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Rules for Chinese Classical
Mahjong
About
Mahjong | Rules
| Scoring |
Special Hands
The "classical Chinese game" is a bit of a
misnomer, as there never was a standardized set
of rules when mahjong was first invented in
China in the mid-1800's and then spread around
the country, and after the turn of the century
1900 overseas to other countries. Instead the
game developed gradually and was played with
slightly differing rules in different regions.
The following rule set and scoring system
however represent a fair picture of how mahjong
was played during its first golden age, in the
1920's when the game also reached the West and
spread like wildfire – and, indeed, of how many
hundreds of thousands of Europeans still play it
today.
For an overview of the various tiles used when
playing mahjong, click here. If you wish to go
directly to the scoring system, click here.
The object of the game
The object of the game is to
be the first to go out by achieving a "mahjong
hand": a hand where all your tiles form four
sets, plus one pair.
Note that both hands contain four sets, plus one
pair. Any set must consist of either
three identical tiles (called a pong ),
or four identical tiles (called a kong),
or three Suit tiles in numerical sequence and of
the same suit (called a chow or chi).
A pong or a kong must be made up of identical
tiles.
Note also that a chow/chi
must consist of exactly three tiles, no more and
no less, and of the same suit.
The pair may be any pair, as long as it consists
of two identical tiles.
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| Example pair |
You cannot form any set or pair with your Bonus
tiles! Instead, as soon as you draw a bonus
tile, you set it aside and draw a replacement
tile. The bonus tiles you accumulate (if any),
will score extra points for you at the end.
Note that you may also go out with any of a
number of special mahjong hands, which do not
necessarily confirm to the "four sets, one pair"
rule above! Click here to see a list of
these special hands.
A brief overview of the
game play
In mahjong, the four players
sit at a table facing each other, as when
playing bridge or whist. Unlike in these card
games, however, mahjong players do NOT play in
teams: rather, it is every player for himself.
Each deal begins by shuffling and arranging the
144 tiles in a square 2x18 tiles long on every
side, called "the Wall". Then each player draws
(according to a certain ritual) 13 tiles each;
the exception is the player in the East seat,
who draws 14 tiles. (Here, this entire process
is taken care of by the software.)
The players, starting with East who must first
discard one of his/her tiles, now in
counterclockwise order take turns to draw tiles:
either the last one discarded by a previous
player (provided certain conditions are met), or
the next available one from the Wall. After
drawing, that same player must immediately
discard a tile, after which it is the next
player's turn.
While drawing and discarding, each player tries
to exchange and arrange his/her tiles so as to
form them into a mahjong hand (four sets and a
pair). The first player to accomplish this
declares "Mahjong!", upon which the game
immediately stops. Note that a player declaring
mahjong and thereby going out, does not discard
a tile in that same turn.
The winning player is then paid by all the
others: the more valuable the hand, the more
points he/she gets. Then the other players pay
off each other for the sets and bonus tiles
accumulated so far, after which all the tiles
are shuffled together again and another deal
begins.
Mahjong is also playable with two or three
players instead of four (though the game works
best with four), following the same principles
as above.
As for the keyboard commands (and
"mouse-clicks") you may execute during the game,
see below.
Determining the seats
As soon as you choose a table
here, the software will take you to it and
randomly assign you a seat. If you enter a
tournament, the software will assign you both a
table and a seat at it.
Each player's seat is designated by a name, the
same as for the cardinal directions. Going
counterclockwise, the seats are referred to as
East-South-West-North. Note that this order is
the customary one among the Chinese, and NOT the
same as on a compass! If you wish to know how
tradition instead dictates the allotment of
seats in a live game, click here (1).
Arranging the wall and
dealing the tiles
As soon as a new deal begins,
the 144 tiles are shuffled and then arranged in
a square: each side is 18 tiles long, and 2
tiles high. This arrangement is called "the
Wall".
With the help of dice, the spot where you "break
the Wall" and start drawing tiles is randomly
chosen. If you wish to know how to perform this
process correctly in a live game, click here
(2). The software will automatically handle it
here.
Starting with East taking the first 4 tiles,
each player eventually draws 13 tiles; the
exception is the player in the East seat, who
draws 14 tiles. Again, here the entire process
is automatically taken care of by the software;
if you wish to know how to take the tiles
correctly in a live game, click here (3).
When the tiles are dealt, you will see your own
tiles face up on the screen, while those of the
other players are seen standing on edge and are
hidden from you.
Note that you during the game will be drawing
"normal" tiles from the "live" section of the
Wall in clockwise fashion, but drawing any
replacement tiles from the back end of the Wall
(sometimes called the "Dead Wall" or the "kong
box"). Also, when so many tiles have been drawn
that the Dead Wall contains only 16
remaining tiles, and no player has yet managed
to go out, play stops. This is called a
"washout" or a "dead hand" – see below.
Replacing the Bonus tiles
Each player now examines the
tiles he/she has drawn. In turn order
counterclockwise, starting with East, the
players now declare any Bonus tile or tiles they
have, setting them aside face up, and drawing
replacement tiles from the back end of the Wall
(the Dead Wall).
If any new Bonus tiles are drawn when replacing,
these are also set aside and further replacement
tiles drawn. After this procedure is completed,
the players should once again have 13 tiles each
in hand, with the exception of East who should
have 14 tiles. Again, this procedure is handled
automatically here by the software.
Also, if a player is dealt a concealed kong,
he/she may declare it immediately – see below.
Turn order and basic game
play
The East player always takes
the first turn, by discarding any of the 14
tiles in his hand, face up within the area of
the Wall. If none of the other players claims
this tile, South now draws the next tile from
the Wall and then discards any of his tiles in
the same manner, followed by West, North, East
again, and so on in counterclockwise order
around the table, drawing and discarding each
time in turn.
Note that the tiles from the Wall are drawn in
clockwise fashion, while the turn order among
the players goes counterclockwise!
The only time that you do not draw a tile from
the Wall during your turn, is when you instead
claim another player's recently discarded tile.
Claiming a tile for a
pong
If any of the other players
discards a tile which you need to complete a
pong (three identical tiles), you immediately
say "Pong!" and may then pick up this tile. Any
player/-s sitting between you and he/she who
discarded the tile, are skipped over in turn
order.
You must then at once, during that same turn,
expose and put on the table (face up) the set
you claimed for. After this you as usual discard
a tile, and the turn then passes to the next
player counterclockwise.
Example: East has two White Dragons in hand,
when South discards another White Dragon. South
immediately shouts "Pong!", picks up the tile,
and exposes and places his three White Dragons
as a set beside him on the table. Then South
discards one of the tiles in his hand, and it is
South's turn again. Note that West and North
were skipped over in the turn sequence!
If no player claims a newly discarded tile, it
is considered "dead", remains face up on the
table, and may NOT be claimed at a later point
in the game.
In a live game, it is customary to put the
claimed tile sideways in the exposed set, so as
to show which of the other players discarded it
– click here (4) to see examples.
Claiming a tile for a
kong
Claiming a tile for a kong
(four identical tiles) is performed exactly as
when claiming a tile for a pong – see above. The
only difference is that the player claiming and
exposing the kong must then immediately draw a
replacement tile from the Dead Wall, before
discarding one of the tiles in hand. (This
replacement is done for mathematical reasons: if
you do not draw a replacement tile after putting
down a kong, it is impossible to form four sets
and a pair with the tiles you have in hand!)
Example: North has three tiles of the Four of
Bamboos in hand, when West discards another Four
of Bamboos. North immediately shouts "Kong!",
picks up the discarded tile, exposes and puts
down her set of four identical tiles, draws a
replacement tile, and finally discards one of
her tiles, after which it is East's turn. Note
that in this example, none of the other players
were skipped over in the turn sequence.
As when claiming a tile for a pong, it is
customary in a live game to put the claimed tile
sideways in the exposed set, so as to show which
of the other players discarded it – click here
(5) to see examples.
Claiming a tile for a
chow/chi
Claiming a tile for a
chow/chi may ONLY be done by the next player in
turn. South may only claim such a tile if it is
discarded by East; West may only claim such a
tile if it is discarded by South; and so on
around the table. Apart from this, the procedure
is the same as when claiming a tile for a pong.
Example: South discards the Eight of Characters.
West, who is next in turn, happens to have both
the Six and the Seven of Characters and
therefore immediately shouts "Chow!" and picks
up the discarded tile. He exposes his set, puts
it on the table, and discards one of his tiles
in hand. Now it is North's turn.
As when claiming a tile for a pong, it is
customary in a live game to put the claimed tile
in a chow/chi sideways in the exposed set, so as
to show which of the other players discarded it
– click here (6) to see examples.
If completing a chow/chi would also complete
your mahjong hand, you may claim this tile no
matter which of the other players discards it –
just say "Mahjong!" and pick up the tile to your
hand.
Claiming a tile for the
pair
This may only be done on one
condition: that the player claiming the tile
thereby immediately can finish his mahjong hand
and go out. Under no other circumstances may a
player claim a discard to complete the pair (any
pair) needed in a mahjong hand.
Further notes on claiming
tiles
Note: you are NEVER forced to
claim a suitable tile! Instead, you may if you
wish just draw the next tile from the Wall, even
if you could have claimed the previous discard.
What happens if two players both claim the same
tile? Then the claim priority rules come into
effect:
(a) Claiming a tile for a pong or a kong has
priority over claiming for a chow/chi.
(b) Claiming a tile for mahjong has priority
over any other claim.
(c) If two or three players both claim the same
tile for mahjong, the player sitting closest in
(counterclockwise) turn order after the
discarder has priority.
When playing at this site, any claiming options
on your turn are clearly indicated on the screen
by the software – just click to claim, within
the set time limit.
If you do not claim a possible tile before the
next player in turn draws a tile from the Wall,
you have forfeited your opportunity and may not
claim the discarded tile later in the game; this
is also the custom in a live game!
Completing a concealed
pong or chow/chi by drawing
If drawing a tile from the
Wall completes a pong in your hand, or a
chow/chi, or if you are dealt such a set at the
start of the game, it is considered concealed
and you do NOT need to declare this set before
you go out by achieving your mahjong hand: when
this occurs, such sets are shown but still
considered concealed. Keeping your opponents
from knowing whatever combinations of tiles you
have in hand during play is a tactical
advantage!
Any tiles in concealed sets in hand may of
course be rearranged in new combinations,
whenever you wish. However, exposed sets may
never be touched.
Drawing the fourth
identical tile when you have a concealed pong
If you already have a
concealed pong (three identical tiles) in hand,
and draw the fourth identical tile from the
Wall, you have a concealed kong. You declare
this set by putting it on the table in that same
turn – click here (7) to see how it is placed,
still concealed. You must then immediately draw
a replacement tile from the Dead Wall, after
which you as usual discard a tile. It is then
the next player's turn.
If you are dealt a concealed kong at the start
of the game, you also declare it in the same
way, and draw a replacement tile.
Note that you are not required to declare a
concealed kong! You may if you wish keep your
concealed pong, and use the fourth identical
tile in a chow/chi set instead.
Drawing the fourth
identical tile when you have an exposed pong
If you have previously
claimed a tile to complete a pong, having the
exposed pong beside you on the table, and you
later yourself draw the fourth identical tile
from the Wall, you may add this tile to your
exposed pong: this turns it into an exposed kong
instead.
Note that you may NOT claim this fourth tile to
an already exposed pong, if it is discarded by
another player!
When drawing and adding the fourth identical
tile, you must as with any declared kong draw a
replacement tile from the Dead Wall before
discarding.
Drawing a Bonus tile
If you draw a Bonus tile
during the game, you simply set it aside with
your exposed sets (if any), draw a replacement
tile from the Dead Wall, and then discard a tile
as usual.
Command options during
the game
Declaring mahjong and going out
Whenever you draw the last
tile you need to complete your mahjong hand
consisting of four sets and a pair, you say
"Mahjong!". Show the tiles you have in hand,
taking care to mark concealed sets: to see how,
click here (8).
You may also claim the last tile you need to
complete your mahjong hand, regardless of
whether for a pong, a chow/chi, or the pair, and
regardless of which of the other players
discards it; again, call out "Mahjong!".
As soon as a player calls out "Mahjong", play
immediately stops after that player has shown
his or her hand.
Note that when going out with a mahjong hand,
you draw or claim a tile – but this is the only
time you do NOT discard a tile during your move!
Now the scoring begins, for both the winning
hand and the other players – see the scoring
section.
Note that you may also go out with any of a
number of special mahjong hands, which do not
necessarily confirm to the "four sets, one pair"
rule above! Click here (9) to see a list of
these special hands, called "limit hands" as
they score the maximum number of points allowed
in the game.
Washout, or dead hand
Play continues until a player
goes out, or until only 16 tiles remain of
the Wall. If the last allowable tile is drawn
from the "live" section of the Wall, leaving 16
tiles in the Dead Wall, and no player goes out
on either this tile or the discard from the
player who drew the last available tile, it is
known as a "washout" or a "dead hand": no-one
wins, and no points are scored.
When the scoring is done
After each hand, even a
washout, the seating positions rotate one step
counterclockwise: the East player now becomes
North, the South player becomes East, and so on.
This is the case even if the hand was a dead
hand.
On the web site here, you may if you wish leave
the game at any time after a hand is completed.
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