open hand with multiple calls
No honor triplets

High-Value Hand Indicators:

All triplets
One suit dominant
Multiple dragons or winds
All terminals and honors
Concealed hand

Common Scoring Mistakes

1. Calling Too Much

Opening your hand reduces value significantly. Calculate if the speed is worth the point loss.

2. Forgetting Yaku Requirements

In Riichi mahjong, you CANNOT win without at least one yaku, even if you have 14 tiles in correct form.

Common Tragedy: Perfect hand, no yaku = Can't win Solution: Always ensure at least one scoring pattern

3. Ignoring Dora (Japanese Mahjong)

Dora tiles double your han. Each dora in your hand adds 1 han. Paying attention to dora can turn a 1-han hand into a 3-han hand.

4. Not Declaring Riichi When Strong

Beginners often don't declare riichi because they don't want to commit. But riichi adds:

+1 han minimum
Chance for ippatsu (+1 han)
Chance for ura-dora (hidden dora)

Scoring Quick Reference

Riichi Mahjong

Need minimum 1 yaku
Han = multipliers
More han = exponentially more points
5+ han = mangan (limit)

Hong Kong

Need minimum 3 faan (typically)
Each faan doubles base points
Special hands worth maximum

Chinese Official

Need minimum 8 points
Patterns add up arithmetically
Maximum 88 points

Practice Scoring

Exercise 1: Identify Yaku

Hand: 234m 567m 89m 345p 77s

Question: What yaku does this have? Answer: Pinfu (all sequences, valueless pair), must be concealed

Exercise 2: Open vs Closed Value

Hand A (Concealed): 234m 567p 888s 99s | Triplet 888s called Hand B (Open): 234m 567p 888s 99s | All self-drawn

Question: Which is worth more? Answer: Hand B (concealed) is worth significantly more

Exercise 3: Should You Call?

Your hand: 234m 456m 78m 345p 99s Discard available: 6m (completes your hand)

Question: Should you call ron (win) or wait for more valuable hand? Answer: Depends on game situation - if simple win is enough, take it!

Key Takeaways

✓ Concealed hands are worth more than open hands ✓ You need specific patterns (yaku/faan) to win ✓ Harder patterns = more points ✓ Honor tiles and terminals add value ✓ Dealer wins are worth 1.5x normal ✓ Learn basic patterns before complex ones ✓ Speed vs value is constant strategic decision

Next Steps

To improve your scoring knowledge:

Memorize 5 basic yaku - Riichi, Tanyao, Yakuhai, Pinfu, Toitoi
Practice hand evaluation - Can you spot yaku in random hands?
Study special patterns - Seven Pairs, Thirteen Orphans, etc.
Learn your variant's specifics - Focus on one ruleset
Play regularly - Scoring becomes intuitive with practice

Remember: At beginner level, completing hands is more important than maximizing points. As you improve, scoring strategy becomes a key differentiator between average and strong players.

Happy scoring!