10 Patterns for Using 3 Tiles (Multiple Wait Basics pt02)

Check Mahjong No Jan-Ryu for the original article. 

*Translation of the original article start below*

In this section, we will be going over all 10 patterns of using “Using 3 Tiles” of one specific tile. Once you master these patterns, you will be much stronger and confident when it comes to multiple waits.

7 Tiles (04/19)
Waiting on 3 Tile Types, 7 Tiles in Total
1P has 4 Tiles, 4P has 1 Tile and Pei/North has 2 Tiles remaining

This is an important shape that comes up often. If you see the 234 Pinzu as a completed Shun-Tsu (sequence) and the remaining 4 Pins as a pair, this will be a Shan-Pon/Sha-Bo wait of 4 Pin and Pei/North. If you see the 4 Pin as Anko (Triplet), this will be a 1・4 Pin Riyan-Men wait.

This pattern may be easier to understand if it is in a complete hand like the ones below.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
2,5 Pin and Ton/East wait and 6,9 Sou with a 1 Pin wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait on are 7 tiles. This comes up often, so let’s master this shape. The key is to see the multiple wait with 3 tiles as an “Anko” or a “Jan-Tou/Pair”.

  ▼ Now here is the 2nd pattern…

7 Tiles (05/19)
Waiting on 4 Tile Types, 14 Tiles in Total
1P has 4 Tiles, 4P has 3 Tiles, 7P has 4 Tiles and 2P has 3 Tiles remaining

This is a very good 4-Men-Chan shape. If you see the 3 Pin as your Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), you will have a 1・4・7 Pin 3-Men-Chan Riyan-Men wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it will be a 2 Pin Tanki/Single wait.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
3,6,9 and 8 wait and 2,5,8 and 3 wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait on are 14 and your chances are good.

 ▼ Next, is the 3rd pattern…

7 Tiles (06/19)
Waiting on 4 Tile Types, 13 Tiles in Total
2P has 4 Tiles, 5P has 3 Tiles, 4P has 2 Tiles and 7P has 4 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as your Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it is a 2・5 Pin Riyan-Men wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it will be a 4・7 Pin Riyan-Men wait. （Note that you can also have 4 Pin as a Tanki wait as well）

People who are used to playing don’t think “If this is a Jan-Tou or Anko and it will become this” but they remember it as a shape. Don’t feel pressured, but instead feel comfortable and get used to the shape.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
3,6 and 1,4 wait and 4,7 and 6,9 wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait on are 13 tiles, and this is also a pretty good shape. As a side note, wether it is a “3 and 6, and 1 and 4 wait” or a “1 and 4, and 3 and 6 wait”, please remember the way you are comfortable with.

▼ Next is the 4th pattern for this page…

7 Tiles (07/19)
Waiting on 3 Tile Types, 9 Tiles in Total
4P has 3 Tiles, 7P has 4 Tiles and 5P has 2 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as a Jan-Tou (2 Tiles) it will be a 4・7 Pin Riyan-Men wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it will be a 5 Pin Tanki wait. (Note that you can also see the 5 Pin as a Kan-Chan wait)

Different example for the same shape of wait.
2,5 and 4 wait and 5,8 and 6 wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait on here are 9 tiles. Be careful not to overlook the Tanki wait in this shape.

▼ Next is the 5th pattern…

7 Tiles (08/19)
Waiting on 5 Tile Types, 17 Tiles in Total
2P has 4 Tiles, 5P has 3 Tiles, 8P has 4 Tiles, 4P has 3 Tiles and 7P has 3 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as your Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it will be a 3-Men-Chan Riyan-Men wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it will be a 4・7 Pin No-Be-Tan wait.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
2,5,8 and 3,6 wait and 3,6,9 and 5,8 wait.

Maximum amount of tiles you can wait on are 17 tiles, and has the most amount of tiles out of the 7 tile shapes we cover, so this is a good shape.

  ▼ We are half way done with this page. Let’s keep it going and continue with the 6th pattern…

7 Tiles (09/19)
Waiting on 2 Tile Types, 7 Tiles in Total
7P has 4 Tiles and 8P has 3 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as a Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it will be a 7 Pin Kan-Chan wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles) it will be a 8 Pin Tanki wait.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
3,2 wait and 5,6 wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait on are 7 tiles. Be careful not to overlook the Kan-Chan wait for shapes like these.

▼ Next is the 7th patter…

7 Tiles (10/19)
Waiting on 3 Tile Types, 10 Tiles in Total
5P has 2 Tiles, 8P has 4 Tiles and 4P has 4 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as your Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it is a 4 Pin Kan-Chan wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it is a 5・8 Pin Riyan-Men wait.（Note that the 5 Pin can also be considered as a Tanki wait)

Different example for the same shape of wait.
2,5,6 wait and 4,7,3 wait.

Maximum amount of tiles you can wait on here are 10 tiles.

▼ Continuing on to the 8th pattern…

7 Tiles (11/19)
Waiting on 3 Tile Types, 10 Tiles in Total
5P has 3 Tiles, 8P has 3 Tiles and 4P has 4 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as your Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it is a 4 Pin Kan-Chan wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it is a 5・8 Pin No-Be-Tan wait.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
4,7,8 wait and 6,9,5 wait.

Maximum amount of tiles here are 10 tiles.

▼ Next is the 9th pattern…

7 Tiles (12/19)
Waiting on 4 Tile Types, 9 Tiles in Total
3P has 1 Tile, 6P has 4 Tiles, 4P has 2 Tiles and 5P has 2 Tiles remaining

If you see the 3 Pin as a Jan-Tou (2 Tiles), it is a 3・6 Pin Riyan-Men wait. If you see the 3 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles), it is a 4・5 Pin Shan-Pon/Shabo wait. (Note that you can also see the 3 Pin as a Tanki wait as well.)

This shape is easier to remember like the 3～6 wait pattern.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
4,7,5,6 wait and 4,7,5,6 wait.

Maximum amount of tiles you can wait on here is 9 tiles.

▼ Next will be the last and 10th pattern…

7 Tiles (13/19)
Waiting on 3 Tile Types, 5 Tiles in Total
4P has 1 Tile, 3P has 2 Tiles and 5P has 2 Tiles remaining

If you see the 4 Pin as a Jan-Tou (2 Tiles) it will be a 4 Pin Kan-Chan wait. 4 Pin as an Anko (3 Tiles) will make it a 3・5 Pin Shan-Pon/Shabo wait. (Note that you can also see the 4 Pin as a Tanki wait as well)

This pattern is easier to remember like the 3・4・5 wait.

If you are Men-Zen (Have not called any tiles yet) and will off of 3・5 Pin, there will be no Ii-Pei-Kou so it may be better to change your waiting shape.

Different example for the same shape of wait.
3,2,4 wait and 7,6,8 wait.

The maximum amount of tiles you can wait are 5 tiles, which is not that much.

Finally, we are finished at going over the 10 patterns. (Well done!) It may take some time to get used to them, but it is definitely worth mastering. Next time, we will go over using 3 tiles and having 2 of them. There are only 3 patterns so it is simple ^^