South Round

South Round

South Round (南場, なんば) is the second and final round of a standard hanchan (full game) in riichi mahjong, where the prevailing round wind is South. It follows the East Round and concludes when all four players have served as dealer at least once with South as the round wind.

Detailed Explanation

Structure and Position

A complete hanchan consists of:

1. East Round (Tonba): First round, round wind is East
2. South Round (Nanba): Second round, round wind is South

The South Round begins immediately after the East Round concludes. Like the East Round, each player must serve as dealer at least once, resulting in a minimum of four hands during South Round (though dealer wins can extend this).

Round Wind Significance

During South Round, the round wind changes to South. This shift affects scoring:

Yakuhai Changes: Triplets of South wind now earn yakuhai (1 han) for all players because South matches the round wind. The player seated South earns 2 han (round wind + seat wind). Conversely, East wind triplets no longer qualify for round wind yakuhai (though they still count for players seated East as seat wind).

Strategic Shift: Players adjust their strategies based on the South round wind. Hands containing South winds become more valuable, while East wind-based strategies from the previous round lose some appeal.

Game Conclusion

End Condition: The South Round continues until all four players have served as dealer at least once. Once this occurs and the current dealer fails to win or be in tenpai during a draw, the game ends.

Final Scoring: At the end of South Round, final scores are tallied. Players receive uma (placement bonuses) based on their final ranking, and riichi bet sticks on the table are awarded to the first-place finisher.

Score Differential Importance: Because South Round is the final round, point differentials become critical. A player in second place might play aggressively to overtake first, while the leader plays defensively to maintain their position. Unlike East Round where players have another round to recover, South Round mistakes are permanent.

Usage Example

The game enters South Round after completing East Round. The starting dealer for South Round is the player seated South. That player wins with a triplet of South tiles, scoring 2 han from yakuhai (seat + round wind). They retain dealership (renchan) and win again. After several hands, all four players have been dealer. The current dealer loses without being in tenpai, triggering the end of the game. Final scores determine placement and uma bonuses.

Related Terms

East Round: The first round of a hanchan where the round wind is East. Precedes South Round.

Hanchan: A full game consisting of East Round and South Round. Typically lasts 8-12 hands total.

Dealer: The player serving as dealer (Oya). Scores 1.5× normal payments and can extend rounds by winning.

Round Wind: The prevailing wind for the current round. Changes from East to South between rounds.

Uma: Placement bonuses awarded at the end of a hanchan based on final score ranking.