Winning Hand
The requirements for a valid ordinary winning hand.
An ordinary winning hand consists of 14 tiles.
In view
See also Winning hand illustrated for a visual structure of 4 combinations, 1 final pair, and the explicit waiting forms from the source.
Basic model
A valid winning hand contains:
4combinations1final pair
Those 4 combinations may consist of:
- straights of
3consecutive tiles - matching sets of
3or4identical tiles - a mix of both
3 bamboo
4 bamboo
5 bamboo
6 circles
7 circles
8 circles
East windEast windEast wind
Red dragonRed dragonRed dragon
South windSouth windWhat may and may not be in a straight
A straight:
- uses
3consecutive tiles - stays within
1number group - can therefore only be made with numbers, circles, or bamboo
Winds and dragons do not form a straight. They count only as a matching set or as a pair.
2 numbers
3 numbers
4 numbersEast windSouth wind
West windWin after claiming or after drawing yourself
You may win:
- with a discarded tile that you validly claim
- or with a tile that you draw yourself
Allowed waiting forms from the source
The source explicitly mentions at least these waiting forms:
2 chances: for example2-3, waiting for1or4tan tjauw: waiting for the final pair
Other special or higher winning forms are treated separately later.
Effect at the table
At tjok, always place the whole hand open so it is immediately visible:
- which
4combinations count - which pair is the final pair
- whether the hand closes on
14tiles
Quick check
- No valid hand without a final pair.
- No ordinary win with
13or15tiles. - A hand with flowers does not win by means of the flowers themselves; flowers are always placed open and replaced separately.
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