Nagashi Mangan

What is Nagashi Mangan in Japanese Mahjong

Nagashi Mangan is a special yaku in Japanese Riichi Mahjong that is awarded when a round ends in a draw and a player has discarded only terminal (1s and 9s) and honor tiles (winds and dragons) throughout the round. It is a rare and difficult hand to achieve, as it requires strategic discards and a non-winning round. Although Nagashi Mangan does not involve completing a hand, it still provides yakuman points and is a prestigious and rare occurrence in the game. It is often used as a defensive strategy and is a valuable tool in situations where a player is stuck in a draw.

How to Achieve Nagashi Mangan？

The Round Ends in a Draw: Nagashi Mangan can only occur when the round ends in a draw. A draw can occur for various reasons, such as all players being unable to win or the players run out of tiles.

Discarding Only Terminal and Honor Tiles: The player aiming for Nagashi Mangan must discard only terminal tiles (1s and 9s) and honor tiles (winds and dragons) during the round. Honor tiles include the wind tiles (East, South, West, and North) and dragon tiles (White, Green, and Red). Terminal tiles are the 1s and 9s of each suit (Pin, Sou, and Man). These are considered "terminal" because they appear at the ends of each suit, making them more difficult to use in sequences.

All Discards Must Fit the Criteria: The player must discard all terminal and honor tiles during the round. This means no other tiles (e.g., number tiles from the 2–8 range) should be discarded. Essentially, the entire discard pile from this player should consist of only terminal tiles (1s and 9s) and honor tiles (winds and dragons).

What is the Strategy and Risk of Nagashi Mangan?

Risk Management: Since Nagashi Mangan can only be achieved through a draw, the player must be careful not to complete their hand by the end of the round. The strategy involves balancing between discarding the right tiles and avoiding finishing a hand. In some cases, players may intentionally aim for a draw by avoiding completing a hand while also discarding all the required terminal and honor tiles. This makes Nagashi Mangan an interesting strategy in some situations, especially in games where players are forced into a deadlock or stalemate.

Limiting the Possibility of Completing a Hand: To ensure that the round ends in a draw, the player should be mindful of not completing any part of their hand that could result in a win. For example, they should avoid discarding any tiles that would allow them to form a sequence or triplet (chow or pung). In this sense, Nagashi Mangan is a defensive strategy, requiring players to focus on controlling their discards to avoid getting too close to completing a hand while still adhering to the rules of discarding only terminal and honor tiles.