Here is a fairly extensive list of answers to questions about Mah-Jong. Some are asked frequently, others are more esoteric. I’ve tried to cater for both beginners and those with a good knowledge of the game.
In answering some of the questions I have given website references. These were correct at the time of publication.
Where the questions are about the rules of the game, the answers only relate to the British Mah-Jong Association (BMJA) rules. When I have been uncertain about an answer, I have sought the advice of Gwyn Headley and Yvonne Seeley – the authors of the rules. They have always been very helpful.
I am also obliged to the many people, from the UK and around the world, who have asked me questions and so made this chapter possible.
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Topics covered
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Equipment
Mah-Jong Sets ⇒ Tiles ⇒ Chinese Characters ⇒ Dragon Tiles ⇒ Bonus tiles ⇒ Blank Tiles ⇒ Tallies ⇒ Racks ⇒ Tables
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Preparing to play
Building the walls ⇒ The kong box ⇒ Numbers of tiles ⇒ Winds ⇒ Direction of play
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Playing the game
Chows ⇒ Pungs ⇒ Kongs ⇒ Pairs ⇒ Discarded tiles ⇒ Concealed and exposed sets ⇒ Winds ⇒ Kong box ⇒ Drawn game ⇒ Playing dirty ⇒ Special hands ⇒ And pairs ⇒ And exposed tiles ⇒ And discards ⇒ Purity ⇒ All pair honours ⇒ Knitting ⇒ Triple knitting ⇒ Buried treasure ⇒ Imperial Jade ⇒ All Winds and Dragons ⇒ The wriggling snake ⇒ Heaven’s blessing ⇒ Fishing ⇒ Going Mah-Jong ⇒ Numbers of tiles ⇒ Showing your tiles ⇒ And East Wind ⇒ Precedence ⇒ Robbing the kong ⇒ The goulash ⇒ Wild tiles ⇒ Origin of “goulash”
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Scoring
Basic score ⇒ Doubling ⇒ Special hands ⇒ And bonus tiles ⇒ And doubling ⇒ Purity ⇒ All pair honours ⇒ Three great scholars
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Miscellaneous
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