Mahjong Winds

All scoring patterns

Small Dragons 小三元

Two dragon pungs plus a pair of the third.

5faan
The whole hand
中中中發發發3三萬4四萬5五萬678
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How it works

Two pungs of dragons plus a pair of the third dragon. It is five faan.

The five already includes the two dragon pungs, so they do not also score their own row. Completing the third pung instead turns it into Great Dragons at eight.

How to build it

Dragons are contested, so speed matters more than shape. Take the first dragon pung offered.

Once you hold two pungs and a single of the third, you are one tile from five faan and two from eight. That is the point to stop taking risks elsewhere and wait.

Common mistake

Breaking the pair to chase the third pung. If you hold two pungs and a pair, you already have five faan, with the dragon pungs included. Discarding from that pair to fish for Great Dragons risks the whole hand for three more faan.

What it combines with

The two dragon pungs are already inside the five and do not add again. With Mixed One Suit it is five plus three for eight, and honours are legal there, which makes it a natural pairing. With All Pungs it is five plus three as well.

Questions people ask

Do the two dragon pungs still score separately?

No. The five already includes both dragon pungs, so they do not count again.

Does the pair have to be the third dragon?

Yes. Two dragon pungs with an ordinary pair is not this pattern.

Should I chase Great Dragons from here?

Only if the third dragon is still live. From a pair, you are risking a made hand for three faan.

Nearby patterns

Play Mahjong Winds

Every win shows its faan line by line, using the table on this page.