What is Kanchan? Meaning, Wait Types, and How to Improve Explained for Beginners

What is Kanchan (Closed Wait)?

Kanchan (嵌張) is a wait shape in mahjong where you have 2 numbered tiles with a gap, waiting for the middle tile. For example, having 13 and waiting for 2, or having 57 and waiting for 6.

The character “嵌” means “to fit in,” referring to fitting one tile between two tiles, hence the name kanchan.

Detailed Explanation of Kanchan

List of Kanchan Taatsu

Characteristics of Kanchan

1. Few Acceptance Tiles

   • Only 4 tiles of 1 type
   • Half the efficiency of ryanmen

2. A Type of Bad Shape (Gukei)

   • Considered a poor wait
   • Same efficiency as penchan

3. Potential for Improvement

   • Can change to ryanmen with nearby tiles
   • Has flexibility

Usage Examples

Real Game Situations

Example 1: Wait Explanation

"Tenpai with 35 kanchan wait"
"It's kanchan wait, but let's declare riichi"

Example 2: Hand Building Decision

"Two kanchan shapes...hand is heavy"
"Want to change this kanchan to ryanmen"

Example 3: Shape Evaluation

"Bad shape tenpai with kanchan and penchan"
"Should I redraw for good shape or go as is..."

Comparing Kanchan with Other Waits

Wait Efficiency Comparison

How to Improve Kanchan

Patterns to Change to Ryanmen

1. Draw Adjacent Tile

   24 → 234 (ryanmen + isolated tile)
   35 → 345 (sequence completed)

2. Create Connected Shape

   35 + 6 → 356 (ryanmen taatsu × 2)
   24 + 5 → 245 (ryanmen + isolated tile)

3. Make Compound Shape

   135 → Complete set with 1 or 4
   246 → Good shape change with 3 or 5

Related Terms

• Ryanmen: Open-ended wait
• Penchan: Edge wait
• Taatsu: Incomplete set
• Gukei: General term for bad waits
• Ryokei: General term for good waits

Common Mistakes and Points to Note

Points Beginners Often Mistake

1. 19 Cannot Make Kanchan

   • Cannot make 18, 29
   • Numbers only go 1-9

2. Overlooking Kanchan

   • Compound shapes like 135 or 246
   • Contains multiple kanchan

3. Misjudging Kanchan Lock-in

   • Taking tenpai with kanchan too early
   • Situations where waiting for ryanmen change is better

4. Checking Furiten

   • Is the kanchan wait tile in discard pile?
   • Easy to overlook

Kanchan Tactics

Evaluating Kanchan Value

1. Early Game Kanchan

   • Keep hoping for ryanmen change
   • Central ones like 35, 46 have higher value

2. Mid Game Kanchan

   • Process if you have better taatsu
   • Worth keeping if dora-related

3. End Game Kanchan

   • Accept tenpai as priority
   • Bad shape acceptable with high value

Should You Riichi with Kanchan Wait?

Cases to Riichi

• Need high score
• Expected value of ura dora and ippatsu
• Pressure on opponents

Cases for Dama (Silent Tenpai)

• Possibility of good shape change
• Defensive situation
• Low-value hand

Special Uses of Kanchan

Kan Suuken (Interval of 4)

1357 → 2, 4, 6 three-way wait
2468 → 3, 5, 7 three-way wait

Multiple kanchan creating multi-way waits

Yaku with Kanchan

• Junchan Taiyao: Terminal-leaning kanchan (13, 79)
• Chinitsu: High score even with kanchan
• Ikkitsuukan: Sometimes 456 becomes kanchan

Conclusion

Kanchan is a wait shape waiting for the middle tile, and while less efficient than ryanmen, it’s an unavoidable wait shape in mahjong. Beginners should focus on developing skills to change kanchan into ryanmen. Also, judgment to riichi with kanchan in certain situations is necessary. Though called a bad shape, when handled well, it’s a perfectly viable wait shape.