A kan is a quad, which is four tiles of the same kind (in the same suit), that is revealed in order to draw a supplemental tile. A kan has a two-fold advantage: a player is guaranteed to have all of one kind of tile, as there are only 4 of each kind, and if a player chooses, the option of calling kan is available.
When should you call kan?
Kan: This is the call to complete a kan. The kan call can be used for discards by any player. This call is also used when the player has four of the same tile in their hand and wishes to declare it as a kan, or has a previously melded pon and then draw the fourth tile, allowing them to upgrade it to a kan.
Does Kan open your hand?
The average kan call to open your hand will lose you points in my experience; you gain the kan Dora (as does everyone else) and 4 or 8 fu, but you lose riichi, tsumo (or 10 fu if Ron), and ura dora. A Kan is worth four times the Fu-Value of Pon of the same type. So an open 5-Dots Pon is worth 2 Fu.
What is Tsumo in mahjong?
Points are collected from all players. East earns more points than other players for the same hand. However, East also pays more points when another player does the same. This way of winning is called Tsumo.
How do you declare riichi?
To declare riichi, a player announces riichi and discards a tile facing sideways in the discard pile. This is done to indicate when riichi was called. If that tile is claimed by another player for an open meld, then the next discard is turned sideways as a replacement.
Is mahjong good for your brain?
Studies have shown that mahjong is a great game for keeping the mind sharp and it is recommended among the elderly as a means of keeping their brains in good health. Mahjong need cognitive skills and thus have the ability to treat or slow the effects of dementia.
