For instance, if the tile you just received completes a pair, then pass another tile (which may have previously been part of a pung or kong) because you have a good chance of being able to replace it from the discards or with a joker later. At the end of the game, the player with the highest score wins the game. A hand with a value of 25 is usually easier to work out than a hand with a value of 50. Alternatively, players can decide to skip the second Charleston and move on to the Courtesy pass. The goal is to form 4 melds and a pair, creating mahjong. On the other hand, by calling the player dead, you are preventing them from picking tiles from the wall, which increases your number of picks and therefore your odds of getting what you need. A sequence is a set of three tiles in the same suit, such as Bamboo 2, Bamboo 3, and Bamboo 4. The goal of the game is to create a winning hand by collecting the right combination of tiles. This will help you maximize your points and minimize your opponents points. The only awkward scenario can occur on the second "across". wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. In general, if the player has only one exposure, you may be safe; a second exposure increases the risk that their hand will be known. It depends how you play, but generally the winner receives points and no one else. You should always have a clear plan of action or at least have a fairly good idea where you want to go with your hand. Once you have made the One-Suit hand, you can then start to build other hands. This is a base hand in mahjong, and is also the minimum level hand in mahjong. This strategy requires patience, but making the most of your jokers is likely to pay off in the end, Joker bait. If you would like to learn more about Mah Jongg strategies and improve your game, check out the following resources: If you're looking for a Mah Jongg teacher, use the find a teacher function on our website. In terms of scoring, the All Pungs hand is an excellent hand to have, as it gives the player the highest number of points, with no other hands able to match it in terms of points. But like with anything worthwhile, it will take a lot of practice and some patience. Remember that your opponents are watching and taking note of what you are doing. Mahjong 101: Picking a Hand | Mahjong Culture Experienced players will be able to determine what hand you're playing (or at least narrow it down to a subset) and will actively work to thwart your efforts. Watch the Discards. However, it is important to note that it is also one of the least exciting hands to make, as it does not involve any sequences or any other type of combination. Half Flush Hand. Your email address will not be published. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. These phases are defined for teaching purposes only. MahJong Practice is pattern practice for real American MahJong with Charleston. If you do figure out someone's hand and you have tiles you know they need, then discard them at this early stage (unless you need them yourself, of course). While you may have many tiles that belong in one category, a player may be missing a whole family, or a pair of tiles that may prove difficult to obtain. The game of Mahjong is a great way to spend time with friends and family, and is a fun and strategic game. Drawing Hands. Though you are narrowing down your options, you don't necessarily need to come out of the Charleston with a specific hand to play. Is mahjong a game of Luck or Skill? Like two "@@", they have to be on the edge, so to speak. 435 2 4. However, by doing so you are giving other players clues as to which hand you're playing. The tips listed in this article have been gathered over many years from our own experience and from the wisdom imparted to us by more experienced players. With practice, you will be able to make more difficult hands and eventually become an expert at the game. In a real game, there is no fixed boundary between them and you certainly should exercise judgment when transitioning from one to the next. Now it's time to start the game proper. C.J. We've divided our advice by phases of the Mah Jongg game (early, mid-game and towards the end) since strategy will vary depending on how far along in the game you are. The All Simples hand is not the most powerful hand in Mahjong, but it is the easiest to make. Just discard it next if you don't need it. All the mentioned strategies fall easily within the guidelines of the Mahjong game rules, so you wont be considered cheating if you decide to use them! Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. ), Which hands or section use pungs/kongs of a given number, If the exposure is a quint, then the section (and likely the hand) should be obvious, If the exposure is winds, that is usually an easy one to narrow down as well. As a beginner, it is tempting to pick discards to make a pung or kong as early as possible in the game. Always have a clear plan Think carefully about which tiles you choose to pick up and which ones you don't. By using our site, you agree to our. Look through the card and make notes of patterns. If the exposure is a pung or kong, quickly scan the card for potential matches, narrowing down your search by the type of tile. You may be able to narrow down who it is through successive passes, You are locking your jokers into that combination and may find later you could have completed it with a picked tile and could have used the joker for something else, You give your opponents the opportunity to take that joker from you, thereby assisting them towards winning the mah jongg game, If one or more of your crucial tiles have not been discarded, it's possible another player is collecting those same tiles (maybe even playing the same hand), If several of your crucial tiles have been discarded and you were not in a position to pick them up (either because they're part of a pair, or you did not have enough tiles in that set, or a lack of jokers or it's a concealed hand), A player exposes crucial tiles you were waiting for (especially if it's for a pair), You're waiting for a tile to complete a pair and the third instance of that tile has been discarded, You made a mistake (for instance you exposed part of a concealed hand, exposed the wrong combination or realized you're playing a hand that does not actually exist - perhaps it was a hand on the previous year's card! But even in that case, picking discards early is still risky as detailed in the previous section. The four sets of three tiles are known as Pungs, and can be made up of either the same suit or the same number. If you realize you cannot win, switch to full defensive mode, actively doing everything you can to prevent others from winning. Clean the outsole and midsole thoroughly, taking time to clean every part of the soles. At its core, Mahjong is a game of matching tiles. You'll need to weigh this risk vs the risk of not getting anywhere at all. After the first Charleston, there is an option to do another three passes during a second Charleston. Focus on the free tiles available to match and remove, and make a play when the opportunity arises. There are nine consecutive run hands on the 2023 Card that only use one suit. If you feel you have too many options, try to narrow them down to two using the following criteria. A traditional Mahjong set-up uses 144 blocks in a rough "spider" shape, with three extra layers added on top like a pyramid, making it a 3D puzzle. FAQ 8. Mah-Jongg Strategy - Sloperama Stroud on the other hand does, and is probably the most "polished" quarterback in this class. A game of Mah Jongg usually includes 16 rounds so that each player has a chance to be the dominant wind four times. 10 Best Christmas Board Games of All Time, Top 9 Best Horror Board Games of All Time, 8 Best Star Wars Board Games of All Time {Must Try! Other players will be able to make a good guess at what you are up. How to Play Mancala (Kalaha): Rules & Gameplay, How to Set up and Play Backgammon: Your Complete Guide, How to Play Risk: Board Setup, Rules, Strategy, & More. At the end of the day, it doesnt matter who wins and who loses. How long does the second person have to also call pause and still be able to claim the tile if she is nest in line? Time yourself and keep track of how many tiles you have towards Mah Jongg at the end. There will be cases where you have only one tile you can discard and you suspect it may be another player's Mah Jongg tile. While you may have many tiles that belong in one category, a player may be missing a whole family, or a pair of tiles that may prove difficult to obtain. For a pair, it's a bit more tricky and there are cases where switching may be the right call. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. As the end of the game draws closer, a more defensive approach is required. Mahjong Solitaire follows a traditional matching game format, with the aim of clearing the tableau by removing two tiles at a time. Take your time to examine each hand. This is where your knowledge of the card comes in handy, as it helps quickly determine which combinations work together. If you wait until later in the game, you may be offering your opponent a valuable gift and potentially a win. In the previous section, we cautioned against picking discards too early. This is a fairly long post but we wanted to be thorough and provide as much value as possible for all skill levels. Since we are in the early phase of the game, now is the time to dispose of them (assuming, of course, you don't need them for your current hand or any fallback). If it's a kong of 8s, look at the 2468 section, consecutive runs and like numbers (and sometimes math-based hands depending on the year). This way you're preventing another player from acquiring it. Your email address will not be published. If no clear winner (or even potential option) emerges, pick the 3 tiles that are the least likely to fit with the rest and pass those (hoping a better pattern emerges during the Charleston). This section is typically the easiest since it offers a lot of flexibility. The Marvelous Mrs. Mah Jongg Maven with some Tips and Tricks Once you get past the initial stages of learning and you've mastered the rules and the general mechanics of the game, an important skill to develop is the ability to determine what hands others are playing. Clint McCormick January 18, 2023 Board Games. For instance, in 2020, 2s are a hot commodity. On top of all that, you're likely to feel the frustration of your fellow players, who wish to keep the game moving and this is likely to raise your blood pressure even higher! It's possible they already have all the Norths they need and are discarding the "excess". Lining up your tiles in combinations makes it easier for you to see your next moves. It can be a fun and challenging game for all ages, but mastering the game takes practice. 1.4 Step 4: Draw the Arms. With two or more exposures, it's likely others will know what you're doing. Knowing the different types of hands and how to make them can also help you to score more points and increase your chances of winning. Use my tips above to make your best hand possible early on in your mahjong career, and once you get more comfortable, then you can start playing around with getting more interesting and higher scoring hands. Keep the other players guessing what you have and what you are doing. If a player has any tiles that are closed, meaning that they have not been exposed, then they cannot declare victory. If you dont have a Mahjong table yet, have a look here at our list ofBest Mahjong Table Reviews, 2022. How can I choose a hand in Mahjong? - Tabletop Game Planet Set up your blocks. This is why we emphasized the need to practice and study the card. Mahjong - Play online now, free | Solitaired.com Drawing begins from the wall in front of the East Wind player. This hand comprises entirely of one suit, and . For example, do you have: Again, remember that at this point, you only need to pick a section (not necessarily a hand). Again, this will keep everyone guessing, just so long as you arent guessing too. At the same time, you should not wait until close to the end of the game to change hands, since there will be limited time to start building the new hand. If you're lucky enough to have two or more jokers, consider the quint section (since you will need jokers to make those hands). This is a great way to practice and improve your skills in Mahjong. Mahjong Hands - Hong Kong Style Mahjong Players will start with a set of tiles, which include characters, circles, bamboos, and winds. There are 4 instances of each tile. Understand Each Hand of the 2020 NMJL Mahjong Card, How to Pick the Best American Mahjong Hand, You can Play American Mahjong with Only 3 Players, Quick Video Review of American Mahjong Game, Mahjong 101: Passing aka The Charleston, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSPiBWjHcnw. Early exposure is made even worse if it includes jokers. They do this by seeing a gap you have left in your tiles and watching your moves. Discards are another clue to help you identify others players' hands. By now, most players will have received their 2023 National Mah Jongg League card. Think ahead: When youre deciding which tiles to discard, try to think ahead to the next turn. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At the end of each round, is the winner the only one to get points? You should check out our How to Play Mahjong Guide! The odds are therefore really low and you may be better served playing defensively, unless you are sure your discard is not one of your opponents' mahj tiles. No matter how much research you do, you will learn the best strategies by playing the game. There are 3 suits (cracks, dots and bams) and the numbers run from 1 to 9. This is the Chinese version of Mah Jongg. Whether you have been playing for years or have just started, lets celebrate this ancient game and have fun. Its a game of strategy and luck that requires skill and patience to master. Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg | I Love Mahj Adele With LeBron James, Tristan Thompson At Club: Photos - Hollywood Life Pay attention to discards: While playing, pay attention to the discards of your opponents. This section gives a structured approach to choosing a hand or a set of potential hands. At the same time, you cannot hold off forever and pass up tiles you really need. Generally speaking, however, the easiest hand to make in Mahjong is known as the All Simples hand. That's why we recommend you refrain from exposing too soon. By picking a discard, you are exposing part of your hand. I'm ready for my morning of games! Rinse and Repeat. Repeat with the same initial tiles to see if you can improve both in speed and number of tiles toward Mah Jongg, If youd like the assistance of a helping hand along the way, use the. Mahjong Fundamentals 2: Starting Hands & Five Block Theory That means potentially discarding tiles that were crucial to your hand and jokers. o Try to go out waiting for multiple tiles (not just one). The basic rules of Mahjong are relatively simple, but there are some variations and different strategies that can be employed. For example, two Red Dragons. Then, you must arrange the tiles in the correct order. For example, two sequences of Bamboo tiles. Your email address will not be published. One could argue that this player may have the tile you're missing to mahj, and by calling them dead you would be missing out on that tile. Slowly you will create your own bag of tricks and strategies to choose from. 1.5 Step 5: Add the Shoes. Since many of our tips depend on the phase of the mahj game you are currently in, we've broken this post down into the following sections: We also have bonus sections on joker strategy and how to read Mah Jongg hands. The only way you can have fun in the game is if you play it fair! Be careful not to jump to a conclusion too quickly based solely on discards. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Play-Mah-Jongg-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Mah-Jongg-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Play-Mah-Jongg-Step-1.jpg\/aid7841-v4-728px-Play-Mah-Jongg-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"