Furikomi (Deal-In) - Losing Points by Discarding the Winning Tile

What is Furikomi?

Furikomi means discarding a tile that an opponent can win on (ron), resulting in paying points to them. Also called “Houjuu” (放銃), it’s the most costly mistake in mahjong - giving points to opponents through your own error.

Furikomi significantly affects game outcomes. Learning to reduce deal-ins is a crucial skill for improvement.

Deal-In Situations

Situation	Description	Danger Level
Into riichi	Discard winning tile to riichi player	High
Into damaten	Deal into closed tenpai	Hard to predict
Into open hand	Deal into called hand	Medium
Into yakuman	Deal into kokushi etc.	Critical

Point Payment

When you deal in:
- Pay full amount alone
- 3-6x more than if opponent tsumo'd
- 1.5x more if dealing into dealer
- Yakuman = 32,000 (dealer 48,000)

Example: Deal into non-dealer mangan
Deal-in: 8,000 payment
If tsumo'd: 2,000 each (1/4 the damage)

Dangerous Tiles

Type	Reason	Danger Level
Dora	Everyone wants it	Highest
Middle tiles (4-6)	Easy ryanmen use	High
Non-suji tiles	Ryanmen possible	High
19/honors (unpassed)	Kokushi possible	Situational

How to Prevent Deal-Ins

Basic Defense Principles

Rules to avoid deal-in:
1. Discard genbutsu (100% safe)
2. Use suji reading (relatively safe)
3. Discard early honor tiles (somewhat safe)
4. Fold when sensing danger
5. Read opponent discards

Danger Signals

Signal	Meaning	Response
Riichi	Confirmed tenpai	Prioritize genbutsu
Fast calls	Near tenpai	Raise alert level
Tedashi change	Possible tenpai	Prepare safe tiles
Late-game moves	Going for it	Consider betaori

Types of Deal-Ins

Dealing into Riichi

Features:
- Most common pattern
- Ippatsu/uradora danger
- Clear warning signal

Defense:
- Prioritize genbutsu
- Use suji
- Decide early

Dealing into Damaten

Feature	Defense
Few warning signs	Read from discards
High value possible	Watch middle tiles
Common late game	Stay alert

Dealing into Open Hands

Use visible information:
- Identify yaku (tanyao, yakuhai etc.)
- Estimate remaining tiles
- Avoid dangerous tiles

Common Beginner Mistakes

Patterns

Only watching own hand
- Not checking discards
- Forgetting riichi
- Missing board changes
Being too greedy
- “Just one more tile…”
- “Almost there…”
- Result: deal-in
Not knowing theory
- Not knowing genbutsu
- Not understanding suji
- Playing by feel

Improvement Methods

Practice to reduce deal-ins:
- Check discards every turn
- Pause when someone riichis
- Habit of cutting genbutsu
- Don't overreach
- Review and analyze

Deal-In Psychology

Mindset When Dealing In

Mental State	Action	Result
Rushing	Cut without thinking	Deal-in
Greed	Prioritize own hand	Deal-in
Overconfidence	”It’ll be fine”	Deal-in
Giving up	”Probably hit anyway”	Deal-in

Correct Mindset

Non-deal-in thinking:
- Calm judgment
- Risk/return calculation
- Long-term perspective
- Humble attitude
- Desire to learn

Deal-In Statistics

Target Rates

Level	Deal-In Rate	Characteristics
Beginner	15-20%	Low defense awareness
Intermediate	12-15%	Understands basics
Advanced	10-12%	Accurate judgment
Pro	11-13%	Attack/defense balance

Dangerous Turn Ranges

Dangerous turns:
- Turns 6-8: Riichi increases
- Turns 12-14: Damaten increases
- Turns 16-18: Everyone dangerous

Defense Stages

Stage	Action	Effect
Alert	Choose safer tiles	Risk reduction
Mawashi	Progress hand carefully	Balanced
Betaori	Only safe tiles	Avoid deal-in

Houjuu: Formal term for deal-in
Anzen-hai: Safe tiles
Genbutsu: Opponent’s discards
Betaori: Full defense
Suji: Ryanmen-denial theory
Kiken-hai: Dangerous tiles

Summary

Furikomi (deal-in) is discarding a tile that lets an opponent win, the most costly mistake in mahjong. By recognizing danger signals like riichi and using safe tile theories like genbutsu and suji, you can reduce your deal-in rate.

Beginners should start with “cut genbutsu when someone riichis.” Don’t just watch your own hand - pay attention to opponent discards and actions. While excessive fear of dealing in prevents winning, reducing careless deal-ins is the first step to steady improvement.