Mahjong Defense: Reading Danger and Avoiding Deal-Ins
Practical defense for riichi mahjong β dangerous discards, the furiten rule, genbutsu tiles, and when to fold.
Why defense matters
In riichi mahjong, paying a ron can cost 3,000 to 18,000+ points. Knowing when to stop attacking and switch to defense is the single biggest skill difference between beginners and strong players.
The furiten safety net
A player who has discarded any of their winning tiles is in furiten and cannot win on a discard. Once you spot furiten, every tile in their discard pile becomes 100% safe against their ron.
Genbutsu and the easiest fold
Genbutsu β tiles that player has already discarded β are completely safe. The next-safest are tiles one rank away from their discards (suuji), and honors they have passed. This site highlights your furiten status so you can fold with confidence.
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