Double Riichi

What is Double Riichi in Japanese Mahjong?

Double Riichi is a two-han yaku in Japanese Riichi Mahjong. It is a special variant of Riichi declared before any discard in the very first round of one’s turn, effectively doubling the value of an ordinary Riichi. Double Riichi is a powerful two-han yaku declared at the very start of a hand, before any discard, when you already have a fully concealed, tenpai hand. Its rarity and immediate pressure on the table make it both an exciting and intimidating play. While it locks you in and leaves no room for folding, the potential for significant point swings—thanks to two base han, Ippatsu opportunities, and Ura Dora flips—can be game-changing if you successfully complete your hand.

How to Achieve Double Riichi？

Fully Concealed Hand from the Start: Your opening hand the 13 tiles dealt to you at the start of the round must already be in tenpai (one tile away from winning).You must not have made any discard yet. Essentially, you declare Double Riichi on your very first turn before discarding anything.

Same Conditions as Riichi: The hand still needs to be fully concealed (no calls: chow, pong, or open kong) for the duration of the hand. You place your betting stick (1,000 points) on the table, the same as a normal Riichi declaration, but the hand is now worth two han instead of one just for this declaration.

Declaration Timing: You must declare Double Riichi immediately upon receiving your starting tiles and drawing your 14th tile or as soon as you note your hand is in tenpai. You cannot discard any tile beforehand; your first action in the round (apart from taking your 14th tile) must be the Double Riichi declaration.

What is the Strategy and Risk of Double Riichi?

Two Han: Unlike normal Riichi, which provides one han, Double Riichi is inherently worth two han. This bonus can stack with other yaku, such as Fully Concealed Hands, Pinfu, All Simples, etc.

Ippatsu Potential: Just like standard Riichi, Double Riichi grants a chance for Ippatsu if you win within the next turn cycle (and no one calls chow/pong/kong). If achieved, that’s an additional one han on top of your already two-han Double Riichi.

Ura Dora Access: Declaring Double Riichi also gives you access to Ura Dora flips if you win, potentially increasing your total han even further.

Extremely Rare: You must start in tenpai and declare before making any discard. The chance of being in tenpai right from the start is relatively low, making Double Riichi quite rare.

Massive Pressure: Double Riichi immediately puts all other players on alert from the first discard. Opponents know you are ready to win and that your hand’s base value is already two han (plus any extra you might accumulate).

High-Risk, High-Reward: Because you have no opportunity to fold or change your hand after declaring, you are fully committed. However, if you successfully complete the hand, the payoff can be substantial, particularly with added dora or additional yaku.

Psychological Factor: A Double Riichi on the first turn can significantly impact the mental game. Opponents may adopt extreme defense immediately, especially if their opening hands are not promising.