What are Sutehai and Kawa?
Sutehai refers to discarded tiles, while Kawa (also read as “ho”) is the discard pond - the area where discards are arranged. Discards are placed in rows of 6 tiles in front of each player.
Discards aren’t just garbage - they’re crucial information for reading opponents’ hands and finding safe tiles. Understanding the kawa is fundamental to mahjong strategy.
Kawa Layout
Standard arrangement:
Row 1: □□□□□□ (tiles 1-6)
Row 2: □□□□□□ (tiles 7-12)
Row 3: □□□□□□ (tiles 13-18)
- Left to right, front to back
- Riichi declaration tile placed sidewaysInformation from Discards
| Information Type | Description | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Genbutsu | Already discarded tiles | Critical |
| Hand tendency | What they’re aiming for | Important |
| Tenpai timing | When they reached tenpai | Important |
| Wait reading | What they might be waiting on | Advanced |
Early vs Late Discards
| Timing | Discard Pattern | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Early honor tiles | Normal progression | Standard opening |
| Early terminals | 1, 9 tiles first | Tanyao aim |
| Early simples | Middle tiles early | Flush possible |
| Late changes | Switching patterns | Near tenpai |
Safe Tile Hierarchy
| Priority | Tile Type | Safety Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Genbutsu | 100% safe |
| 2nd | Same-turn discard | 100% (that turn) |
| 3rd | Honor (2+ visible) | High |
| 4th | Suji tiles | Medium |
| 5th | Terminals | Somewhat safe |
| Last | Non-suji simples | Dangerous |
Reading Hand Tendencies
Signs of Flush Attempt
Discard pattern suggesting flush:
- Only 2 suits discarded
- Keeping 1 suit + honors
- Bias from early game
- Keeping dora suitYaku Estimation
| Discard Pattern | Possible Yaku |
|---|---|
| No 1/9/honors | Tanyao |
| Keeping honors | Yakuhai or honitsu |
| Same numbers | Iipeikou or chiitoitsu |
| Keeping terminals | Honroutou or junchan |
Tedashi vs Tsumogiri
Understanding whether a tile was from hand or drawn:
Distinguishing:
- Tsumogiri: Fast, from right side
- Tedashi: Slower, from hand
Meaning:
- More tedashi = Near tenpai
- Consecutive tsumogiri = In wait (tenpai)Kawa Etiquette
Proper Arrangement
Basic manners:
1. 6 tiles per row, 3 rows
2. Left to right order
3. Riichi tile sideways
4. Neat alignment
5. Visible placementDon’t Do These
| Bad Practice | Problem |
|---|---|
| Messy placement | Can’t track order |
| Stacking tiles | Can’t count |
| Disturbing kawa | Looks suspicious |
| Touching others’ kawa | Bad manners |
Related Terms
- Dahai: The act of discarding
- Genbutsu: 100% safe tiles
- Anzen-hai: Safe tiles
- Suji: Suji reading theory
- Kabe: Wall/4-tile reading
Summary
Sutehai (discards) and kawa (discard pond) are essential for reading opponents and finding safe tiles. Genbutsu (tiles already in someone’s discard) are 100% safe due to furiten. Reading discard patterns helps predict opponents’ hands and waits.
Start by arranging your kawa properly in rows of 6, and practice remembering opponents’ genbutsu. As you improve, learn to distinguish tedashi from tsumogiri and read discard patterns. Mastering kawa reading opens up the deeper strategic layers of mahjong.