Top 5 Beginner Mistakes in Japanese Riichi Mahjong and How to Avoid Them

By natsuki makepeace

October 24, 2025 2 min read

Top 5 Beginner Mistakes in Japanese Riichi Mahjong and How to Avoid Them

Top 5 beginner mistakes in Japanese Riichi Mahjong—table reading, open calls vs. Riichi, yaku rules, push–fold defense, and Dora balance—plus practical fixes.

Introduction: Why Beginners Struggle in Riichi Mahjong

Japanese Riichi Mahjong is thrilling and strategic, but beginners often struggle due to common habits. By spotting these traps early—careless discards, over-calling that prevents Riichi, forgetting yaku exceptions, weak defense after Riichi, and poor Dora balance—you’ll improve much faster.

Mistake 1: Discarding Without Reading the Table

Beginners often discard only by their own hand. The discard river reveals threats and safer options. Track safe tiles (tiles already discarded by the Riichi player), notice suit signals, and remember: middle tiles (2–8) connect to many waits and become more dangerous late in the hand.

Mistake 2: Over-Calling (Too Many Pon/Chi)

Calling speeds up completion but reduces flexibility and reveals information. Note: Open melds (furo) break a closed hand, which means you cannot declare Riichi after calling. Keep hands closed unless a call clearly accelerates a simple yaku such as Yakuhai or Tanyao.

Mistake 3: Forgetting Yaku Requirements

A complete hand cannot win without at least one yaku. Exception: yakuman hands qualify on their own. Anchor on simple yaku (Tanyao, Riichi, Yakuhai, Pinfu) and commit by mid-hand.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Defense After an Opponent’s Riichi

Reckless pushing after Riichi is costly. Practice full defense by folding with safe tiles, and apply push–fold judgment: push only with strong value or great waits, fold when risk is high or your hand is weak. Use suji and tile visibility to guide safer discards.

Mistake 5: Mismanaging Dora and Red Fives

Dora raise value but can ruin efficiency or become dangerous late. Balance value and efficiency: discard Dora early if they don’t fit your shape, but keep them if they strengthen an efficient hand.

Conclusion

Success in Riichi Mahjong comes from avoiding basic mistakes. Read the table, understand that open calls prevent Riichi, remember the yaku rule (with the yakuman exception), defend wisely, and balance Dora usage. Master these five habits and your results will improve quickly.

Ready to avoid these beginner mistakes? Practice with authentic Japanese tiles and smooth automatic tables from MJ Mall.