Four Seas Standard Rules Explained: Winning Requirements and Competition

See also:

Four Seas Mahjong (Standard): A Competitive Hand-Building Ruleset

Four Seas Standard Rules Explained: Scoring Patterns

The previous article presented the aesthetically compelling large hands included in Four Seas Standard. This article considers how the rules of play can help players build and complete those hands.

Raising the minimum winning score

First, the minimum winning score needs to rise. A higher threshold naturally raises the average score of winning hands and therefore increases the number of large hands. The chart below shows the distribution of winning scores for Chinese Official Mahjong on one platform. With an eight-point minimum, the median winning score is approximately eleven points, just above the threshold. This assumes an unchanged win rate, however: raising the threshold also increases the average number of turns needed to win and the frequency of exhaustive draws.

Second, removing the dead wall helps increase the win rate and reduce exhaustive draws. Its fourteen tiles give each player more than three additional opportunities to draw. Even with this measure, the minimum cannot be raised indefinitely. Higher-scoring hands have fewer possible combinations and are harder to complete. If the threshold makes it difficult for any of the four players to win within the usual twenty-odd turns, too many drawn hands will undermine both enjoyment and competition.

Four Seas Mahjong Standard Edition 3.1

Class	Category	Subcategory	5	10	20	30	40	60	80	120	160	240	320	480
Suit					All Types	Mixed One-Suit		Pure One-Suit			Melded Nine Gates	All Honors		Nine Gates
Pattern		basic	All Sequences			All Triplets
		Seven Pairs						Seven Pairs					Seven Consecutive Pairs	Seven Honor Pairs
		Seven Pairs							Seven Pairs with One Quad		Seven Pairs with Two Quads		Seven Pairs with Three Quads
		special				All Unrelated	Seven All Unrelated	Five Honors and Knitted Straight			Thirteen Orphans
		special				Honors and Plaid Tiles
Number	terminal		All Simples			Mixed Outside Hand	Pure Outside Hand		All Terminals and Honors				All Terminals
	linked				Mixed Linked		All Linked		All Symmetric
	oddeven				Mixed Odd	Mixed Even		All Odd	All Even	All Knitted
	consecutive				Mixed Consecutive		All Consecutive
Quad	Quad			One Quad		Two Quads				Three Quads				Four Quads
Honor	Dragon			Value Honor			Three-Dragon Pairs		Little Three Dragons		Big Three Dragons
	wind					Little Three Winds			Big Three Winds			Little Four Winds	Big Four Winds
	wind				Three-Wind Pairs				Four-Wind Pairs
One-Suit	identical Seq			Two Identical Sequences					Two Identical Sequences Twice	Three Identical Sequences				Four Identical Sequences
	shifted seq		Two Shifted Sequences					Three Shifted Sequences			Four Shifted Sequences	Silver Ladder
	shifted seq							Two Shifted Sequences Twice
	straight	symmetric	Two Terminal Sequences				Pure Straight			Golden Bridge			Pure Terminal Sequences
	straight	consec seq	Half Straight				Half Straight Twice	Mirrored Half Straight
	consec trip			consec trip		Little Three Consecutive Triplets			Three Consecutive Triplets	Two Consecutive Triplets Twice		Four Consecutive Triplets	Gold Ladder
	identical seq/trip			Tile Hog					Tile Hog Twice	Tile Hog +				Tile Hog ++
	consec seq/trip		consecutive T				Horizontal Cross	Horizontal H		Four Consecutive T	Jade Cube	Jade Disc		Big China
	consec seq/trip						Consecutive T Twice					King Straight
Three-Suit	identical seq/trip	identical Seq	Two Similar Sequences			Three Similar Sequences
	identical seq/trip	identical trip		Two Similar Triplets		Little Three Similar Triplets			Three Similar Triplets
	identical seq/trip	Mirrored					Mirrored Sequences	Mirrored Sequences and Triplets		Mirrored Triplets
	consec seq/trip	consec seq			Assorted Straight
	consec seq/trip	consec trip					Assorted Three Consecutive Triplets
chance	turn				Last Tile Draw			Blessing of Man		Blessing of Earth	Blessing of Heaven
	turn				Last Tile Claim
	Kong				Robbing a Kong
	Kong				Win by Kong Replacement

Winning level	Self-draw minimum	Discard-win minimum	Editions
I	0	0	A-I
II	5	5	A-II、B-II
III	10	10	B-III、C-III
IV	10	20	C-IV、D-IV
V	20	50	D-V

A: Beginner; B: Basic; C: Intermediate; D: Standard. Payment threshold: 50 (25 for Basic); limit-hand threshold: 200.

Outcome	Winner	Discarder	Each other opponent
Self-draw	+6H	—	All three pay 2H each
Discard win, H ≤ F	+4H	−2H	−H
Discard win, H > F	+4H	−(4H−2F)	−F

H is the hand score and F the payment threshold (50 or 25).

Four Seas Standard retains threshold IV from Intermediate—10 points for self-draw and 20 for a discard win—and adds threshold V: 20 for self-draw and 50 for a discard win. The lower self-draw requirement mainly supports defensive changes of plan. For now, consider the discard-win threshold. Four Seas divides scoring patterns into five value bands: small patterns (5–10), main patterns (20–40), large patterns (60–80), very large patterns (120–160), and limit patterns (240–480). Main patterns are the well-grounded, moderately difficult, sufficiently valuable members of their respective families. Thresholds IV and V bracket this main-pattern band.

Under threshold IV, any main pattern worth at least 20 points qualifies on its own. The threshold thus lies at the bottom of the main-pattern band. Combinations of small patterns can also reach 20, as discussed in the articles on Four Seas Intermediate.

Under threshold V, main patterns worth 20–40 cannot qualify alone; additional small patterns are needed. Large patterns at 60 points or more, including Seven Pairs, Pure One-Suit, and patterns in the identical- and shifted-sequence families, can qualify directly. Consider the routes individually:

1. Mixed One-Suit: at 30 points, it needs another 20, which can come from Value Honor and Two Identical Sequences.

2. All Triplets: it likewise needs another 10 points. It combines with every triplet-combination pattern and is also needed for those patterns to reach the 40-point winning threshold.

3. All Unrelated: Standard adds Seven All Unrelated at 40 and Five Honors and Knitted Straight at 60 above the 30-point All Unrelated pattern, preserving discard-win possibilities for this family. All Unrelated selects fourteen tiles from sixteen and has a three-tile wait, but cannot combine with other patterns. If all nine numbered tiles are already present when the hand becomes ready, all three waits can win on a discard as Five Honors and Knitted Straight. Otherwise, a discard can be claimed if it completes Five Honors and Knitted Straight; other completions can still win by self-draw under the 20-point threshold. This keeps the family viable as a hand-building route.

4. Mixed Outside Hand: worth 30, with Pure Outside Hand above it at 40. The outside-hand family does not automatically qualify without further thought, but can usually combine with All Sequences, Two Similar Sequences, Three Similar Sequences, Mirrored Sequences, or Value Honor to reach the threshold.

5. Mixed Linked: worth 20, with All Linked above it at 40. Like the outside-hand family, this family can combine with All Sequences, Two Similar Sequences, Three Similar Sequences, or Little Three Similar Triplets.

6. Three Similar Sequences: worth 30 and needs another 20. It can combine with Mixed Outside Hand, Mixed Linked, or All Types.

7. Assorted Straight: worth 20 and still needs another 20. All Sequences, Two Similar Sequences, and Half Straight together provide only 15, so a reliable route requires All Types plus Value Honor or a kong. This is one of the harder main sequence routes to qualify with in Standard.

8. All Types: a 20-point main route that can combine with Mixed Outside Hand, Mixed Linked, Assorted Straight, or Three Similar Sequences.

9. Combining Half Straight Twice with Mirrored Sequences produces Mirrored Half Straight, whose 60 points already exceed the 40-point threshold.

10. Pure Straight: worth 40 and can combine with Two Similar Sequences and All Sequences.

Comparing the two thresholds with Chinese Official Mahjong at eight and sixteen points

How do these thresholds affect competitive skill and tactics, and how do they compare with two versions of Chinese Official Mahjong? To compare their winning requirements, we first need to put Chinese Official, Zung Jung, and Four Seas pattern values on a common scale. We can use Chinese Official Mahjong's scale and divide Zung Jung and Four Seas values by five.

Pattern	Four Seas	Four Seas ÷ 5	Chinese Official	Zung Jung ÷ 5	Main-route marker
All Sequences	5	1	2	1
All Simples	5	1	2	1
Two Similar Sequences	5	1	1
Half Straight	5	1	1
Two Shifted Sequences	5	1
Two Terminal Sequences	5	1	1
One Voided Suit			1
No Honors			1
Pung of Terminals or Honors			1
Self-Draw			1
Edge, Closed, or Pair Wait			1
Value Honor	10	2	2	2
All Types	10	2	6		Shared
One Quad	10	2	1–2	1
Two Identical Sequences	10	2	1	2
Two Similar Triplets	10	2	2
Concealed Hand			2	1
Tile Hog			2
Mixed Outside Hand	20	4	4	8	Shared
Assorted Straight	20	4	8		Shared
All Unrelated	20	4	12		Shared
Mixed Linked	20	4			Four Seas
Little Three Consecutive Triplets	20	4
Fully Concealed Hand			4
Last Tile			4
Mixed One-Suit	30	6	6	8	Shared
All Triplets	30	6	6	6	Shared
Three Similar Sequences	30	6	8	7	Shared
Two Quads	30	6	4–8	4
Pure Outside Hand	30	6		10	Four Seas
Little Three Winds	30	6		6
Little Three Similar Triplets	30	6		6
Mixed Shifted Chows			6		Chinese Official
Melded Hand			6
Pure Straight	40	8	16	8	Shared
Seven Pairs	40	8	24	6	Shared
All Linked	40	8	16*		Four Seas
Assorted Three Consecutive Triplets	40	8	8
Seven Honors and Knitted Tiles	40	8	24
Five Honors and Knitted Straight	40	8	24
Mirrored Sequences	40	8			Four Seas
Half Straight Twice	40	8			Four Seas
Reversible Tiles			8		Chinese Official
Chicken Hand			8
Pure One-Suit	60	12	24	16
Little Three Dragons	60	12	64	12
Three Consecutive Triplets	60	12	24	20
Three Shifted Sequences	60	12	16		Shared
Two Shifted Sequences Twice	60	12			Four Seas
Upper / Lower Four			12		Chinese Official

The “Main-route marker” column replaces the original chart's colors: yellow identifies whole-hand and sequence-combination main routes shared by Four Seas and Chinese Official Mahjong, red identifies those unique to Four Seas, and blue those unique to Chinese Official Mahjong.

After normalization, Mixed One-Suit, All Triplets, and Three Similar Sequences have very similar values across the three rulesets, at six to eight points. Four Seas develops Zung Jung's approach, so their values are close, with only minor adjustments to some patterns. Both differ considerably from Chinese Official Mahjong. In the latter, Seven Pairs, Pure Straight, Pure One-Suit, All Unrelated, and Little Three Dragons are overvalued relative to their combination counts and construction difficulty. The resulting imbalance in its scoring system is already widely recognized.

The next table compares how small hands and main patterns qualify under four winning thresholds. Each is discussed below.

Route	Four Seas IV (10–20)	Chinese Official 8	Four Seas V (20–50)	Chinese Official 16
Small-pattern combinations	×	×
Main pattern alone	×	×	×	×
Main pattern plus small patterns		×	×
Two main patterns combined			×	×
Main pattern cannot qualify				×

Under Four Seas Standard's lower threshold IV—10 for self-draw and 20 for a discard win, equivalent to two and four on the normalized scale—the main patterns in all eighteen families, comprising six sequence, six triplet, and six whole-hand families, qualify directly. Numerous combinations of small patterns qualify too. Compared with Intermediate C-IV, Standard D-IV adds triplet-combination and mixed sequence–triplet families. Keeping threshold IV therefore simply expands the patterns available to build. Players can first pursue main routes, then consider combinations of small patterns; if essential tiles become unavailable, they can also change plans and seek a two-point self-draw on the normalized scale.

Standard IV covers a wider range of random starting hands. It supports both the construction of patterns across different families and the combination of small patterns, requiring a broad but moderate range of skills. Its varied play makes it suitable for recreational play and general competition.

Chinese Official Mahjong normally requires eight points. Patterns worth six or less need additional small patterns. These include the major whole-hand patterns Half Flush, All Pungs, and Outside Hand, together with the particularly prevalent Mixed Shifted Chows and All Types. Most other main patterns already exceed the minimum. Its base payment and triple self-draw reward strongly encourage racing to an eight-point win. It also offers numerous patterns based on circumstances or difficulty rather than hand structure or aesthetics. Examples include Self-Drawn and Edge, Closed, or Single Wait at one point; Concealed Hand and Tile Hog at two; Fully Concealed Hand and Last Tile at four; and Melded Hand at six. These difficulty-based patterns can combine without mutual restrictions, making two extra points relatively easy to obtain. With the overvalued Mixed Shifted Chows and All Types as well, the difficulty of winning is similar to Four Seas D-IV even though some main patterns require supplements.

Four Seas threshold V—20 for self-draw and 50 for a discard win, equivalent to four and ten on the normalized scale—is only slightly above Chinese Official Mahjong's eight-point minimum numerically, but much harder to reach. Small-pattern combinations alone cannot qualify: Four Seas has no small difficulty-based patterns, and its small patterns are structural or aesthetic, have low values, and impose mutual constraints. Main patterns worth 20–40 require supplements. Only large patterns at 60 or more, such as Pure One-Suit, Seven Pairs, Three Shifted Sequences, and Two Identical Sequences Twice, qualify alone. Pure Straight needs another 10 points from small patterns, whereas Assorted Straight with All Types and Value Honor requires two main patterns. The same applies to 20-point main patterns such as Mixed Outside Hand and Mixed Linked: small patterns alone are insufficient, and another main pattern is needed. Chinese Official Mahjong's eight-point threshold does not require such combinations of two main patterns. When changing plans defensively, the 20-point self-draw line serves as threshold V's winning requirement: any main pattern qualifies by self-draw. D-V also has no dead wall, and precise assessment of the remaining wall calls for trained memory and analysis. Its higher requirements therefore suit competitive players with greater experience and familiarity with the rules.

Although Chinese Official Mahjong officially uses an eight-point minimum, some dissatisfied enthusiasts have introduced a sixteen-point variant that has become quite popular. It encourages large hands and eliminates the dominance of Mixed Shifted Chows and All Types. Its disadvantage is a sharp reduction in viable routes. Only Pure Straight, Seven Pairs, and Pure Shifted Chows among the main patterns qualify directly at sixteen; Full Flush is a larger hand beyond that band. Few combinations involving six- or eight-point patterns reach sixteen. All Pungs with Half Flush still needs four more points, for example, while All Types with Mixed Straight or Mixed Triple Chow needs two. Many six- and eight-point patterns consequently have little chance of winning, substantially reducing flexibility and variety while increasing exhaustive draws. From a competitive perspective, fewer routes, the disappearance of small-pattern combinations, and simpler attack–defense decisions cut the game's technical content in half. Four Seas D-V, by comparison, raises the skill requirement without reducing the main hand-building routes.

Four Seas Standard's lower 10–20 threshold accommodates a broad range of starting hands and offers variety through both large-hand construction and small-pattern combinations, making it suitable for general recreational play. The higher 20–50 threshold demands greater skill and encourages larger hands, making it more suitable for professional competition.