Understanding Wind Tiles: Seat Wind vs Round Wind
Wind tiles are among the most confusing aspects of Hong Kong Mahjong for new players. There are four wind tiles, but their scoring value changes based on where you’re sitting and which round you’re in. This guide makes it simple.
The Four Wind Tiles
| Wind | Chinese | Cantonese |
|---|---|---|
| East | 東 | Dung |
| South | 南 | Naam |
| West | 西 | Sai |
| North | 北 | Bak |
Each wind tile exists in four copies, for a total of 16 wind tiles in the set.
Two Types of “Valuable” Winds
In Hong Kong Mahjong, a pung (three of a kind) of wind tiles earns faan — but only if the wind is relevant to you. There are two ways a wind can be relevant:
Seat Wind (門風 / Mun Fung)
Your seat wind is determined by your position at the table. The dealer is always East, and the other positions go counterclockwise:
| Position | Seat Wind |
|---|---|
| Dealer | East |
| Right of dealer | South |
| Across from dealer | West |
| Left of dealer | North |
A pung of your seat wind is worth 1 faan.
Round Wind (圈風 / Hyun Fung)
The round wind corresponds to the current round of play. A full game cycles through:
- East round — East is the round wind
- South round — South is the round wind
- West round — West is the round wind
- North round — North is the round wind
A pung of the round wind is worth 1 faan.
Double Wind
If your seat wind and the round wind are the same — for example, you’re the dealer (East) during the East round — a pung of that wind earns 2 faan (1 for seat wind + 1 for round wind).
This is sometimes called a double wind or prevailing wind bonus.
How the Dealer Rotates
Understanding when winds change is crucial:
- The game starts in the East round with the first dealer as East
- After each hand:
- If the dealer wins, they stay as dealer (East remains East)
- If the dealer loses or the hand is a draw, the dealer rotates counterclockwise
- When all four players have been dealer once, the East round ends and the South round begins
- The cycle continues through West and North rounds
In a full game (4 rounds), each player will be each wind at least once.
Scoring Examples
Let’s say it’s the East round and you’re sitting as South.
| Your Pung | Faan Earned | Why |
|---|---|---|
| East pung | 1 faan | East is the round wind |
| South pung | 1 faan | South is your seat wind |
| West pung | 0 faan | Not your seat wind or round wind |
| North pung | 0 faan | Not your seat wind or round wind |
Now let’s say it’s the East round and you’re the dealer (East).
| Your Pung | Faan Earned | Why |
|---|---|---|
| East pung | 2 faan | Both your seat wind AND round wind |
| South pung | 0 faan | Neither seat nor round wind |
| West pung | 0 faan | Neither seat nor round wind |
| North pung | 0 faan | Neither seat nor round wind |
That double wind bonus is one of the reasons being the dealer can be advantageous — you have an easy path to 2 faan from a single pung.
Strategic Implications
Collect Your Winds Early
If you see your seat wind or round wind tiles, try to hold them. A pung of a valuable wind is an easy 1-2 faan that doesn’t require reshaping your entire hand.
Watch What Others Discard
If the round wind tiles aren’t appearing in discards, someone might be collecting them. Be cautious about discarding yours.
Non-Valuable Winds Are Safe Discards
Winds that are neither the seat wind of any player’s likely strategy nor the round wind are relatively safe to discard early. But be careful — even a “non-valuable” wind is someone else’s seat wind.
Double Wind Hands
When you’re the dealer during a matching round wind, you have a natural 2-faan head start. Combine that with a Mixed One Suit (3 faan) and you’re already at 5 faan — a strong hand that’s very achievable.
Great Winds (大四喜)
Collecting pungs of all four winds makes the Great Winds hand, which is a limit hand. This is extremely rare but worth knowing about. Even Small Four Winds (小四喜) — pungs of three winds plus a pair of the fourth — is worth significant faan.
Wind Tiles in Non-Scoring Contexts
Even when wind tiles aren’t worth faan, they serve strategic purposes:
- They can be part of All Pungs (對對和) — Worth 3 faan, requires all four sets to be pungs
- They contribute to All Honors (字一色) — A limit hand of all honor tiles
- They’re useful in Mixed One Suit — Honor tiles combine with a single suit for 3 faan
- They block opponents — Holding wind tiles prevents others from completing valuable pungs
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting which round it is — Players often lose track after several hands. Keep it visible.
- Confusing seat wind with round wind — Remember: seat wind = your position, round wind = the round.
- Discarding the round wind carelessly — It’s worth 1 faan to everyone at the table, making it a risky discard.
- Not recognizing double wind — When seat and round wind match, a pung is worth 2 faan, not 1.
FAQ
Can I make a chow with wind tiles?
No. Wind tiles are honor tiles and cannot form chows (sequences). They can only form pungs (three of a kind) or kongs (four of a kind).
Does the seat wind change during a round?
No. Your seat wind stays the same for the entire round. It only changes when the dealer rotates and the round progresses. Within a single round, the dealer is always East, regardless of how many hands are played.
What if a wind tile is both seat wind and round wind — do I get 2 faan?
Yes. If your seat wind matches the round wind, a pung of that tile earns 2 faan (1 for seat wind + 1 for round wind). This is the “double wind” bonus.
How does TileBuddy handle wind scoring?
TileBuddy tracks both the current seat winds and round wind throughout your session. When calculating faan, it automatically applies the correct wind bonuses based on who won and what the current game state is.
Never second-guess your wind bonuses again. Download TileBuddy for free on the App Store and let the app track seat winds and round winds automatically.