Big Three Dragons

What is Big Three Dragons in Japanese Mahjong

Big Three Dragons is one of the yakuman (highest-scoring hands) in Japanese Riichi Mahjong. It requires collecting a triplet (or quad) of each of the three dragon tiles—White, Green, and Red. Big Three Dragons is a yakuman yaku achieved by collecting triplets (or quads) of all three dragon tiles—White, Green, and Red. It can be open or closed, allowing players to call tiles to complete their sets. Due to its high base value, completing Big Three Dragons often results in a major point swing, making it a prized—if somewhat conspicuous—strategy in Riichi Mahjong.

How to Achieve Big Three Dragons？

All Three Dragons in Triplet or Quad: You must form a pung (triplet) or kong (quad) of White, Green, and Red dragons. That covers three of the four sets needed in a standard winning hand.

Standard Hand Structure: A valid Riichi Mahjong hand typically has four sets (each set is a triplet/quad or a sequence) plus one pair. In the Big Three Dragons, three of those sets are dragon triplets. You still need one more set (which can be a sequence or another triplet) and one pair to complete the hand.

Yakuman Tier: Big Three Dragons is classified as a yakuman, meaning it grants the maximum base hand value under standard scoring. It often leads to huge point swings—commonly 32,000 points for the dealer or 48,000 for a non-dealer in many rule sets (though exact values may vary).

What is the Strategy and Risk of Big Three Dragons?

High-Value Target: Because each dragon triplet also qualifies as Yakuhai on its own, even two completed dragon triplets plus a pair of the third dragon already guarantees decent points. Upgrading that pair to a full triplet leaps to Big Three Dragons.

Open vs. Closed: Big Three Dragons can be completed even with an open hand. You are free to call pung or kong on the dragons. There is no requirement for concealment, making it more achievable than some other yakuman that demand a fully concealed hand.

Opponent Awareness: Other players often watch for repeated calls of dragon tiles. If they suspect you are collecting multiple dragons, they may hold onto remaining dragon tiles to avoid discarding into a big hand. Conversely, if you can complete your sets quickly (especially from your own draws), you might secure Big Three Dragons before opponents can react defensively.

Synergies: While Big Three Dragons alone is already a yakuman, you can theoretically add more value with extra quads (for additional dora flips), or if you also incorporate your seat wind or round wind triplet (Yakuhai) in the fourth set—though the baseline yakuman points typically overshadow these smaller additions.