Daisuushii
大四喜 | Daisuushii
Collect triplets of all four wind tiles -- East, South, West, and North -- in a single hand.
By Kenji Tanaka · Updated
Overview
Daisuushii, the big four winds, is among the rarest and most valuable hands in mahjong, a yakuman (and a double yakuman in many rule sets) requiring triplets or quads of all four wind tiles, East, South, West, and North, plus a pair to complete the hand. It is the greater counterpart of shousuushii, which needs only three wind triplets and a pair of the fourth. Because it demands three copies of every wind, twelve specific tiles in all, daisuushii is extraordinarily difficult and almost always relies on calling pon repeatedly from a wind-heavy start. It naturally overlaps with tsuuiisou (all honors) when the remaining pair is also an honor, stacking yakuman for an enormous score. Opponents fold hard once three wind triplets are exposed, making the final wind hard to obtain. Daisuushii is the kind of hand most players see only rarely, and completing one is a memorable feat.
Example Hand
111z 222z 333z 444z 5p 5p
Conditions
- The hand must contain triplets (or kans) of all four wind tiles: East (1z), South (2z), West (3z), and North (4z)
- The remaining two tiles form the pair, which can be any tile
- The hand can be open — calling pon on wind tiles is allowed
- Many rulesets count daisuushii as a double yakuman because it is strictly harder than shousuushii
- The pao (liability) rule may apply: the player who discards the tile enabling the fourth wind pon may bear full or partial payment responsibility
Strategy Tips
- Daisuushii is one of the rarest yakuman because it requires all 16 wind tiles to cooperate. You need 12 of the 16 wind tiles in the game, so even one or two winds buried in the dead wall or other players’ hands can make it impossible.
- If you are chasing daisuushii and find the fourth wind triplet unreachable, consider downgrading to shousuushii by using that wind as your pair instead. A shousuushii is still yakuman and far more achievable.
- When an opponent has three open wind triplets, treat every remaining wind tile as an absolute danger tile. Dealing into daisuushii is catastrophic, and the pao rule can make you solely responsible for the payment.