Skip to content
Mastering Mahjong
beginner 12 min read Chapter 8 of 10

Basic Scoring

Understand han, fu, and how points are calculated in riichi mahjong. Learn common score values and payment patterns.

Scoring in riichi mahjong can seem complex at first, but you don’t need to memorize every calculation. Digital platforms handle the math for you, and after a few games, you’ll recognize common score values by sight. This chapter covers the fundamentals.

The Two Components: Han and Fu

Every winning hand is scored using two values:

Han (翻, ハン): Doubling Value

Han represents how many “doublings” your hand is worth. Each yaku and dora contributes han:

Han values add up:

Fu (符, フ): Base Points

Fu represents the “base value” of your hand’s structure. It’s calculated from:

Good news for beginners: You don’t need to calculate fu manually. Digital platforms do it automatically. The most common fu values are:

Fu is always rounded up to the nearest 10.

Score Calculation Formula

The basic formula is:

Base Points = fu × 2^(han+2)

Then, payment is calculated based on:

Don’t worry—you don’t need to memorize this. Let’s look at practical examples instead.

Common Score Values (Non-Dealer)

Here are the scores you’ll see most often when you (a non-dealer) win:

HanFuTsumo (each opponent)Ron (discarder pays)Common Yaku Combo
130300/5001,000Tanyao only (rare)
140400/7001,300Yakuhai only
230500/1,0002,000Riichi + Menzen Tsumo
240700/1,3002,600Riichi + Yakuhai
3301,000/2,0003,900Riichi + Tsumo + Dora
3401,300/2,6005,200Riichi + Tsumo + Yakuhai
4302,000/4,0007,700Riichi + Tsumo + Pinfu + Dora
5+—2,000/4,000 (mangan)8,000 (mangan)Multiple yaku + dora

Tsumo notation: “300/500” means the dealer pays 500, non-dealers pay 300 each. Total received: 300+300+500 = 1,100.

Mangan and beyond: At 5+ han (or 4 han 40 fu, or 3 han 70 fu), hands reach mangan (満貫), a limit where the score becomes fixed:

Common Score Values (Dealer)

Dealer scores are 1.5× base points:

HanFuTsumo (each opponent)Ron (discarder pays)
140700 all2,000
2301,000 all2,900
2401,300 all3,900
3302,000 all5,800
4303,900 all11,600
5+—4,000 all (mangan)12,000 (mangan)

Tsumo notation: “700 all” means each of the three opponents pays 700. Total received: 700×3 = 2,100.

Payment Patterns

Ron (Discard Win)

Simple: only the discarder pays the full amount.

Tsumo (Self-Draw Win)

All opponents pay, but different amounts:

Non-dealer wins by tsumo:

  • Dealer pays 2× what non-dealers pay
  • Example: 2 han 30 fu = 500/1,000
    • Each non-dealer pays 500
    • Dealer pays 1,000
    • Winner receives 500+500+1,000 = 2,000 total

Dealer wins by tsumo:

  • All three opponents pay the same amount
  • Example: 2 han 30 fu = 1,000 all
    • Each opponent pays 1,000
    • Dealer receives 1,000×3 = 3,000 total

Riichi Stick and Honba

Riichi Stick (1,000 Points)

When you declare riichi, you place a 1,000-point stick on the table. This goes to the winner of the hand (even if it’s not you).

Example:

  • You declare riichi (pay 1,000)
  • Opponent wins
  • Opponent gets their score + your 1,000 riichi stick

If the hand ends in a draw, riichi sticks stay on the table for the next hand.

Honba (Counter Sticks)

Each time the dealer wins or the hand draws with the dealer in tenpai, a honba counter increases. Each honba adds +300 to tsumo wins (+100 per opponent) or +300 to ron wins (from the discarder).

Example:

  • Hand #3, dealer has won twice already (2 honba)
  • You win 2 han 30 fu by tsumo (normally 500/1,000)
  • With 2 honba: Each player pays +100 extra
  • You receive: (500+100) + (500+100) + (1,000+100) = 2,300 (instead of 2,000)

Honba resets when a non-dealer wins.

Dora Impact on Score

Dora doesn’t change fu, only han. Each dora = +1 han.

Example:

After declaring riichi, ura-dora can add even more:

This is why riichi is so powerful—ura-dora frequently boosts hands into mangan or higher.

Recognizing Scores Without Calculating

After a few games, you’ll start recognizing patterns:

When you see “8,000” or higher, you know the hand was either dora-heavy or had multiple high-value yaku.

Example Score Calculation

Let’s score a complete hand:

Your hand (non-dealer, East Round):

Riichi, tsumo on 5s

Yaku:

Dora:

  • Dora indicator: 2m → Dora is 3m
  • You have one 3m → +1 han
  • No ura-dora (dora indicator didn’t reveal any)

Total: 5 han

Fu: Pinfu tsumo = 20 fu

Score: 5 han = Mangan

  • Tsumo: 2,000/4,000 (dealer pays 4,000, non-dealers pay 2,000 each)
  • Total received: 2,000 + 2,000 + 4,000 = 8,000 points

Plus any riichi sticks on the table!

Why Score Matters

Understanding scores helps you:

  1. Decide when to push: A 1-han hand worth 1,000 points isn’t worth risky discards. A 4-han hand worth 7,700 is.
  2. Evaluate dora: If you’re at 4 han and have 1 dora, you’re one han away from mangan (huge jump).
  3. Balance risk vs. reward: Is it worth opening your hand (losing riichi, pinfu) to speed up by one turn? Usually no, because closed hands score much more.
  4. Track game standing: In a 25,000-point starting game, an 8,000-point win is a massive swing. A 1,000-point win barely moves the needle.

Simplified Beginner Approach

Don’t calculate manually. Let the digital platform handle scoring. Focus on:

  1. Maximize han: More yaku + more dora = bigger score
  2. Aim for 3-5 han hands: These are the sweet spot (3,900 to 8,000 points)
  3. Recognize mangan (8,000): This is your goal for most hands
  4. Stay closed for riichi: Riichi + Tsumo + Dora gets you to 3-4 han easily

Next: Riichi Declaration

You now understand how scores are calculated and why maximizing han (especially through riichi) matters. In the next chapter, we’ll dive deep into when and how to declare riichi—the most important strategic decision for beginners.

Ready to master riichi? Click “Next”!

Beginner's Guide to Riichi Mahjong Chapter 8 of 10