Three-color sequences 三色同順 · sanshoku doujun
The same numbered sequence in all three suits: characters, circles, and bamboo.
| Value | 2 han closed · 1 han open |
|---|---|
| How often | common |
You rarely start a hand planning sanshoku; you notice it forming. The trigger is two suits holding the same run, or even the same partial shape: with 456m and 46p in hand, drawing the 5p suddenly makes 456s a live target. Train yourself to read sequences by number as well as by suit, because the third copy is often just a few draws away in a hand you were already building.
Building it is a question of price. Closed, the 2 han stack neatly on riichi, and middle runs like 4-5-6 let you add tanyao and pinfu on top. The classic mistake is calling chii チー for the third sequence: the yaku drops to 1 han and the call also gives up riichi, so you often lose more value than the saved turn is worth. Stay closed unless the sanshoku is carrying an otherwise cheap, fast hand.
Know the neighbors, too. Sanshoku doukou is the triplet version, a different and much rarer project. Ittsu pulls the opposite way, deep into a single suit, so decide early which shape your draws actually support.
Key points
- 2 han closed, drops to 1 han if the hand is open
- A favorite intermediate-level target: spot two matching sequences early and chase the third
- Combines well with pinfu and tanyao (with middle sequences like 4-5-6)
Related yaku
- Three-color triplets 三色同刻 — The same numbered triplet in all three suits.
- Pure straight 一気通貫 — The sequences 1-2-3, 4-5-6, and 7-8-9 in one suit — a straight through the whole suit.
- Pinfu (all sequences) 平和 — A closed hand of four sequences and a valueless pair, won on a two-sided (ryanmen) wait.
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