Introduction
Riichi Mahjong is the Japanese variation of mahjong, a combination of gin rummy and poker.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Table of Contents
- Beginner resources
- Learning Mahjong from scratch
- Intermediate resources
- Other links
- Longer resource list
Beginner resources
- Basic Yaku and scoring by reddit user u/Aranlyde
- Full Yaku List by reddit u/Aranlyde Source License CC/BY/NC 4.0
- Full Scoring Guide by reddit u/Aranlyde Source License CC/BY/NC 4.0
Learning Mahjong from scratch
- Mahjong Soul aka MJS
- Do the tutorial
- It will auto-start on your first login
- If you want to do it again, look on the right side, 3rd icon (graduation cap)
- For your first games:
- Try for a normal five group hand (pair plus four melds of 3)
- Ignore the Chii, Pon, and Kan buttons (tile calls)
- When the Riichi button appears, click it and the computer will recommend a discard
- Friendly Match for more thinking time when you start
- Create Room
- Vs AI, 300+0s (300 seconds for every turn)
- Create
- Start
- Do the tutorial
- Basic Five block theory
- Learn the Basic Yaku and scoring by reddit user u/Aranlyde
- Full Yaku List by reddit u/Aranlyde Source License CC/BY/NC 4.0
- Order to learn:
- Riichi
- You cannot call Pon/Chii/Kan
- Yakuhai (value honor triplet = set of dragons, seat wind, or round wind)
- You can consider calling Pon to form a value honor triplet
- Tanyao (all simples)
- If you have only 2-8 (no 1s, 9s, or honors) you can consider calling Pon/Chii
- But be careful with 23 or 78 draws, if you open the hand you are committed to no 1s or 9s!
- Chiitoitsu (seven pairs)
- One of two exceptions to the pair plus four melds of 3 pattern
- If you end up with five pairs, go for this
- Otherwise it’s usually best to go for a pair plus four melds of 3 hand
- BTW the final exception:
- Kokushi Musou (thirteen orphans) only go for this if:
- You start the hand with 9+ terminals
- The game will ask if you want to re-deal
- If you feel lucky, click continue and go for it!
- If you start with 9 terminals, your odds are about 5.5% Source
- Kokushi Musou (thirteen orphans) only go for this if:
- Toitoi (all triplets)
- If you were heading for seven pairs but draw one or more triplets, consider switching to all triplets
- Pon everything!
- Honitsu (half flush – only one suit plus honors)
- If you start with many honor tiles and a long suit, consider discarding the other two suits first instead of the normal discard order
- All the rest
- Riichi
- Order to learn:
Intermediate resources
- Four types of iishanten (1-away) shapes
- Riichi Book 1 Intermediate Mahjong Strategy Primer
- Focus on the Basic Tile Efficiency part
- Stats scraper (Gold room or higher only)
- MJS stats Show your rank history and expected score per game (Also Gold room or higher only)
- Tenhou stats Same thing but for Tenhou
- Mortal AI reviewer
- Free service!
- As of March 2024, new GUI written by… me!
- Leave feedback on the Github project
- Naga
- Paid service
- Naga guide
- labels picture
- MahjongSoul NAGA chrome extension
- MJS reviews are single hands only and cost more (10 per hand instead of 50 per hanchan)
- Common Waits by reddit user u/Mr_Blarney Source Reddit post
- Book on multisided waits expanding on this graphic
Other links
- Naga Stats Charts showing average Naga scores for various Ranks on MJS or Tenhou.
- Random Walk Simulates random walks of Mahjong Sould rating
- MJS Gacha notes How to get stuff in MJS
- Push or Fold judgement
- Stats Some reference tables and charts, mostly from SMS