Start with these ideas
- All three dragon types must be sets, with another set and a pair completing the hand.
- HKMA counts 5 + 3 dragon bonuses; our game settles an inclusive 8 and stops ordinary additions.
Reference values below follow the Hong Kong Mahjong Association (HKMA) rules. Worked calculator examples use our browser game’s house rules; check the differences before comparing results.
Which dragon groups are required?
Red, Green and White Dragons must each be a Pung or Kong. The fourth set and the pair may be suited tiles. The example adds 1–2–3 Characters and a pair of 5 Dots to the three dragon Pungs.
You may claim the dragon sets. Concealment is not a condition for Big Three Dragons itself.
Why both 5 and 8 appear in faan tables
HKMA lists Big Three Dragons at 5 faan and counts its three dragon groups separately at 1 each: 8 before other eligible items. Its ordinary additions are therefore different from our house limit treatment.
Our calculator gives a single 8-faan limit result. It does not add the dragon groups, Little Three Dragons, Half Flush or self-draw again. The saved two-suit example returns 8.
Seeing all three dragons is not enough
A singleton or pair is not a complete dragon set. With two dragon Pungs and the third dragon as the pair, check Little Three Dragons instead. Do not count Big and Little Three Dragons together.
Compare the two dragon hands
Load this hand, then load Little Three Dragons from the example selector. The house results are 8 and 6 respectively; the latter includes Concealed Hand. Replacing the selected example replaces the whole hand, so neither needs a fifteenth tile.
Sources
A hand to try
Win: discard · Seat: East · Round: East · Minimum: 3. Declared melds and special draw context are loaded with the hand.
With the saved win method, seat wind and round wind, this example is expected to score 8 final faan under sc_hk13_v1_2. The calculator also shows every contributing pattern and whether the hand reaches the selected minimum.
Try this in the calculatorCheck your understanding
Which statement matches our house rules?
Choose a statement to see the explanation.
A few things to know
Can Big Three Dragons combine with Half Flush?
Under HKMA’s additive breakdown, a qualifying one-suit-and-honours hand adds Half Flush 3 to the inclusive dragon subtotal of 8, subject to the table’s cap. Our game already treats Big Three Dragons as an 8-faan limit and adds nothing further.