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Riichi or dama

Step 4 of 4

Three reasons to riichi

Declare when at least one of these is true: the hand has another han (dora count), the wait is good, or you are the dealer. A cheap, non-dealer hand with no other han and a bad wait is the one to think twice about.

You are in tenpai, and not the dealer. Riichi or dama?

Riichi right away

Waiting for a better shape rarely pays: one specific tile comes about once in 30 draws. If you are going to riichi, do it as soon as you are in tenpai.

You just reached tenpai on a closed wait. Riichi now, or wait for a better shape?

Value or wait

With two ways to tenpai, the wider wait is usually right. But while the hand is cheap (under about 5200), one more han doubles it: then keep the han, a dora or a yaku, even on a worse wait.

You drew , and the dora is . Which discard for riichi?

Dora

When to stay dama

Stay quiet () when the hand is already big, about 7700 or more, late in the hand; with a very bad wait that has 1 or 2 tiles left; or when a win without riichi already secures first place in the last hand. And a hand without a yaku of its own can only win dama by self-draw: riichi it, or don't aim for tenpai.

Late in the hand, this hand wins 8000 without riichi. Riichi or dama?

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Related

  • Riichi Declaring ready: conditions, the deposit, ippatsu, ura dora.
  • Push or fold Keep attacking or give up the hand: the two-of-three rule.
  • Wait shapes Ryanmen, kanchan, penchan, shanpon, tanki and multi-sided waits.