Noten

Noten

Noten (ノーテン) is a mahjong term meaning “not in tenpai” at an exhaustive draw. A player in noten is not one tile away from a winning hand when the game reaches a draw, and must pay penalty points to players who are in tenpai.

Detailed Explanation

Noten is the opposite of tenpai. While tenpai means being one tile away from winning (having a “waiting hand”), noten means the hand cannot win with a single additional tile. When the wall is exhausted and no one has achieved agari (a winning hand), the game ends in a draw, and players settle points based on their hand status.

Point Settlement in Noten

At an exhaustive draw, the payout structure is determined by tenpai status:

• Players in tenpai receive points from players in noten
• Players in noten pay points to players in tenpai
• If multiple players are in tenpai or noten, points are typically divided equally among recipients or split among payers

The standard payment is typically 1,000 points per player in noten to be divided among tenpai players, though this varies by ruleset. In some variants, the dealer receives double payment.

Strategic Importance

Noten status significantly impacts final scores, especially in the final round. A player in noten may lose 1,000-3,000 points depending on how many opponents are in tenpai. This makes avoiding noten at the end of a hand an important strategic consideration. Players must balance their pursuit of expensive winning hands against the risk of ending in noten.

Honba and Noten

The honba counter (continuation counter) interacts with noten payouts in some rulesets. If a hand continues due to the dealer winning or a draw occurring, the honba increases. Some rule variations apply honba multipliers to noten payments, making continued draws increasingly expensive for noten players.

Usage Example

In the final hand of a game, East player has a hand worth 5,000 points (tenpai). South player has a hand that cannot win with any single tile (noten). North player is also in tenpai. When the wall is exhausted with no winner:

• East and North are in tenpai
• South is in noten
• South pays 1,000 points, which is split between East and North (500 points each)
• The settlement reflects that South failed to maintain a winning position while competitors succeeded

This outcome, while seemingly minor, can determine tournament rankings or final game scores in close matches.

Related Terms

Tenpai — The opposite of noten; being one tile away from a winning hand. A player in tenpai waits for a specific tile or set of tiles to complete their hand.

Draw — An exhaustive draw occurs when all tiles in the wall are drawn and no player has achieved agari. The game ends without a winner, triggering noten settlements.

Honba — The continuation counter that increases when the dealer wins or a draw occurs. Some rulesets apply honba multipliers to noten payments.

Dealer — In many rulesets, the dealer receives double payment from noten players or pays double to tenpai players, increasing the financial stakes of noten status.

Agari — A winning hand. Players avoid noten by achieving agari before the wall exhausts, or by being in tenpai if a draw occurs.

Notes

Noten rules may vary significantly between different mahjong variants and regional rulesets. Some informal games do not enforce noten payments, while competitive play typically includes them as a standard rule. Always clarify noten settlement rules before beginning a game, particularly regarding honba interactions and dealer multipliers.