This section of the website is relatively short, in comparison. It will cover the types of questions asked in the first parts of the Saikouisen Pro Exam. The first few sections of the exam are knowledge questions, covering rules, yaku, current top players, Saikouisen as an organization, and so on. These may be multiple choice, or short answer (where you explain a mahjong rule)
Rules
For rules, the current translated rules as of November 2024 are available here:
Saikouisen_Competition_Rules_101224.pdf
(Click to open in new tab)
Answers subject to change when updated official translation is released. Check Saikouisen-usa.com for updates. Read this, and understand it. Take particular care to learn the initial seating method, what constitutes the different levels of Chombos, how to call tiles, all the Yaku (note that none are double Yakuman) and the process at the end of a hand to confirm scoring for wins and exhaustive draws.
In addition, Go to the official Saikouisen website, About > Rules ( https://saikouisen.com/about/rules/ ), and memorize the block of basic settings. As of November 2024, those settings are:
- Ari Ari rules: Kuitan and Atozuke are ON
- Oka none (30,000 points to start, 30,000 points is +/- 0)
- Uma 10/30
- Ippatsu, Ura Dora, Kan Dora, Kan Ura are ON
- Last round dealer’s agari-yame/tenpai-yame are OFF
- Tenpai payments add to 3,000 points
- Exhaustive draws are OFF
- Yaku that use “responsible one pays”: ZERO
- Multiple / stackable Yakuman are ON
- Counted Yakuman is OFF
- Thirteen Orphans wins through a closed Kan is OFF
In case it is needed, “Saikouisen Classic” rules are: uma 4-12, no extra doras, no ippatsu, no noten payment, repeat deal only on dealer win, can discard any tile so long as not in riichi [can discard same tile that you call pon/chi on], no concealed kan after riichi, riichi’d hand only needs to reveal if won [i.e. noten riichi is not penalized]
Here is a sampling of questions presented as a 15-question test.
- Calling procedure is to say the call name, then (A: Reveal the tiles > Discard your discard > Take the called tile B: Take Tile > Reveal > Discard C: Reveal > Take > Discard)
- Uma is (A: 10-30 B: 10-20 C: 5-15)
- Nagashi Mangan is (A: Valid if nothing of yours was called by your opponents B: Valid even if tiles of yours were called by your opponents C: Not valid)
- As for Yakuman Liability Payments, there are (A: 2 types B: 3 types C: none)
- For game setup, between determining which seat you sit in and the finalization of the first dealer, there are (A: No dice rolls B: One dice roll C: two dice rolls)
- Reaching without having a draw left in the wall is (A: always allowed B: never allowed C: allowed unless the player that wants to reach drew the haitei tile)
- Multiple / Double Yakuman scoring in a single hand is (A: multiple is allowed, no double yakuman B: 2 total yakuman allowed, counting a double as 2 C: stacking yakuman not allowed, take highest yakuman between single and double)
- If three people Ron, (A: only one wins B: three win C: triple ron abortive draw)
- The number of yaku in which downturn (“-1 han if open”) occurs is (A: 4 B: 5 C: 6)
- Each person starts with (A: 25,000 B: 27,000 C: 30,000) points, and this is considered +/-0 points for final score.
- Chombo penalty is (A: reverse mangan payment B: -20 points in overall ranking C: -30 points in overall ranking)
- Rinshan Kaihou and Haitei Raoyue are (A: Never combined B: Always combined C: Only combined if fully closed)
- “Too many tiles” penalty is (A. dead hand B. Sho-Chombo and dead hand C. Sho-Chombo and abort hand)
- Empty call (chi/pon/kan) penalty is (A. 1000 point deposit B. Sho-Chombo and dead hand C. Sho-Chombo and abort hand)
- 24mSSSEEENN + closed kan of 3m, at exhaustive draw, is (A. Tenpai B. Not Tenpai)
Answers: 1.C 2.A 3.C 4.C 5.C 6.C 7.A 8.A 9.C 10.C 11.B 12.A 13.B 14.B 15.B
Example short answer questions:
- A non-dealer declares ron with an open tanyao hand. their wait is double sided, and all of their sets are sequences. Although this adds up to 1 han and 20 fu, they score 1000 points. Why?
- If there is one tile left in the wall after a draw, and the player that drew calls a concealed kan, explain if their replacement draw, or if they do not win, their resultant discard, is haitei or houtei.
- A player is waiting on a 3m with a 24m wait with the hand GGGRRR24m99p. They also have a closed kan of 3m. at exhaustive draw, are they tenpai? Why or why not?
Answers: 1.futei rule means open 20fu hands are scored as 30. 2.replacement is not haitei, discard is houtei. 3. they are not tenpai, as all tiles not in your hand are considered available for wait determination, and all 3m are used.
Information
This covers Saikouisen knowledge questions. A comprehensive list of what has been asked before is here. For further research, see the official Saikouisen website. I’m not sure to what level the English exam will take this, what I would suggest is perusing the Saikouisen website with Google Translate on to learn more about them.
Here is a customizable app to test the into below as flash cards:
Making mnemonics may help you. For example, some from the 2024 season:
- Current Saikouisen President (Representative): NIITSU Kiyoshi
- President Mario riding along, stops to give some advice, then rides off. “Nii is how you say ‘tsu (two)’, Kid. Yoshi!”
- Current Saikouisen Vice President (Vice Representative): KONDO Seiichi
- The VP guards the door to the President’s place of living, making sure you know the rank of the person who lives within. “To get inside this Condo, say ‘ichi’!”
- Saikoui Champion: TAKEUCHI Genta
- The strongest (saikou) allows you to make your call, and then leaves. “Take you chi, Gents. ta!”
- Saikouisen Classic Champion: ISHII Kazuma
- new gamer: “I want to know the coolest guy in gaming.” old gamer, with braces: “I sheee. Well, the Classic dude is the guy from the Like a Dragon (“Yakuza” in the US) series, Kazuma.”
- Jyoryuu Meijinsen Champion: TANIZAKI Maika
- In the Meiji era, not all the gamer tags were taken. My buddy Zak with a Tan was “Tan | Zak |” (Tan Zak was already taken. Then, Zak shows up and takes my plush squid splatoon toy away for talking about him behind his back!) “Mah ika!”.
- Drivens: SONODA Ken/SUZUKI Taro/ASAMI Maki/WATANABE Futoshi
- Driving a 4 wheel car with the Son of the DA Ken, watching my buddy drive his Suzuki motorbike off to get a taro bubble tea, and a sammy with Mah key to the house. What an Abe. “like an abe lincoln? whats that even mean?” oh its something that my friend told me while practicing kung fu. Toshi, yeah, that guy.
- Phoenix: KAYAMORI Sayaka/DAIGO Hiroshi/TAKEUCHI Genta
- Three birds kayak in the forest (mori). Psych. They might die! Go, Hero! “Sheee, Gents!” (he has braces too)
- Abemas: HINATA Aiko
- Just 1 more (mas) person to talk to. “Hi, Nata-(lie)!” Ayyyy, ko (girl), whats up” she interrupts
- Pirates: MIZUHARA Akina/SUZUKI Yu
- Two famous pirates: The Water (mizu) horror drift racer, from Akina, Sue! Then, the zoo key keeper… you! what a twistet?