Mixed Triple Chow

What Is Mixed Triple Chow

Mixed Triple Chow is a notable 8-fan hand in Chinese Official Mahjong. It requires forming three chows of the same numerical sequence, each chow in a different suit. Achieving this combination can be challenging but also lucrative if you see early that you have partial sequences in multiple suits. Stay flexible, monitor discards, and remain mindful of both meld opportunities and the potential defensive moves of your opponents.

The Tile Pattern of Mixed Triple Chow

In Chinese Mahjong, Mixed Triple Chow is a pattern that requires you to form three identical chows, one in each of the three suits (Craks, Bams, and Dots). For example, you could have:

• 4-5-6 in Craks
• 4-5-6 in Bams
• 4-5-6 in Dots

The key points are:

• Each chow must be the same numeric sequence (e.g., 4-5-6, 2-3-4, 7-8-9, etc.).
• The three chows must be in each of the three suits.
• These chows form part of your complete winning hand of 14 tiles, which usually consists of four sets (melds) plus one pair.

Fan Value of Mixed Triple Chow

In Chinese Official Mahjong, Mixed Triple Chow is worth 8 fan. This relatively high value reflects the challenge of collecting the same sequence in each of the three suits. It often requires planning and a bit of luck in your draws or in your opponents’ discards.

Strategies and Considerations of Mixed Triple Chow

Identify Potential Sequences: If you notice early that you have partial sequences like 4-5 in Craks, 4-5 in Bams, and 4-5 in Dots, you may actively seek out the “6” tile in each suit to complete a potential Mixed Triple Chow.

Assess Suit Distribution: Check how many suits you are working with. If you are leaning heavily toward one or two suits, forcing Mixed Triple Chow might be more difficult. Ideally, you want a somewhat balanced distribution of suits.

Concealed Hand Benefits: If you keep the chows hidden, you maintain the element of surprise and can possibly combine with other concealed-hand bonuses (like Fully Concealed Hand). But you risk missing essential discards if you are not prepared to meld.

Opponent’s Defense: Experienced opponents might notice you are collecting parallel sequences in multiple suits. They may try to withhold certain tiles or discard them strategically when it benefits them (e.g., safe discards or forced discards to break your hand).

Combination with Other Fan

• All Chows: If your entire hand is made of chows and a non-honors pair, you might combine Mixed Triple Chow with All Chows.
• No Honours: Also possible if you avoid Winds and Dragons.
• Mixed Straight: This is a different pattern requiring a 1-9 straight in one suit. Usually not directly compatible with Mixed Triple Chow (since the latter specifically demands chows across multiple suits).

Practical Tips

• Versatility: Keep an eye on which sequence might be easiest to form in all three suits. For instance, if you start with a partial 3-4-5 in Craks and 3-4-5 in Dots, you could aim for 3-4-5 in Bams as well.
• Avoid Over-committing: Mixed Triple Chow can be tempting for its 8 fan, but if the tiles you need have already been heavily discarded, pivot to a different scoring pattern that still allows you to win.
• River Reading: (i.e., discard pile reading) is crucial. If too many of one rank in a specific suit are gone, you might not be able to complete your triple chow.