Riichi (立直)
Declared a closed-hand tenpai by betting 1000 points.
How Riichi (立直) works
Riichi is a declaration made when your hand is closed and exactly one tile away from winning (tenpai). You bet a 1000-point stick face-up and commit to your hand until the round ends.
To declare riichi the hand must be fully concealed — no called chow, pung, or open kan — and in tenpai. You place a 1000-point riichi stick on the table; after declaring you can no longer change your hand and must discard every drawn tile that does not complete it. The declaration unlocks ippatsu (winning within one turn before your next discard, uninterrupted by calls) and ura-dora (extra dora revealed under the dora indicators).
- •Closed-hand only; calling tiles to open your hand makes riichi impossible.
- •Stacks freely with almost every other yaku and enables ippatsu and ura-dora bonuses.
- •The 1000-point stick is forfeited if you do not win, and you must have at least 1000 points to declare.
Riichi (立直) — FAQ
Can I change my wait after declaring riichi?
No. Once riichi is declared the hand is locked; you must discard any tile you draw that does not complete your existing wait.
Does riichi require any specific tiles?
No specific tiles are needed — riichi is purely about being closed and in tenpai, so it can be declared on any qualifying hand shape.