Riichi vs Taiwanese
Riichi and Taiwanese diverge on the most fundamental level: they don't even use the same hand size. Riichi is 14 tiles (4 melds + pair), Taiwanese is 17 (5 melds + pair).
Han + fu scoring with the riichi declaration mechanic.
5 melds plus a pair instead of 4 — bigger hands, faster draws.
Riichi vs Taiwanese — every axis
| Axis | Riichi | Taiwanese |
|---|---|---|
| Hand size | 14 tiles | 17 tiles |
| Scoring unit | Han + fu | Tai (flat) |
| Pattern count | ~33 yaku | ~13 tai |
| Minimum to declare | 1 yaku | Usually none / 1 tai |
| Speed | Standard 4-meld pace | Faster — 5-meld structure |
| Closed-hand bonus | Major (fu, pinfu, menzen tsumo) | Single 1-tai bonus |
| Flowers | Not used | Central scoring element |
| Played in | Japan, online global | Taiwan, Fujian, diaspora |
Strengths
- •Strategic depth via riichi, dora, fu — high skill ceiling
- •Standard 14-tile hand familiar across most mahjong variants
- •Massive online ecosystem
- •Extra meld makes hands more forgiving
- •Tai converts cleanly to fixed table money
- •Flowers add a unique strategic layer
- •Faster draws keep games moving
Which should you play?
Pick Riichi if you want a tournament-grade variant with massive online infrastructure. Pick Taiwanese if you're playing in Taiwan or with Taiwanese family — the 17-tile hand is uniquely fun once you adjust.
Common questions
Does the extra meld in Taiwanese make hands easier?+
Forgiving, not easier. You have one more meld to fill, but you also see roughly 1.25x as many tiles. Net effect: faster but with roughly similar difficulty to declare.
Can I play Riichi-style strategies in Taiwanese?+
Some skills transfer (tile efficiency, wait reading), but the 17-tile structure changes which patterns are worth chasing, and Taiwanese has no riichi mechanic. Treat them as different games.