Sanshoku Doukou

Sanshoku Doukou

Sanshoku Doukou (三色同刻, さんしょくどうこう) is a 2-han yaku where you have the same numbered triplet in all three suits—characters, bamboo, and dots. For example, having triplets of 5-5-5 characters, 5-5-5 bamboo, and 5-5-5 dots forms sanshoku doukou. Unlike its sequence counterpart (sanshoku doujun), this yaku is worth 2 han regardless of whether your hand is open or closed.

Detailed Explanation

Requirements

To achieve sanshoku doukou, you need:

• Same triplet in all three suits: For instance, 3-3-3 characters, 3-3-3 bamboo, 3-3-3 dots
• Three different suits: Must use characters, bamboo, AND dots
• Triplets (not sequences): All three must be triplets (pon/ankou), not sequences

The triplets must have identical numbers. 7-7-7 characters, 7-7-7 bamboo, and 8-8-8 dots would NOT qualify—all three triplets must match exactly.

Han Value

Open or closed: 2 han

Unlike sanshoku doujun (sequences) which drops from 2 han to 1 han when opened, sanshoku doukou maintains its full 2-han value regardless. This makes it attractive for speed-oriented play—you can call pon aggressively without losing value.

Rarity

Sanshoku doukou is significantly rarer than sanshoku doujun because:

• Fewer available tiles: Each triplet requires three identical tiles, and there are only four of each tile in the set. Drawing three each across three suits (nine tiles total) is difficult.
• Triplet formation: Triplets are generally harder to form than sequences since sequences accept multiple tiles while triplets require exact matches.

The rarity makes sanshoku doukou a memorable achievement despite its modest 2-han value.

Strategic Considerations

Early Commitment: If you notice pairs or triplets forming in the same number across different suits early in the hand, you might commit to sanshoku doukou. However, the tile requirements are steep—you need draws to cooperate significantly.

Calling Pon: Since the han value doesn’t drop when open, you can freely call pon on any of your three triplets without penalty. This speed advantage compensates for the difficulty of formation.

Compatibility: Sanshoku doukou pairs naturally with:

• Toitoi (all triplets): Your hand is already triplet-heavy
• Sanankou (three concealed triplets): If you keep the triplets closed

However, it’s incompatible with sequence-based yaku like pinfu or ittsu.

Usage Example

You draw 7-characters, 7-characters, 7-bamboo, 7-bamboo, 7-dots early in the hand. You call pon on a 7-bamboo discard, completing the bamboo triplet. Later, you draw the third 7-characters and third 7-dots, forming triplets in all three suits. Your hand: 7-7-7 characters (concealed), 7-7-7 bamboo (open pon), 7-7-7 dots (concealed), plus one more meld and a pair. You score sanshoku doukou (2 han) despite having called pon. The open status doesn’t reduce the value.

Related Terms

Sanshoku Doujun: Three colored sequences—the sequence version of sanshoku. Worth 2 han closed or 1 han open.

Toitoi: All triplets yaku. Naturally compatible with sanshoku doukou since you’re already building triplets.

Triplet: Three identical tiles. Sanshoku doukou requires triplets in all three suits.

Pon: Calling another player’s discard to complete a triplet. Sanshoku doukou doesn’t lose value when using pon.