Sanshoku 三色同順

What It Is

Sanshoku doujun (三色同順, “three colours, same sequence”) is one run repeated in all three suits: 3-4-5 Characters, 3-4-5 Circles and 3-4-5 Bamboo. Most players just call it sanshoku, and it’s one of the yaku experienced players look for in almost every deal.

What It’s Worth

Sanshoku is 2 han (1 open). The rarer triplet version, the same number pon in all three suits, is sanshoku doukou, 2 han.

Doukou keeps its value when open and is far harder to put together, since it needs nine particular tiles that other players also want. Most of the time, when someone says sanshoku, they mean the runs.

Closed Or Open

It survives a chi but loses a han. Calling the last run to finish it is often right when the hand has nothing else, since an open sanshoku is still a yaku. With a closed hand and a good wait, riichi and the full value are usually better.

How To Build It

Look for two matching runs, or a run and a partial, early in the deal. 3-4-5 Characters and 3-4-5 Circles with a 3-4 Bamboo is one tile away.

Middle runs are easiest to complete, because 4-5 can grow from either side. Don’t break a strong two-sided wait for a sanshoku that needs a single middle tile, unless the han really matter.

Keep an eye on the rivers. If three of the four tiles you need are already gone, the sanshoku is dead, and the sooner you notice, the sooner you can rebuild around pinfu or tanyao instead.

Common Mistakes

• Overlapping runs. 3-4-5 in two suits and 4-5-6 in the third isn’t sanshoku.
• Waiting on the wrong side. 3-4 Bamboo waits on 2 or 5; only the 5 makes sanshoku. A win on the 2 is still a win, just a smaller one, and only if the hand has another yaku.
• Chasing it with nothing else. Calling twice for an open sanshoku leaves a slow, small hand.

What It Combines With

Pinfu and riichi are natural, and middle-number sanshoku is often tanyao too. Sanshoku on 1-2-3 or 7-8-9 can be part of chanta or junchan. It can’t be part of a flush, which needs one suit.