If you’re new to Mahjong, you might expect every game to end with someone shouting “Mahjong!” and proudly revealing their winning hand. But here’s a surprise: not every round ends in a win. Sometimes, no one finishes their hand in time—and that’s called a draw, or 流局 (liújú) in Chinese.
In this guide, we’ll explain what draws mean, what happens next, and how they connect to the concept of the dealer streak (連莊 liánzhuāng)—a rule that can make or break a Mahjong strategy.
What Is a Draw in Mahjong?
A draw happens when all 136 or 144 tiles (depending on the version you’re playing) are nearly used up, and no player has declared victory. Usually, each player gets 13 or 16 tiles, and players draw and discard throughout the round. But once the wall runs out of tiles to draw, and no one has a winning hand, the round is officially a draw.
What Is the Dealer Streak (連莊)?
The dealer, also called the East player, is a rotating role in Mahjong. Normally, after each round, the dealer seat moves counterclockwise. But if the dealer wins or if the round is a draw, the dealer often keeps their position and gets another chance—this is called a dealer streak or 連莊 (liánzhuāng).
Regional Rules for Draws and Dealer Streaks in Mahjong
Mahjong rules can vary widely across different regions, and sometimes even from one household to another. As long as all players agree on the rules beforehand, any variation is fine. Below, we’ll introduce two of the most commonly played versions: Taiwanese Mahjong and Japanese Riichi Mahjong, focusing on their rules for draws (no-win rounds) and dealer streaks.
Taiwanese Mahjong Rule for Draws and Dealer Streaks
Taiwanese Mahjong includes a unique local rule called Tieh Ba Duen (literally “Iron Eight Set”), 16 tiles remain (i.e., 8 stacks, or 8 piles of 2 tiles), where only 8 stacks remain in the live wall, and no one has won yet, the game is automatically declared a draw.
- The dealer stays on if they win.
- If another player wins, the dealer seat passes counterclockwise.
- If no player wins after the last tile is drawn, the round ends in a draw.
- The dealer also continues in the next round even after a draw, regardless of Tenpai status.
- The dealer retains their position even if the hand ends in a draw or they did not win.
- No points are exchanged based on Tenpai (ready hand) or Noten (unready).
👉 Key Point: Taiwanese Mahjong tends to reward continuous dealer wins. The dealer is very powerful, and long streaks (especially with Tieh Ba Duen) can swing the game heavily. This adds an exciting layer of pressure for both the dealer and opponents.
Japanese Mahjong Rule for Draws and Dealer Streaks
Japanese Mahjong has two main types of draws:
- Exhaustive Draws (荒牌流局, Agari-yame or Ryūkyoku)
- Abortive Draws (途中流局, Chūtō Ryūkyoku)
Exhaustive Draw (荒牌流局, Ryūkyoku)
Normally, the live wall ends when only 14 tiles remain (i.e., 7 stacks, or 7 piles of 2 tiles). These final 14 tiles are untouchable unless used for Kong replacement draws. If no one wins before reaching this point, the round ends in a draw (ryūkyoku).
When a round ends in an exhaustive draw (no one wins after the last tile is drawn), there may be a point exchange based on Tenpai (ready hand) status. Players who are in Tenpai reveal their hands. Those who have declared Riichi must also reveal their hands. If a Riichi declaration is found to be invalid (not in Tenpai), it results in a false Riichi penalty.
The point exchange works as follows:
| Tenpai Players | Payment Rule |
| 1 player | The 3 Noten players pay 1000 points each; the Tenpai player receives 3000. |
| 2 players | The 2 Noten players each pay 1500; each Tenpai player receives 1500. |
| 3 players | The Noten player pays 3000; each Tenpai player receives 1000. |
| 0 or 4 players | No point exchange. |
Abortive Draws (途中流局, Chūtō Ryūkyoku)
These are special conditions that immediately end the round before the wall is exhausted.
🔹 Nine Terminals and Honors (九種九牌, Kyūshū Kyūhai)
- If a player has 9 or more different Wind suit / dragon suit or terminals suits (1 and 9) in their initial 13 tiles and does not call a tile on their first turn, they may declare a draw.
🔹 Four Winds in a Row (四風連打, Suufon Renda)
- If the first four discards of the round are the same wind tile (e.g., all players discard East), and no one calls a tile, the hand is declared a draw.
🔹 Four Kong (四槓散了, Suukantsu)
- If four Kong are declared in total during a round by more than one player, the round is ended immediately as a draw.
🔹 Four Riichi Declarations (四家立直, Suucha Riichi)
- If all four players declare Riichi, the round ends in a draw immediately.
📊 Rule Comparison Table
| Ruleset | Dealer Wins = Stays? | Draw = Dealer Stays? | Tenpai Affects Points? | Special Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwanese | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Tieb Ba Duen (8-win streak ends game) |
| Japanese Riichi | ✅ Yes | ✅ Only if in Tenpai | ✅ Yes | Exhaustive Draws & Abortive Draws |
Final Thoughts
Mahjong isn’t just about pushing for a win—it’s also about knowing when to play it safe. Understanding draws and dealer streaks helps you make smarter decisions, especially as the tiles run low. Sometimes, staying in tenpai or avoiding risky moves is the best strategy. Remember: in Mahjong, defense can be just as powerful as offense.