Knitted Straight

What Is Knitted Straight

Knitted Straight is a special Mahjong hand in Chinese Mahjong defined by three specific sequences (1,4,7; 2,5,8; 3,6,9) in different suits, which must be self-drawn and concealed. The hand must be a standard Mahjong hand with four sets and a pair, where these three sequences count as three of the sets. Its strategic flexibility, particularly in allowing the fourth set and pair to be formed in various ways, makes it a fascinating aspect of the game, especially in tournament play. This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding, supported by community insights and official references, ensuring a thorough response to the query.

The Tile Pattern of Knitted Straight

Each suit (Craks, Bams, Dots) will contain exactly three tiles arranged in one of these triplets. For example, one common arrangement is:

• 1 Bams, 4 Bams, 7 Bams
• 2 Craks, 5 Craks, 8 Craks
• 3 Dots, 6 Dots, 9 Dots

All nine of these tiles are distinct—no duplication—and they do not form any standard chows or pungs among themselves. They collectively create a single “knitted sequence” across the suits.

The Other 5 Tiles (Completing the Hand)

Beyond those 9 knitted tiles, you have 5 more tiles that must complete a valid 14-tile winning structure.

• The 9 knitted tiles do not count as standard melds.
• The remaining 5 tiles must be arranged so that, overall, you end up with four melds + one pair in the entire hand.
• At least one of those 5 tiles (or multiple) will combine with some of the knitted tiles to form a standard meld or pair, or they might form melds/pairs on their own.

An example might be that, within the final 14 tiles, you have:

• The 9 knitted tiles (e.g., 1B,4B,7B / 2C,5C,8C / 3D,6D,9D).
• 2 additional Bams that form a Pung with the “4 Bams” you already have among the knitted tiles.
• 1 pair made from a separate rank not interfering with the knitted structure.
• Another small chow or pung in one of the suits or with an honor tile.

The key is that the final arrangement still yields four valid melds plus one pair, while clearly containing a 9-tile knitted sequence that spans the suits.

Fan Value of Knitted Straight

In Chinese Mahjong scoring, Knitted Straight is worth 12 fan. This high value reflects both the effort of assembling the unique 9-tile knit (with no duplications or adjacency in a standard sense) and fitting those tiles into a legitimate four-meld-plus-one-pair structure. Once achieved, it easily exceeds the usual 8-fan threshold for a legal win in many tournaments.

Strategies and Considerations of Knitted Straight

Check Your Opening Hand: If you notice a scattered assortment of tiles that naturally align to 1–4–7 or 2–5–8 or 3–6–9 patterns across suits, consider “Knitted Straight.”

Decide Quickly: Because you need 9 specific ranks distributed across three suits, it’s best to commit early if you see substantial overlap with knitted patterns.

No Duplication: Avoid collecting extra copies of a rank already used in the knit (e.g., if you have 4 Bams as part of the knit, watch out for a second 4 Bams that might break the sequence unless it’s used intentionally in a meld).

Be Aware of Suit Assignments: You have some flexibility in which suits get which triplet patterns (e.g., 1–4–7 for Craks or Bams, etc.), but once you start discarding certain tiles, your pattern narrows.

Forming Melds or a Pair: The leftover 5 tiles must combine into the standard structure (four melds + one pair total). This can happen by pairing or melding with some of the knitted tiles or forming separate melds/pairs.

Honor Tiles: Sometimes an honor-based meld (Pung of a Wind or Dragon) can be part of the leftover sets if it fits well with your overall approach. Just ensure it doesn’t conflict with your plan for suits.

Unusual Discards: Opponents might be puzzled if you keep tiles like 1 Bams but discard 2 Bams—typical adjacency strategies don’t apply here. Your discards may appear erratic.

Secrecy Advantage: Because “Knitted Straight” is relatively rare, many opponents will not immediately suspect it. They may misread your hand as incomplete or chaotic.

Rarity and Complexity: “Knitted Straight” is not straightforward to assemble. If your draws do not align, or if crucial ranks are heavily discarded, you may need to pivot.

Potential Score Upside: When successful, 12 fan can be game-changing—especially if you combine it with other small bonuses like a self-drawn win or concealed hand (if applicable).