Fan Count by zerg_buster
Just for information completeness, the word "fan" is pronounced as in "fun". It is a Chinese word, which has the meaning of "multiply by 2" when used in this context.
Regarding hands:
1) A hand with 4 chows of any tile set = 1 fan
2) A hand with 4 pong (and/or kong) of any tile set = 3 fan
3) A hand with tiles from only one suit and some winds/dragons (this hand is called semi-pure) = 3 fan
4) A hand with tiles from only one suit and no winds/dragons (pure hand) = 6 fan
Regarding winds:
5) Pong/kong of the wind of seat = 1 fan
6) Pong/kong of the prevailing wind = 1 fan
7) A hand with pong/kong of 3 winds + a pair the remaining wind (this hand is called "Small 4 Blessing", or "Syou Sai Hei") = LIMIT
8) A hand with pong/kong of 4 winds (this hand is called "big 4 Blessing", or "Dai Sai Hei") = LIMIT
Note that (5) and (6) can be added on top of each other, even when the wind concerned here is the same. For example, if a player is sitting at the "West" seat, and the Prevailing Wind is also West, then he secures 2 fan if he manages to pong or kong the West wind tiles.
Regarding Dragons:
9) A pong/kong of any 1 or 2 dragon(s) = 1 fan per dragon
10) A pong/kong of 2 dragons + a pair of the remaining dragon (this hand is called "Small 3 Scholars", or "Syou Sum Yun") = 4 fan
11) A pong/kong of all 3 dragons (this hand is called "Big 3 Scholars", or "Dai Sum Yun") = 6 fan
*Note that (9), (10), (11) are mutually exclusive, meaning they can't be applied to the same hand.
Regarding Flowers: <Flower and season are also referred here as red and blue - Yahoo does not specify which is which.>
12) A flower (red or blue) tile matching the seat = 1 fan each
13) A hand without any flower (red or blue) tile = 1 fan
14) A hand with all 4 Red flowers tiles (or all 4 blue Flowers) = 1 fan (this adds on to no.(13))
15) A hand with all 8 flowers tiles (called "Flower Hand" or "Fa Hu") = LIMIT (this is controversial)
Regarding Winning:
16) A hand completed due to a draw from the wall (called "Self-Pick") = 1 fan
17) A hand completed due to a compensating draw from a kong (called a "Kong-Pick") = 2 fan
18) A hand completed from a tile which another player puts out for kong (called "Robbing a Kong") = 1 fan. ------(16) and (17) are mutually exclusive. In fact, a Kong-Pick is treated as a Self-Pick + 1 extra fan = 2 fan.
Sometimes, some people consider compensation tiles coming from a flower tile (when you draw a flower tile, you get another compensating tile) which completes the hand a Kong-Pick. This is highly controversial. But if the compensation tile is itself yet another flower, and the consecutive compensating tile is the wining tile, this is definitely a "Flower-Pick", worth the same as "Kong-Pick".
Some Special Limiting Hands:
19) All Honors: a hand with tiles of only dragons and/or Winds
20) Heavenly Gates: A hand holding " 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 9" of any suit, with none of the tiles opened (meaning you can't meld a pong or chow). This hand enables the holder to win when any of the tiles of the same suit is thrown.
21) "18 Luo Han": 4 kong and a pair.
22) "13 wonders": a hand consisting "1" and "9" tiles of each suit, and each of the wind and dragon suit, with any of these forming a pair.
23) Jade Dragon: Hand must have pong (or kong) of sticks only and pong of Green Dragon
24) Pearl Dragon: Hand must have pong (or kong) of balls only and pong of White Dragon
25) Ruby Dragon: Hand must have pong (or kong) of characters only and pong of Red Dragon
26) "Heaven Tiles": The first player wins immediately without drawing *any* tiles.
27) "Netherly Tiles": Player wins before the turn to draw returns to any player (including him[her]self) for the 2nd time.
28) "Moon From The Sea": Wining from the last tile (the 15th tile
on the wall) and the wining tile must be "1ball".
With the exception of Limiting Hands, all the rules from (1) - (18) can be applied simultaneously, unless stated otherwise. As for Limiting hands, meaningless to apply simultaneous rules, since they are already limiting. LIMIT + 100 fans still = LIMIT.
For example, it is possible to win with:
3 fan for semi-pure + 3 fan for all pong + 1 fan for pong of Wind of Seat + 1 fan for pong of Prevailing Wind + 1 fan for self pick + 1 fan for Flower of seat + 1 fan for pong of Dragon = 11 fan
