Kandora

Kandora

Kandora (カンドラ) is an additional dora indicator that is revealed when a kan (補花, a special meld of four identical tiles) is declared during play. The kandora indicator is the tile shown on the fourth tile from the end of the dead wall.

Detailed Explanation

In standard mahjong rules, dora indicators provide bonus points for winning hands that contain tiles matching the indicator. When a player declares a kan, they draw a replacement tile from the end of the live wall. Simultaneously, a new dora indicator is revealed from the dead wall to account for the tile that was drawn.

The kandora system works as follows: When a kan is declared, the player draws their replacement tile from the live wall (the wall from which normal tiles are drawn during play). In response to this draw, the fourth tile from the end of the dead wall is flipped to become the new kandora indicator. This continues for each kan declared during the hand, potentially revealing multiple kandora indicators if several kans are formed.

The kandora indicator functions identically to the initial dora indicator—any tiles in a player’s hand that match the kandora indicator are worth bonus points when the hand wins. If a player’s winning hand contains tiles matching the kandora indicator, those tiles contribute additional fu (points) to the final hand score.

It is important to note that kandora indicators are only revealed when a kan is actually declared. They do not appear at the start of the hand or through any other game action. This means that the number of dora indicators (including kandora) in any given hand depends on how many kans are declared by all players combined.

The kandora system adds an element of risk and reward to declaring kans. While a kan provides the obvious benefit of completing a meld and drawing a replacement tile, it also reveals a new dora indicator that may benefit opponents. This strategic consideration makes kan declaration more complex than it might initially appear.

Usage Example

Consider a hand where the initial dora indicator is the 3-pin (3筒). A player declares an ankan (a concealed kan of four 5-man tiles). When this kan is declared, the fourth tile from the end of the dead wall is flipped, revealing a 7-sou as the kandora indicator.

Later in the same hand, another player declares a daiminkan (an open kan). This triggers the revelation of another kandora indicator—the next fourth tile from the end of the dead wall is now flipped.

If a player wins with a hand containing two 3-pins (matching the original dora indicator) and three 7-sous (matching one of the kandora indicators), all five of these tiles count as dora and contribute bonus points to the final score.

Related Terms

Kan (カン) — A meld of four identical tiles. There are several types: ankan (concealed kan), daiminkan (open kan from another player’s discard), and minkan (kan formed from a melded pung).

Dora (ドラ) — Bonus tiles that increase hand value. Tiles matching the dora indicator are worth additional points when included in a winning hand.

Uradora (裏ドラ) — Hidden dora indicators revealed only when a hand wins after a riichi declaration. These function similarly to kandora but are only visible under specific conditions.

Ankan (暗槓) — A concealed kan formed by a player holding all four identical tiles in their hand without revealing them until the kan is declared.

Daiminkan (大明槓) — An open kan formed when a player melds three tiles already on the table and adds a fourth identical tile from their hand to complete the kan.

Minkan (明槓) — A kan formed from a previously melded pung (three identical tiles) by adding a fourth identical tile.

Riichi (立直) — A declaration that a hand is one tile away from winning, which enables uradora scoring and carries specific rules about tile discarding.