Mahjong, a game steeped in Chinese tradition, is enjoyed by millions worldwide. This engaging tile-based game involves strategy, skill, and a bit of luck, making it a captivating pastime for players of all ages. While numerous regional variations exist, from simplified versions to complex scoring systems, the fundamental gameplay remains consistent. Whether you’re curious about the Chinese prevailing wind system or the intricacies of American Mahjong with its unique scoring cards, understanding the basic rules is your first step to enjoying this fascinating game. This guide will walk you through the essential “How To Play Mahjong” steps, providing a solid foundation for you to start playing and appreciate the nuances of Mahjong.
Understanding the Components of Mahjong
A standard Mahjong set typically includes 136 tiles, though some variations may have more. These tiles are divided into several categories:
-
Suits: The core of the game consists of three suits:
- Characters: Represented by Chinese characters.
- Bamboos: Depicting bamboo sticks.
- Circles (or Dots): Showing circles or dots.
Each suit contains tiles numbered 1 through 9, with four identical tiles for each number in each suit.
-
Honors: These tiles are distinct from the suits and include:
- Winds: East, South, West, and North winds. There are four of each wind tile.
- Dragons: Red, Green, and White dragons. There are four of each dragon tile.
-
Bonus Tiles (Optional): Some sets include Flower and Season tiles. These are generally not used in basic gameplay but can add complexity in certain variations.
For gameplay, you’ll also need two dice to determine the dealer and break the wall of tiles. Racks to hold your tiles are optional but highly recommended for ease of play and organization.
The Goal of Mahjong: Forming a Mahjong Hand
The primary objective in Mahjong is to achieve “Mahjong” (also sometimes called “winning” or “going out”). This is accomplished by creating a complete hand of 14 tiles. A winning hand consists of four sets and one pair. Let’s break down what constitutes a “set” and a “pair”:
- Pair (Eyes): Two identical tiles. For example, two ‘Nine of Circles’.
- Set: A set can be formed in two ways:
- Pung (Pongs): Three identical tiles. For instance, three ‘Red Dragon’ tiles.
- Chow (Sequences): A run of three consecutive numbers within the same suit. For example, ‘Five, Six, Seven of Bamboos’.
It’s crucial to remember that a single tile can only be used in one set at a time. Strategic planning and tile management are key to forming a Mahjong hand before your opponents.
Setting Up a Mahjong Game
The setup process is an important ritual in Mahjong and sets the stage for the game.
-
Determine the Dealer: Traditionally, the dealer is chosen using wind tiles. The four wind tiles (East, South, West, North) are shuffled face down. Each player draws a tile, and they are seated according to the tile drawn, typically clockwise in the order of North, West, South, and East. The player who draws East wind becomes the initial dealer. In modern games, players often simplify this by rolling dice to determine the dealer.
-
Building the Wall: All tiles are shuffled face down on the table. Each player then builds a wall of 34 face-down tiles in front of them, arranged 17 tiles long and two tiles high. When all four players have built their walls, they form a large square wall in the center of the table. This wall is the source from which players will draw tiles throughout the game.
-
Breaking the Wall and Dealing Tiles: The dealer rolls the two dice. The sum of the dice determines the breaking point in the wall. Counting from the right edge of the dealer’s wall, the dealer counts out that many stacks of tiles. At this point, the wall is “broken,” and dealing begins from the left of the break point, proceeding clockwise around the table. Each player receives 13 tiles, dealt in sets of two, until everyone has 12 tiles. The dealer then takes an additional two tiles, resulting in 14 tiles for the dealer and 13 for the other players.
-
Arranging Tiles: Players arrange their tiles on their racks or in front of them, keeping them concealed from other players. The dealer starts the game by discarding one tile face-up into the center of the playing area. Play then proceeds to the player on the dealer’s left.
Playing Mahjong: Turns and Actions
Gameplay in Mahjong is turn-based and involves drawing and discarding tiles, with opportunities to claim discarded tiles to form sets.
-
Start of Turn and Claiming Discards: Before a player takes their turn, there’s a brief pause to allow other players to claim the most recently discarded tile. Claims are made based on priority:
-
Mahjong Claim: If a discarded tile allows a player to complete a Mahjong hand (14 tiles in four sets and a pair), they have the highest priority. They declare “Mahjong!”, reveal their winning hand, and the round ends.
-
Pung Claim: If no Mahjong claim is made, any player who can use the discarded tile to complete a Pung (three identical tiles) has the next priority. To claim, the player says “Pung,” reveals the pair of matching tiles from their hand, and takes the discarded tile to complete the set. The completed Pung is placed face-up on the table. The player then discards a tile from their hand, and play passes to the player to their right.
-
Chow Claim: If neither a Mahjong nor a Pung claim is made, and the discarded tile would complete a Chow (a sequence of three in the same suit) for the player whose turn is next in clockwise order from the discarding player, they can claim it by saying “Chow.” The player reveals the two tiles that form the Chow with the discarded tile, places the Chow face-up, discards a tile, and play continues to their right. Important Note: You can only call “Chow” on a discard if it is your turn to play next.
-
-
Drawing and Discarding: If a discarded tile is not claimed, it becomes the turn of the next player in clockwise order. They draw a tile from the wall (starting from where the wall was broken and moving leftwards). After drawing, if the player has not formed Mahjong, they must discard one tile face-up, ending their turn.
-
Tile Draw Order: Tiles are drawn sequentially from the wall until the wall is depleted or a player declares Mahjong.
Kongs: Adding to Sets
A “Kong” is a set of four identical tiles, essentially an extended Pung.
-
Forming a Kong: A Kong can be formed in a couple of ways:
- Concealed Kong: If you draw a fourth tile that matches a Pung you already have in your hand (concealed), you can declare a Kong.
- Exposed Kong: You can claim a discarded tile to form a Kong if you already have three matching tiles in your hand.
-
Kong Procedure: When a player declares a Kong, they reveal the four tiles face-up. Importantly, whenever a player makes a Kong, they immediately draw an extra tile from the “dead wall” (the area after the breaking point in the wall) before discarding. This keeps their hand at 13 tiles (or 14 initially for the dealer before their first discard).
Ending a Hand: Declaring Mahjong
A hand ends immediately when a player declares “Mahjong” and reveals a complete 14-tile hand consisting of four sets (Pungs or Chows) and one pair. The round also ends if all tiles in the wall are drawn without anyone declaring Mahjong; in this case, it’s a draw or “goulash,” and the same dealer typically deals again for the next round.
Scoring Mahjong: Simple and Complex Methods
Scoring in Mahjong can range from very simple to highly complex, depending on the agreed-upon rules.
-
Basic Scoring: A simple scoring system might award just one point to the player who declares Mahjong and wins the hand.
-
Advanced Scoring: Many variations involve more intricate scoring systems that award bonus points based on various factors, such as:
- Self-Draw: Winning by drawing the final tile needed for Mahjong from the wall (more points than winning off a discard).
- Last Tile Claim: Winning with the very last tile available from the wall.
- No Chows: Hands composed only of Pungs and Kongs.
- Dragon Pungs/Kongs: Sets of Dragon tiles often carry bonus points.
- Concealed Hands: Hands with no sets formed from claimed discards.
-
Exponential Scoring: Some scoring systems use exponential increases, where points are multiplied for certain hand types or set combinations (e.g., doubling points for concealed Pungs, Pungs of ones or nines, or Kongs).
Crucial Tip: Due to the vast variations in scoring, it’s absolutely essential for players to agree on the specific scoring rules before starting a game to avoid confusion and disputes later on.
Game End: Determining the Winner
A Mahjong game can end in several ways, depending on what the players decide beforehand:
- Pre-determined Points: Players might agree to play until someone reaches a specific score, such as 10 or 20 points.
- Number of Rounds: A set number of rounds, like 16 rounds (four rounds as East wind, four as South, etc., rotating dealer position), can be agreed upon.
- Time Limit: Players can decide to play for a set amount of time.
- Mutual Agreement: The game can simply end when the players decide they are finished playing.
Learning “how to play mahjong” opens the door to a rich and engaging game with endless strategic possibilities. Start with these basic rules, and you’ll quickly find yourself captivated by the challenge and social interaction that Mahjong offers.
