Tenho (Heavenly Hand) - Winning on the Initial Deal

What is Tenho?

Tenho (Heavenly Hand) is a yakuman where the dealer (East) already has a complete winning hand with their initial 14 tiles. Without discarding anything, the hand is complete at the moment of dealing - truly a “divine arrangement.”

The occurrence rate is approximately 0.0003% (about 1 in 330,000), extremely rare even for professional players who may never see one in their lifetime.

Requirements

Condition	Detail	Notes
Must be dealer	East seat only	Not valid as non-dealer
Complete at deal	14-tile win	Before first draw
Has yaku	Yaku required	Tenho itself is yakuman
No kans	No one has kan’d	First turn condition

Tenho vs Chiho vs Renho

Yakuman	Condition	Who	Rate
Tenho	Complete at deal	Dealer only	~0.0003%
Chiho	Win on first draw	Non-dealer	~0.0005%
Renho	Ron on first turn	Non-dealer	Local rule

Example Hands

Chinitsu Tenho:

Deal: 111234567888m 9m
Form: Chinitsu tenho

Kokushi Tenho:

Deal: 19m19p19s ESWN WGR R
Form: Kokushi musou tenho

Chiitoitsu Tenho:

Deal: 11m 33p 55s EE SS WW NN
Form: Seven pairs tenho

Chiho: Non-dealer first draw win
Renho: First turn ron (local)
Haipai: Initial dealt tiles
Oya: Dealer (East)
Yakuman: Limit hands

Common Mistakes

Non-dealer confusion
- Non-dealer cannot get tenho
- Non-dealer gets chiho
First draw confusion
- Tenho: at deal moment
- Chiho: first draw
Yaku requirement
- Shape alone insufficient
- Tenho itself is yakuman
Kan interference
- If anyone kans, invalid
- First turn condition broken

Probability

Mathematical Analysis:

Item	Value	Description
Base rate	~0.0003%	1/330,000
Dealer freq	25%	1 in 4
Actual rate	~0.000075%	As dealer

Lifetime Odds:

10 hanchan/day × 365 days × 50 years = 182,500 games
Dealer turns: ~45,625
Expected tenho: ~0.14 times

Special Nature

Pure Luck

Completely random
- Cannot manipulate deal
- No skill involved
Equal probability
- Beginners and pros same
- Pure fortune
Cannot aim for it
- No strategy
- Just wait and hope

Tenho’s Value

Why it’s special:

Lifetime memory
Ultimate luck
Legendary status
Gift from mahjong gods

When Tenho Happens

Table reactions:

Moment of silence
- Processing time
- Disbelief
Cheers and amazement
- Applause
- Photos taken
Verification
- Is it really tenho?
- Check the hand

Local Rules

Double Yakuman Treatment

Rule	Tenho Value	Reason
Common	Single yakuman	Standard
Some areas	Double yakuman	Rarity value
Special	Special status	Sacred view

Ultimate Forms

Tenho + Other Yakuman:

Deal: EEE SSS WWW NNN WW
Form: Tenho + Daisuushii (Double yakuman)

If You Get Tenho

Take a deep breath
- Stay calm
- Verify the hand
Declare properly
- Say “Tenho”
- Don’t disturb tiles
Record it
- Photos essential
- Note date/time

Summary

Tenho is a yakuman where the dealer has a complete winning hand with their initial 14 tiles - pure luck with no skill involved. At approximately 0.0003% occurrence, it’s impossible to aim for, but the joy when it happens is immeasurable. Beginners and professionals alike have equal chances at this unique yakuman. Tenho remains every mahjong player’s dream. If you ever encounter one, it’s the luckiest moment of your mahjong life.