Collect seven pairs, and do not build a single set of three.
It abandons the shape the rest of the game is built on.
What it scores
Two styles recognize it outright, and the third depends on the table.
| Style | Value |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong | 4 faan, where it is played |
| Chinese Official | 24 points |
| Japanese riichi | 2 han |
The Hong Kong value comes with a question mark, explained below, under Where the sources disagree. Chinese Official gives 24 points of a possible 88. In riichi it is 2 han, concealed only, and it scores at a fixed 25 minipoints rather than by the usual count.
The rule on four identical tiles
If you draw all four copies of a tile, whether that counts as two pairs depends on the style.
Japanese riichi says no: the seven pairs have to be seven different tiles, so four of a kind is only ever one pair plus two dead tiles in this hand. Chinese Official allows it, and in fact scores a separate pattern for holding all four copies without declaring a kong, so the two stack.
This is not a detail you can guess at from the table. It changes which tiles are worth keeping from the very first turn.
Where the sources disagree
Almost everything about this hand except its shape.
- Whether Hong Kong plays it at all. Mahjong Time's Hong Kong list gives it 4 faan, Wikipedia's gives 4 faan as a hand some variants play, and Sloper's Hong Kong list leaves it off.
- Whether four identical tiles make two pairs in riichi. Wikipedia's yaku list notes that some Japanese house rules allow it, against the standard rule above.
- Whether kongs are permitted. Wikipedia's article on Hong Kong scoring notes that some variants bar them.
Questions about Seven Pairs
What is the Seven Pairs hand in mahjong?
A winning hand made of seven pairs and no sets at all, which breaks the usual requirement of four sets and a pair. Chinese Official and Japanese riichi both recognize it. In Hong Kong play it depends on the table.
Can four identical tiles count as two pairs?
The styles disagree. Japanese riichi requires seven different pairs, so four of a kind cannot be split. Chinese Official allows it and scores it alongside a separate pattern for holding all four copies of a tile.
Does Seven Pairs have to be concealed?
In riichi, yes. Until the last tile there is no set to claim a discard into, so the hand is built from the wall, though the tile that finishes it may be a discard.
Where this comes from
Checked against Tom Sloper's Hong Kong FAQ and his yaku list, Wikipedia on Hong Kong scoring and Japanese yaku, Mahjong Time's Hong Kong, Chinese Official and riichi pages, and Yellow Mountain Imports. The full list is on our mahjong hands page, and Japanese Mahjong explains what a han is worth.