Riichi Mahjong in Singapore

R.League will adopt the SGRiichi Aka Ari ruleset, incorporating modifications that include select optional rules and changes to existing rules as listed below:

• Uma and Oka
  • Uma of [ 30 / 10 / -10 / -30 ] will be used, Oka of 20K will be used. 
  • Each player starts with 25,000 points, with the final uma spread of [ 45 / 5 / -15 / -35 ] being applied. If two players have the same score, they will split the total uma for their position. 

• Kan dora indicator
  • Only revealed immediately for ankan. For all other instances, kan dora indicator is only revealed after discard. 

• Nagashi Mangan
  • Defined by every discard of a player consists of only honours and terminals at ryuukyoku and none of that player’s discard has been called.
  • Nagashi mangan is scored like a bonus payment, not as a win, and happens at the same time as players reveal tenpai hands. The noten penalty is cancelled and replaced by the nagashi mangan payment, but that payment is not affected by honba or riichi sticks.
  • Chonbo takes precedence over nagashi mangan payments. If there is no chonbo, then hand progression depends on whether East is tenpai.
  • If more than one player is awarded nagashi mangan simultaneously, then each player receives the equivalent of a mangan tsumo. That implies even a winning player pays into the tsumo payment.

• Renhou
  • Defined by a player declaring ron with a starting hand before drawing their first tile and before any called tile.
  • Renhou is considered as a 4 han yaku and stacks with any other yaku and/or dora.

Any rules/modifications not stated above will follow SgRiichi standard rules. Scoring tables, and calculators are allowed, but should be consulted between hands and not during. Players must make sure to turn off or mute their phone. Phones and electronic devices of any kind should not be used during the match. 

Penalties

A penalty point of 1P is equal to 1,000 points. All penalties are to be deducted from the tournament score, and hanchan score for each player does not change. A Chonbo is equal to 30P deduction for tournament score. Players committing repeated infractions may face more severe penalties for obstructions based on the referee’s discretion.

If players are not satisfied with the referee’s decision, the matter may be escalated to the League director, whose decision is final and no further correspondence will be entertained.

Late for game

Players should arrive at their match location earlier but not later than the start time. A penalty will be given upon the lateness of the player. The penalty for lateness will stop being applied once the game begins. All timings will be recorded by the arbiter present, or by the lowest SGRiichi ID player at the table. 

Lateness between 1 to 10 minutes inclusive incurs a penalty of 1P/min. After the initial 10 minutes, each subsequent minute incurs a penalty of 2P/min. Lateness exceeding 20 minutes results in a 3P/min and a fine of $2/min. At the 31 minutes mark, the games scheduled for the day will be cancelled. The penalised player’s team will receive a penalty of 40P, and his/her teammates will be given a fine of $10 each. 

In the event that the arbiter does not arrive on time, the lowest SGRiichi ID player is to inform the League director and start keeping time. Penalty for arbiters are as follows: Lateness between 1 to 10 minutes inclusive incurs a fine of $10. Lateness exceeding 10 minutes results in a fine of $15. Lateness exceeding 20 minutes results in a fine of $20. At the 31 minutes mark, the games scheduled for the day will be cancelled and the arbiter will be given a $30 fine.  (E.g. an arbiter who is late for 35 mins will be fined $60. $10 from the first 10 mins, $20 from the 2nd 10 mins, and $30 for the exceeding 30 mins)

All fines will need to be paid to the Financial Coordinator before the player is allowed to participate in subsequent games. 

Timing for declaration

A tile is discarded when it’s placed face up forward of the player’s hand. At this point, the discarder can no longer take their tile back. (does not apply to tiles knocked by accident) If there is a dispute, tiles closer to the discard pool than the hand will be considered discarded unless the player has declared a win by self-draw. Once the player whose turn it is has touched the wall, the previous discard can no longer be claimed by that player. Players are not limited in time to play, but they are expected to play at a reasonable pace. 

A player drawing too fast for the other players to have time to call, or repeatedly taking an overlong time, can be penalised for obstruction at referee discretion. If a player draws too fast when another player makes a call or win, the call is still valid and the drawn tile should be placed back into the wall.

Precedence In order of priority

Priority is given as: tsumo > ron (turn order) > first caller > pon/kan > chi. 

Winning declarations take precedence over any other calls. If two or three players call the same tile to win (double or triple ron), only the caller closest to the discarder in turn order, wins. The speed of the declaration is not considered. In case of two players calling the same tile for a group: 

• If the calls are clearly apart, the first call takes precedence. 
• If the calls are made at approximately the same time, the call for a pon or kan takes precedence over the chi. 
• If it’s unclear if calls are simultaneous or not, consider they are. In case a player couldn’t see the discarded tile, fair play should be observed to allow a late call.

Errors during dealing and play

Minor incidents happening during the deal are corrected without penalty. However, if the incident is too important to overlook, the tiles are shuffled again and the hand is re-dealt without penalty. 

A player failing to take a called tile before their next draw can no longer take the tile; they will receive a chonbo for having too few tiles. 

Wrongly drawing tiles In case a player draws from the wrong place in the wall, or out of turn, they must place it back without penalty. If the player has already included the tile into their hand, so that they can’t prove which tile it was, they will receive a chonbo.

A tile called to make a group must be placed sideways to indicate the player discarding it. If the caller places it incorrectly, or rotates the wrong tile, it must be pointed out and corrected immediately without any penalty. If it is left uncorrected, the tile will be considered to have been discarded by the player it points to. In case a player places the central tile of a sequence sideways, the player sat opposite will be furiten on that tile, and the caller will have a dead hand since it’s forbidden to call from the player sat opposite for a sequence.

Obstruction 

Covers any action preventing or hindering the smooth processing of the game or tournament. It is not limited to the playing time; a player can also be sanctioned for their bad behaviour during break time. Obstructions are subject to penalties at the referee’s discretion, depending on the situation. Repeated or very serious obstructive behaviour can result in disqualification. Don’t abuse the rules. Don’t exploit loop-holes in the rules. 

Examples of obstruction: 

• Discarding in such a way not every player can see the tile at the same time. 
• Placing tiles face down after having declared riichi. 
• Repeatedly using incorrect terms after being asked to use the official terminology.
• Revealing other players’ hand or the wall after the end of the hand. 
• Revealing the ura dora despite you haven’t declared riichi and won. 
• Putting foreign objects on the table. 
• Mimicking discarding out of turn. 
• Chatting. 
• Making overly loud sounds. 
• Tapping on the table outside your turn. 
• Repeatedly tapping, twirling or fidgeting with tiles. 
• Refusing to count your points when asked. 
• Repeatedly asking to recount the score beyond reason.

Examples of obstruction, with suspicion of cheating: 

• Touching other players’ sticks. 
• Touching the wall outside your turn or during scoring. 
• Taking the ron tile. 
• Hiding the tiles with your hand/arm during play or while scoring. 
• Resting your hand in the middle of the table. 
• Chatting in a language a player or referee doesn’t understand.

Summary of fouls and penalties

Being late and missing a hanchan
Late by 1 to 10min	Penalty 1P per minute
Late for more than 10mins	Penalty of 2P per minute thereafter
Late for more than 20mins	Penalty of 3P and fine of $2 per min thereafter
Late for more than 30mins	Game cancelled. Penalty of 40P, teammates fined $10 each
Initial Shuffling and Dealing
Errors occurring before the start of first discard	Not penalised, Hands are redealt.
Too many or too few tiles	Chonbo
Wrongly drawing tiles	Chonbo
Wrongly revealing tiles
Knocking over 3-6 tile from the dead wall	Dead hand
Knocking over 7 tiles or more of the dead/live wall	Chonbo
Knocking over 7 tiles or more of your own hand	Chonbo
Knocking over 3 or more of another player’s hand	Chonbo
Knocking over the wall beyond repair	Chonbo
Revealing Dora Indicator tile before discards (for ankan)	First time warning, second time 5P penalty
Melds, Calls, and Declarations
No vocalisation of calls	Call will be invalidated and reverted, 1P penalty. Increasing by 2P penalty per subsequent failure of vocalisation.
Changing a call	Not allowed. If first call cannot be done, considered empty call.
Empty call (excluding win)	Dead hand
Empty call for win	Chonbo
Swap-calling	Dead hand
Wrong placement of the called tile before discard	Not penalized, must be corrected
Invalid group before discard	Not penalised, must be corrected
Invalid group after discard	Dead hand
Calling when having a dead hand (the hand was formally declared to be dead)	Chonbo
Confusing call	Warning
Riichi Declarations
Forgetting to rotate discarded tile	Not penalised, to be corrected.
Noten Riichi	Chonbo
Open riichi	Chonbo
Discarding a tile from hand	Chonbo
Invalid concealed quad	Chonbo