3.4.6 Chombo
Severe offenses are punished by chombo, after which there is a re-deal of the current hand. If
a win is declared at the same time as a chombo occurs, the chombo is voided.
In a tournament the chombo penalty is 20000 points which are deducted from the players
overall tournament score after the game is finished and after the uma is added to the
players‘ scores. Outside tournaments the chombo penalty is a reverse mangan payment:
4000 to East, 2000 to other players. If the offending player is East, 4000 is paid to each of the
other players.
The following offences are subject to chombo penalty:
- Invalidly declaring a win and showing the tiles. The win can be invalid because the
hand is not a valid winning hand or because the declaration was not valid
- Declaring riichi on a hand that is not waiting. This is determined only in case of a
drawn game. In the case where a riichi hand is only considered noten because it was
declared a dead hand after the riichi declaration, it is not considered a chombo, and only
the noten penalty is paid
- Making an invalid concealed kong after declaring riichi (determined only if the
offender declares a win or in case of a drawn game)
- Attempting to claim a tile after the hand has been declared a dead hand
- Play cannot continue due to a mistake of a player. E.g. too many tiles were revealed for
the game to continue fairly
After a chombo riichi bets are returned to the players who declared riichi, and there is a
re-deal. No counter is placed, and the dealer does not rotate.
3.4.7 Dead hand
Some irregularities that are not punished by chombo result instead in a dead hand. A player
who has a dead hand is not allowed to declare a win, kong, pung or chow, and can never be
considered tenpai.
The following irregularities result in a dead hand:
- Invalidly declaring a win without showing the tiles
- Attempting to declare riichi on a open hand
- Attempting to declare riichi, but failing to call “riichi” or failing to rotate the discard
- Too few or too many tiles on the hand
- Making an invalid kong, pung or chow. The mistake can be corrected if it is realized or
pointed out before the discard is made
- Swap-calling
- A referee call may result in a dead hand, e.g. for passing information
In the case where a riichi hand is declared a dead hand after the riichi declaration, and
the hand ends in an exhaustive draw, the noten penalty is paid, the case does not result in
chombo.
3.4.8 Minor irregularities
Minor irregularities are generally not penalized. Please refer to Section 5 on Etiquette and
tournament rules.
3.4.9 When a win is declared
When a hand ends with one or more playes declaring a win, the hand(s) are scored. Only
winners receive payment. If there are more than one possibility for which way the winning tile finishes the hand, the highest-scoring
possibility is always chosen.
A player winning on a self-draw, receives payment from the three opponents. A
player whose discard results in one or more winning declarations, pays the full value of
each hand to the winner.
East receives more points for a win, but also pays more in case of an opponent’s selfdraw.
When east wins the hand (whether more players win or not), a counter is placed on
the table at East’s right-hand side.
3.4.10 Counters
A counter is placed on the table at East’s right-hand side after a hand where East declared
a win and after an exhaustive draw.
Each counter on the table increases the value of a winning hand by 300 points. In case
of self-draw the payment is shared, so each opponent pays 100 points for each counter to
the winner, in addition to the standard payment for the hand.
All counters are removed after a hand where another player than East declared a win,
and East did not.
3.4.11 Dealer rotation
After the end of a hand, it is determined whether East stays East or whether the privilege
proceeds to the next player.
East stays East if he declares mahjong or if he is tenpai when there is an exhaustive draw.
If there are multiple winners, East stays East if he was one of the winners. Otherwise, the
deal rotates, and the player who was South now becomes East, while West becomes South,
North becomes West and East becomes North.
In case of chombo there is no dealer rotation: East stays East.
3.5 Continuation of the game
When the dealer rotation is resolved, the tiles are shuffled face-down, and a new hand is
begun.
When the player who began the game as East, becomes East again after all opponents
have had at least one hand as East, the south round begins.
When the player who began the game as East, becomes East again after all opponents have had at least one hand as East in the south round, the game ends.
3.6 End of the game
When the south round ends, and the game is over, the winner is the player with the most points. It is of no consequence
how many individual hands were won, the total sum of points determines the winner. Ties may occur.
Any riichi bets remaining on the table are collected by the winner; the points are split in case of a tie.
Agari yame is not allowed. This is a rule that would allow East to end the game early if he wins the final hand and is
leading the game.
3.6.1 Winner bonus
At the end of the game an extra bonus/penalty (uma) is applied to the scores. The two best ranked players receive a bonus
from the two lowest ranking players in the game, according to this scheme: Winner receives 15,000 points, second ranked
player receives 5,000 points, third ranked player is penalized with -5,000 points and the last player is penalized with
-15,000 points.
If there is a tie, the points for the relevant places are split between the tied players. E.g. if two players are tied at
the first position, each gets a bonus of 10,000 points.
