Jenn’s Corner #27: Reach vs. Riichi
Besides a number of rule variations for mahjong throughout the world, there are a number of variations within the Reach realm as well. These small differences from group to group are embraced as an important appeal of the Reach rules and there is a code used throughout Japan that is regularly practiced before each impromptu game.
The two words regularly used are ARI and NASHI. ARI means it is allowed and NASHI means it’s not. Let’s take a look at the list of things that might or might not be ARI.
AKADORA – Red Lucky Tiles: Red Fives count as an extra Lucky Tile when used in the hand.
ATOZUKE – Backdoor Win (After-attaching): Hand Point does not need to be guaranteed before win.
B(P)ARENCHAN – 8 Consecutive Wins: A dealer that has won 8 times in a row wins a Limit Hand.
DOUBLE YAKUMAN – Double Limit Hand: Multiple Limit Hands can count.
IPPATSU – First Turn Win: Winning on the first turn after reaching (with no pon, chow or quad) either by discard or drawing the winner.
KANDORA – Quad Lucky Tile: Declaring a Quad adds an extra Lucky Tile.
KANURADORA – Quad Hidden Lucky Tile: A winning Reach hand can look under the Quad Lucky Tile Indicator for extra Lucky Tiles.
KUIKAE – Chow Switch: Chowing a tile and discarding either the same tile or a tile that could replace it in the chow.
KUITAN – Open Inside Hand: Inside Hand (All Simples) is valid even with claimed discards.
NAGASHIMANGAN – Honorable Discard: All discards are Honor or Terminal tiles.
RENHOU – Human Win: A win on a discard in the first turn (before a player has drawn a tile) is a Limit Hand.
RYANHANSHIBARI – Two Hand Point Minimum: When 5 continuances are in place a Two Hand Point Minimum rule is implemented.
TEMPAI RENCHAN – Ready Continuance: Dealer may continue as Dealer in a draw as long as the hand is Ready.
TOCHURYUKYOKU – Abortive Draw: Hand is aborted partway through due to the same 4 winds discarded on the first turn, 4 Reaches, 3 winners on the same discard, 9 different terminal/honors in a hand on the first draw or 4 quads declared.
URADORA – Hidden Lucky Tile: A winning Reach hand can look under the Lucky Tile Indicator for extra Lucky Tiles.
YAKITORI – Fried Chicken: Each player has a Yakitori marker that is turned over when they win a hand. Players left with face-up markers at the end of the game pay a penalty.
Mahjong Parlors (free)
In normal parlor play in Japan you’re told the rules when you first come in. The rules usually depend on whether the games are East Only games or East and South games (both are very common). The goal is always to get as many games in as possible. Almost every parlor has AKADORA, ATOZUKE, IPPATSU, URADORA, KANDORA, KANURADORA, KUITAN and NAGASHIMANGAN. AKADORA usually comes with an extra bonus.
You will very rarely find a parlor that has BARENCHAN, DOUBLE YAKUMAN, RYANHANSHIBARI and YAKITORI.
RENHOU is often only Mangan (8,000 points), TEMPAI RENCHAN is common but there are also many places that require the Dealer to win in order to continue as Dealer. TOCHURYUKYOU has nearly died out of Parlor play but isn’t forgotten and always mentioned in the rules (mostly the fact that it is not there).
EMA Riichi Rules
Adapting and combining the Riichi rules from The Netherlands and Denmark, many of the rules that are no longer used in Japan are included in play. The atmosphere is a comfortably paced game with lots of excitement and fun.
AKADORA, ATOZUKE, IPPATSU, URADORA, KANDORA, KANURADORA, NAGASHIMANGAN, RENHOU (Limit Hand), RYANHANSHIBARI, TEMPAI RENCHAN, and TOCHURYUKYOKU are all on the agenda. RYANHANSHIBARI and is considered to be an old-fashioned rule in Japan but is part of the new EMA rules.
DOUBLE YAKUMAN is only allowed for Big Four Winds, 13-sided wait for 13 Orphans, 9-sided wait for Nine Treasures and single wait for the Four Concealed sets hand. The Big Winds Double rule is a rule unique to the EMA right now, to consider the fact that this hand is much harder than the Small Winds Limit Hand. The other DOUBLE YAKUMAN hands used to be common in Japan but are rarely used now.
KUITAN, surprisingly, is not allowed in EMA rules. YAKITORI, although traditionally used often in Europe, is not part of the official EMA rules that were put in place this year.
Japan Professional Mahjong League (JPML) A Rules
These rules are extremely conservative. They are made for pro’s and to try and emphasize the skill factor and downplay the luck factor of this game.
AKADORA, BARENCHAN, DOUBLE YAKUMAN, IPPATSU, URADORA, KANDORA, KANURADORA, NAGASHIMANGAN, RYANHANSHIBARI and YAKITORI are not in place. IPPATSU and URADORA are usually a set deal and appropriately they are absent in these rules together.
ATOZUKE, KUIKAE, KUITAN, RENHOU (Mangan), TEMPAI RENCHAN, TOCHURYUKYOKU, are all allowed. The hands tend to be much smaller score-wise with so few Lucky Tiles.
JPML B Rules
For tournaments like Mahjong Masters and Pro Queen, these slightly more ‘exciting’ rules are used.
ATOZUKE, IPPATSU, URADORA, KANDORA, KANURADORA, KUITAN, NAGSHIMANGAN, RENHOU (Mangan), TEMPAI RENCHAN, TOCHURYUKYOKU, are used. There are many more Mangan and Haneman (8,000 and 12,000) hands with the extra Lucky Tiles.
AKADORA, BARENCHAN, DOUBLE YAKUMAN, KUIKAE, RYANHANSHIBARI, and YAKITORI are not allowed.
There are different strategy aspects involved with each set of rules. There is no standard and that is one of the greatest thing about Reach/Riichi. When you get a game together the important thing is to agree on these rules before you start. So enjoy! Personally, I recommend using as many of the ‘fun’ rules as possible. You can practice a number of these rules on Ron2 too, so see you at the next meet-up!
