Straits MahjongChanta And Junchan
Chanta puts a terminal or honour in every set and the pair, with at least one run; junchan does the same with terminals only. Chanta is worth 2 han (1 open) and junchan 3 han (2 open).
Chanta and junchan are the edge-of-the-suit hands. Every set and the pair touches a 1, a 9 or, for chanta, an honour. They’re slower than tanyao, and worth more.
What They Are
Chanta asks for a terminal (1 or 9) or an honour in every set and the pair, with at least one run. Junchan is the purer form: a terminal in every set and the pair, no honours at all, and again at least one run.
What They’re Worth
| Table | Called | Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Riichi | Chanta | 2 han (1 open) |
| Riichi | Junchan | 3 han (2 open) |
Chanta is 2 han (1 open) and junchan 3 han (2 open). They don’t stack: a junchan hand is never also counted as chanta.
With no run at all, a hand of only terminals and honours is honroutou instead, 2 han, and it usually comes with toitoi or seven pairs.
Chanta and junchan also bring fu, since terminal and honour triplets and awkward waits all add some. A closed junchan with riichi is a strong hand before a single dora.
Closed Or Open
Both survive a call and lose a han. An open chanta is a slow, modest hand, so most players call for it only when a yakuhai pon or a flush is in the hand as well.
How To Build It
Your runs must be 1-2-3 or 7-8-9; nothing in the middle can be used. Keep edge shapes like 1-2, 8-9 and 7-9, and honour pairs for chanta. Lone middle tiles from 4 to 6 are the first to go.
This means plenty of penchan and kanchan waits, which are narrow. Look for a finish on a pair or a terminal pon where you can, and accept that the extra han pays for the slower hand.
A deal with lots of 1s, 2s, 8s and 9s, a pair of honours and few middle tiles is the classic start. If the middle tiles keep arriving instead, switch to tanyao and let the edges go.
Common Mistakes
- One middle set. A single 4-5-6 anywhere spoils both.
- The pair. A pair of 5s ends it, however perfect the sets are.
- Mixing up the two. One honour anywhere makes junchan into chanta and costs you a han.
What They Combine With
Terminal runs line up neatly into sanshoku on 1-2-3 or 7-8-9. Chanta goes with yakuhai and honitsu, and both go with riichi and iipeikou when closed. They never meet tanyao or ittsu.