Chi

Chi

Chi (チー) is a call in mahjong that claims the immediately preceding player’s discard to complete a sequence (run of three consecutive numbered tiles). Unlike pon or kan, chi can only be called from the player directly to your left, making it the most positionally restricted call in the game.

Detailed Explanation

How Chi Works

When the player to your left (kamisha) discards a tile, you may call “chi” if that tile completes a sequence with two tiles in your hand. For example, if you hold 4-5 bamboo and the player to your left discards 3-bamboo or 6-bamboo, you can call chi to complete the 3-4-5 or 4-5-6 sequence.

You must declare chi immediately upon the discard—there’s no time to deliberate. Once called, you reveal the completed sequence face-up in front of you with the called tile rotated sideways to indicate it came from another player.

Positional Restriction

Chi’s unique restriction is that you can only call it from your kamisha (the player to your left). This limitation prevents chi from being overly disruptive and maintains the game’s flow. In contrast:

• Pon can be called from any player
• Kan can be called from any player
• Ron (winning call) can be called from any player

Strategic Implications

Speed vs. Value Trade-off: Chi opens your hand, making it visible to opponents and preventing certain menzen-only yaku (riichi, pinfu, ippatsu, tsumo). However, it accelerates hand completion by letting you claim needed tiles rather than waiting to draw them.

Yaku Compatibility: Some yaku lose value when opening: sanshoku and ittsu drop from 2 han to 1 han. Other yaku cannot be scored at all with an open hand. Before calling chi, consider whether the speed gain outweighs the scoring loss.

Defensive Considerations: Calling chi signals to opponents which tiles you need (and by extension, which tiles are safe to discard around you). This information leakage can be dangerous in competitive play.

Furiten and Chi

If you call chi and later discard a tile you could have won on, you enter temporary furiten—you cannot win by ron until your next turn. This rule prevents abusive chi calling to manipulate discards.

Usage Example

You hold 7-8 dots and are one tile away from tenpai. The player to your left discards 6-dots. You call “chi!” and reveal 6-7-8 dots face-up, with the 6 rotated sideways. Your hand is now open, and you’ve given up pinfu and riichi possibilities, but you’re one step closer to completing your hand. If you were building a low-value hand anyway, the speed trade-off is worth it.

Related Terms

Pon: Calling any player’s discard to complete a triplet. Less restricted than chi.

Kan: Calling any player’s discard (or upgrading your own triplet) to form a quad. Like pon but requires four identical tiles.

Naki: The general term for any call (chi, pon, or kan) that opens your hand.

Open Hand: A hand with at least one called meld. Prevents certain yaku and reduces the value of others.

Sequence: A run of three consecutive numbered tiles. Chi specifically forms sequences, unlike pon/kan which form sets.