Mah Jong Game Rules

Mah-jong is a four-player game that originated in China. It is highly popular throughout the country as well as in Japan, Korea and Vietnam. It has gained popularity in the U.S. market since its introduction in the early 1920s by Joseph P. Babcock, an American resident of Shanghai. A number of variations exist from the amount of tiles used to scoring. However, the basics of the game are relatively similar between styles. The game has a number of rules that makes it more complex than many other games; however, once a player understands the concepts, it is very standardized. The fact that it has traditionally been used as a form of gambling prompted China to standardize a number of rules.

Tiles

A variety of equipment is used for game play. Four sets of chips are needed, along with dice and an indicator that denotes the dealer and type of round. Tiles are the main component of the game. Usually there are 144 tiles, but sometimes only 136 are used. These tiles are divided into three subsets: suits, honors and flowers.
Three types of suits exist, each representing a different amount. The first type of suit is called "stones." The stones display coppers that denote coins. "Bamboos" are the second type of suit and feature sticks denoting a value of 100 coins for each image of a stick. "Characters" display various Chinese characters that represent 10,000 coins.
Honors tiles are divided into two subsets: wind tiles and dragon tiles. There are four wind tiles denoting a different direction. The three dragon tiles feature a red, green and blue image.
The flower tiles are also divided into two subsets: flowers and seasons. The flower tiles represent plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo. The season tiles represent spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Setup

The first step in setting up mah-jong is to determine the wind of the game. Each player rolls three dice. The player with the highest value is the dealer and given the east wind. The player to the right receives the south wind, the next receives the west wind and the final player receives the north wind. Another marker is placed to denote the prevailing wind. At the beginning of the game, the prevailing wind is always east.
The remaining tiles are placed face down and shuffled. Each player then makes 18 stacks of two tiles high in front of him. The dealer throws the dice again. Starting with him or herself, the dealer counts each player up to the total on the dice in a counterclockwise manner. For example, if the dice show a three, then the player to the dealer's right is chosen. The player that is chosen must then roll again, adding up the total of both the dealer's roll and his or her roll. Beginning with the player's rightmost tiles, the individual counts each stack until he or she reaches the stack that equals the sum. The dealer then takes two stacks to the right of the chosen stack. The next player takes the next two and so on. Then the dealer takes one more stack. The rest of the players do this as well. Each player then takes one more tile each so they have a total of 13. The dealer removes the next tile and places it in play at the center of the table to begin the game. In addition, the last seven stacks that were counted over by the chosen player's dice roll are removed from the game.

Game play

Going counterclockwise and beginning with the dealer, players draw the next available tile or one from the center of the table. The player then must discard a tile so he or she holds no more than 13 tiles.
When taking a discarded tile, a player must be able to make a meld. A meld is a set of tiles, and each is referred to as a different type: pong, kong, chow and eye. A pong is a set of three identical tiles, a kong is a set of four identical tiles, a chow is a set of three suited tiles in sequence and an eye is a pair of identical tiles.
Flower tiles, when drawn, are placed face up next to the player's hand. At the end of the hand, each flower tile counts for two extra points.
To win the hand, one must have four of these combinations. This is called a mah-jong. Points are assessed, and the dealing moves to the player to the right. A full game is completed when each player has dealt four times.

Scoring

Scoring occurs at the end of each hand and varies depending on the style of play. Generally, however, a standard approach to scoring is used. Players get four points for any three of a kind. They receive eight points for three "ones" or "nines," three of any wind group or three of any dragon group. They receive 16 points for any four of a kind. They receive 32 points for four of any wind group, four of any dragon group or four "ones" or "nines." Players can also get two extra points for a pair of dragons or the player's own wind.

Considerations

Due to the growth of the game's popularity, the China State Sports Commission established a set of standardized rules in 1998. These rules are used for the majority of international tournaments and are designed to separate the game from the culture of gambling. As such, the new rulebook established that in professional matches, no gambling, drinking or smoking should be conducted.

References

• So You Wanna Learn Mah Jong
• Mah Jong Rules
• Mah Jong Rules for Beginners

Resources

• Mah Jong: The Chinese Game of Four Winds