Pinfu

Pinfu

Pinfu (平和) is a fundamental one-han yaku in mahjong that rewards players for constructing a hand composed entirely of sequences with a valueless pair and a double-sided wait. It is one of the most common and accessible yaku in the game.

Definition

Pinfu is a closed-hand yaku worth exactly one han. To qualify, your hand must contain:

• Four sequences (chow/chi)
• One pair with no honor value
• A double-sided wait (ryanmen) on the final sequence

When pinfu is achieved as a closed hand (menzenchin), it is worth exactly 20 fu, making it the minimum fu value in mahjong. This unique characteristic makes pinfu essential for understanding scoring calculations.

Detailed Explanation

Hand Composition

Pinfu requires that all four melds be sequences rather than triplets. Each sequence consists of three consecutive tiles of the same suit (for example, 2-3-4 of characters or 5-6-7 of dots). The pair must be composed of simple number tiles—not dragons, winds, or the player’s seat wind or prevailing wind, as these would add fu value and disqualify the hand from being pinfu.

The Ryanmen Wait Requirement

The critical element distinguishing pinfu from other sequence-based hands is the ryanmen wait. A ryanmen wait occurs when you need a tile that completes a sequence from either end. For example, if your final sequence is 3-4-5, you wait on either 2 or 6 to complete it. This requirement ensures that pinfu hands maintain a specific strategic construction.

Fu Value and Scoring

Pinfu’s defining characteristic is its exactly 20 fu value when closed. This is the minimum fu count in mahjong and creates significant scoring implications. A pinfu tsumo (self-drawn win) scores 2,000 points for the winner in a four-player game (with standard 1.5x multiplier for tsumo), while a pinfu ron scores 2,000 points from the discarder. These modest scores reflect the hand’s accessibility and frequency.

Closed Hand Requirement

Pinfu is only valid when your hand remains closed (menzenchin). If you declare riichi and then meld any tiles, you lose the pinfu yaku. This restriction makes pinfu a pure strategy for riichi players committed to keeping their hands concealed until winning.

Usage Example

Consider this closed hand waiting to win:

Closed hand: 1-2-3 characters, 4-5-6 dots, 7-8-9 bamboo, 1-2-3 characters, 5-5 bamboo

This hand contains four sequences (1-2-3 characters, 4-5-6 dots, 7-8-9 bamboo, and 1-2-3 characters) with a simple pair (5-5 bamboo). If you wait on a ryanmen such as 4 or 6 bamboo to complete the final sequence as 3-4-5 or 5-6-7 bamboo, and you win on that wait, you achieve pinfu.

Related Terms

Ryanmen — The double-sided wait required for pinfu qualification, allowing completion from either end of a sequence.

Yaku — The hand patterns and combinations that determine winning hands and their point values.

Fu — The base unit of points in mahjong scoring; pinfu is notable for its exact 20 fu value.

Menzenchin — The closed-hand condition required for pinfu; melding any tiles forfeits this yaku.

Riichi — A declaration often paired with pinfu strategy, committing to a closed hand for potential bonuses and yaku combinations.

Meld — The act of declaring and displaying tiles; doing so eliminates pinfu eligibility.