Chinese Official Mahjong · 64 pt

Little Three Dragons in Chinese Official Mahjong (MCR): Points, Rules and Examples

In Chinese Official Mahjong, Little Three Dragons (小三元) is worth 64 points: two of the three dragons (Red, Green, White) are pungs or kongs, the third dragon is the pair, plus any two other sets.

The rules for Little Three Dragons

• A pung or kong each of two dragons, with the third dragon as the pair
• The other two sets can be anything (chows, pungs, kongs)
• Claiming and kongs are allowed — it does not have to be concealed
• With all three dragons as pungs it is Big Three Dragons (88 points)

What Little Three Dragons does not combine with

• Two Dragon Pungs (6): the two dragon pungs are part of Little Three Dragons
• Dragon Pung (2 each): the two dragon pungs are not scored again

Dragon pungs never add Pung of Terminals or Honors anyway; the other two sets, if they are terminal or wind pungs, still score Pung of Terminals or Honors, Prevalent Wind or Seat Wind. Half Flush, Outside Hand and All Pungs often come along.

Scoring examples

Scored live by the game's own code, including the fan not counted under the non-repeat rule.

Little vs Big Three Dragons vs Two Dragon Pungs

With two dragon pungs, whether the pair is the third dragon is the difference between 64 and 6 points — so keeping a pair of the third dragon is well worth it.

How Little Three Dragons waits

• Dual pung wait: one dragon pung in hand (or claimed) and pairs of the other two, waiting for either to become a pung — whichever comes, it is Little Three Dragons. The most common wait; example one shows it.
• Single wait: both dragon pungs and the two other sets complete, waiting on the third dragon for the pair.
• Holding a pair of each dragon: claim two of them for Little Three Dragons; all three is Big Three Dragons.

Odds of Little Three Dragons

You need at least a pair of every dragon, and each has only four tiles. The chart counts how many dragons are already paired or better in a 13-tile opening hand:

Source: 1,000,000 random 13-tile deals (flowers already replaced).

At least one paired dragon happens about 13% of the time, two only 0.46%. In 4,000 computer-played hands (3,849 wins) Little Three Dragons appeared 1 times; among dragon fan the common ones are Dragon Pung (6.6% of wins) and Two Dragon Pungs (1.1%). The sample is too small to measure Little Three Dragons itself — it only shows it is rare.

When to go for it

• Two paired dragons at the start: claiming both gives Two Dragon Pungs (6) and 2 more points reaches 8; a pair of the third dragon lifts it to 64.
• Three of the third dragon already discarded: no pair possible — aim for Two Dragon Pungs and Half Flush instead.
• When someone shows two dragon pungs, be careful with the third: a pung gives them Big Three Dragons, a single wait still gives Little Three Dragons.

Try it yourself — play MCR online against the computer, with scoring done for you.

Little Three Dragons in other mahjong styles

• Taiwanese mahjong: Little Three Dragons is 4 tai (Little Three Dragons in Taiwanese mahjong)
• Riichi mahjong: Shousangen is 2 han, plus the two dragon pungs as yakuhai (Japanese mahjong yaku list)

FAQ

How many points is Little Three Dragons?

Little Three Dragons is worth 64 points in Chinese Official Mahjong. It does not add Dragon Pung or Two Dragon Pungs.

Must the pair be a dragon?

Yes. Two dragon pungs with the third dragon as the pair is Little Three Dragons; with any other pair it is only Two Dragon Pungs (6).

Can I claim pungs for Little Three Dragons?

Yes, it does not need to be concealed; pungs and exposed kongs are fine.

How many points with Half Flush?

Little Three Dragons 64 plus Half Flush 6 is 70 points, plus Concealed Hand, terminal pungs and so on.

Related fan

Big Three Dragons 88 pt Pungs of all three dragons for 88 points: the rules, what it doesn't combine with, how it differs from Little Three Dragons and why opponents hold dragons back. Two Dragon Pungs 6 pt Pungs of two dragons for 6 points, replacing Dragon Pung; a pair of the third makes Little Three Dragons. Concealed Hand closes the 2-point gap. Dragon Pung 2 pt Each pung of Red, Green or White is 2 points (no extra terminal-pung point); two become Two Dragon Pungs, three Big Three Dragons.