Tanki

Tanki (単騎)

Tanki is a single-tile wait in mahjong where you need only one specific tile to complete your winning hand. The term literally means “single” (単) and “cavalry” or “solitary” (騎), referring to a lone tile waiting to be fulfilled.

Detailed Explanation

In mahjong hand composition, a winning hand requires four melds (either sequences or triplets) plus one pair. A tanki wait occurs when you have already formed all four melds and are waiting for the final pair. Since each tile type has four copies in the standard deck and you already possess one tile of the required pair, only three matching tiles remain available for you to draw.

Tanki is considered one of the weakest wait patterns in mahjong because:

• Limited tile availability: With only three tiles remaining in the deck, your chances of drawing the needed tile are relatively low
• Predictability: Opponents can easily identify which tile you’re waiting for, making it simple for them to avoid discarding it
• Strategic disadvantage: Skilled players will recognize your wait and adjust their discard strategy accordingly

Tanki waits are most commonly found in two hand types:

Kokushi Musou (Thirteen Orphans): This special hand requires one of each terminal and honor tile, plus one duplicate. The winning condition is always a tanki wait, as you need one final tile to match any of your existing orphans.

Chiitoi (Seven Pairs): This hand consists of seven complete pairs. If you have six pairs formed and one unpaired tile, you’re in a tanki wait for the matching tile to complete your seventh pair.

Usage Example

Consider this situation: You have formed melds totaling three complete sequences or triplets, plus you hold tiles 2-3-4 of bamboo (forming one sequence). Your hand composition is:

• Meld 1: 1-2-3 characters (sequence)
• Meld 2: 5-5-5 dots (triplet)
• Meld 3: 7-8-9 bamboo (sequence)
• Pair: 2-2 bamboo
• Single tile: 2 bamboo

You are now in a tanki wait for bamboo 2. Only three bamboo 2 tiles remain available (since one is in your hand), making this a weak wait. If an opponent discards a bamboo 2, you win immediately—but the probability of this occurring is low, and observant opponents will avoid discarding it.

In contrast, if you were waiting for a tile that could complete multiple combinations (such as a kanchan or ryanmen wait), you would have more tile options available and better winning probability.

Related Terms

Pair (Toitsu): The two identical tiles required to complete any mahjong hand. In tanki, completing the pair is your sole objective.

Shanpon: A double pair wait where you’re waiting for one of two different tiles to complete two separate pairs. Shanpon is stronger than tanki because it offers two possible winning tiles.

Kanchan: A middle-tile wait where you need the center tile of a sequence (for example, waiting for 2 when you hold 1-3). Kanchan waits are generally stronger than tanki.

Kokushi Musou: A special hand composed of all 13 unique terminal and honor tiles plus one duplicate. Always ends in a tanki wait.

Chiitoi: A special hand of seven pairs with no melds. Frequently involves tanki waits when building toward completion.

Tanki waits, while weak, are an inevitable part of mahjong strategy. Understanding when to accept a tanki wait versus pursuing stronger wait patterns is crucial for competitive play.