Mahjong Notes

Origin: China 1800s Type of Game: Board

Players: 4

http://kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com/en/11K8164K12924.html
What is Mahjong?
Mahjong is a traditional Chinese game that dates back to the 1800s. It is typically a game played
by 4 people around a square table. Instead of a traditional board game played with cards, it is
played using tiles similar to that of dominos. Bone tiles were introduced instead of cards, as that
was a convenient method to clearly see all the tiles that were discarded, and for players to see
their own hands. The goal is to be the first player to get a complete hand-four sets of three and a
pair. Play is basically a process of players picking up new tiles and discarding tiles they don't
want until a player has a complete hand-and, thus, becomes the winner. You want tiles to make
sets.
The Theories of How Mahjong Came to Be
There are many theories as to how Mahjong came to be. One theory was that Mahjong originated
in the court of the King of Wu. It is said that a beauty lived in the seclusion in the court and to
keep herself from boredom she invented the game known as Mahjong. She carved dominoshaped pieces out of ivory and bamboo. When she was finished, she invited three of her maids to
play her newly invented game. Another theory which seems to have originated from the West
suggest that Confucius was responsible for the development of the game as some of the tiles
resemble some of his teachings. The final theory speculates that the Mahjong evolved from the
card game known as Ma Diao (hanging horse) during the Ming Dynasty.
What Youll Need:
Mahjong set (preferably an English version if you can't read Chinese)
4 players
1 table (preferably square)
4 seats
Lets Get Started!
Step 1: Learn the Tiles
Mahjong has between 136-144 tiles.
There are 34 types of tiles and consist of four of each one.
There are three main suits:
*Bambooresembles sticks of bamboo (numbered 1-9).
Note: bamboo is a picture of a bird
*Ballsresembles dots (numbered 1-9)

*Chinese characters (numbered 1-9)

There are also "honor tiles:"
*Winds(north, south, east, west-marked N, S, E, W on the tiles);
*Dragonsare called the dragons, but are actually three different picture tiles: "White dragon,
looks like a white box; "Red dragon a red Chinese character; and "Green dragon, a green
Chinese character.
Step 2: Set up the Table
To set up the table, place all the tiles in the center of the table and mix them up. At this point in
time, the tiles do not need to be face down. Each player should build a "wall" of tiles. The wall
should be two tiles high and 17 tiles long. It is at this point that the tiles should be face down on
the table. The four walls should be placed in a square. This square wall of tiles is the communal
deck, from which the players will draw their hands and pick up tiles during the game.
Step 3: Pick up Tiles
1. Each player rolls the dice; the player with the highest score becomes the "chief. "
2. The "chief" rolls again to decide who will start the game. Counting him/herself as1and the
player to his/her right as "2, he/she continues counting in a counter-clockwise direction until
he/she hits the number rolled on the dice. That person will be the first person to pick up tiles
from the wall, and the person to begin play (called Player 1)
3. Player 1 will always pick tiles from the wall in front of him/her. Helshe will throw the dice
again and add this number to the number the chief rolled. The combined number of the two rolls
will determine where in the wall the player will begin picking up pieces. For example, if they
have a combined number of 12, he/ she will count the 12th stack of tiles, counting from the right
to left (you always count from right to left) (4). He/she will begin to draw after the 12th stack.
4. Tiles are drawn in a CLOCKWISE direction around the communal wall of tiles. Player 1 takes
two stacks (four tiles). Then the player to his right (Player 2) draws the next two stacks. Then the
player to his/her right (Player 3) draws two stacks, and finally Player 4.
5. Players draw tiles three times (three sets of 4). The fourth time the players draw, they all draw
only one tile. Then Player 1 picks up one more.
6. Each player should now have 13 tiles (except for Player 1who should have 14). Tiles should
be placed in front of the player as in the picture.
Tip: These complex rules for picking up tiles simply ensure that the person who starts the game
is chosen fairly, and that the tiles are drawn at random. These rules ensure the game is fair.
Step 4: Aim of the Game
The aim is to become the first person to get a complete hand of four sets of three ("runs" or
"three of a kind") and a pair.
*A run=three of the same suit in sequence; for example, 3, 4, 5 bamboo; 7, 8, 9 balls; or 4, 5, 6
characters
* Three of a kind=three identical tiles; for example, 9, 9, 9 bamboo; 3, 3, 3 characters; 3 north
wind; or 3 red dragon.

*Pair = two identical tiles; for example, 2 north wind; 2, 2 characters; or 11 bamboo.
Step 6: Begin to Play
For every go, players must:
1) Pick up a tile: A tile from the wall OR chi (to complete a run); and
2) Discard a tile: The tile picked up from the wall OR a tile from the hand.
Step 7: Winning
When you pick up your final tile to complete your hand, you will have 14 tiles-four sets of three
and a pair (10). If another player discards the tile you need to complete your hand, you can peng
and pick it up. [Note: You can pick up the winning tile, regardless if the tile is to complete a run,
a three-of-a-kind, or a pair]. When you have a complete hand, you win the game.
For the next game, the person to the right of Player 1 will become Player 1.
Mahjong in The States
The League
https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org/league.html
The National Mahjong League was founded in 1937, and is dedicated to the exposure of
Mahjong across America. Each year this website changes the hands and rules of to add a bit more
excitement to the beloved game of Mahjong. Here you will find that The League

Publishes the American version of the rules.

Supplies the Official Standard Hands and Rules Cards each year.

Sells merchandise for playing the game and replacing missing playing pieces.

Answers questions and arbitrates disputes about individual games.

Makes numerous donations to charitable organizations

To this day The League has accumulated 350,000 members.

http://worldmahjong.com/
The World Series of Mahjong is owned and managed by World Mahjong Limited. World
Mahjong Limited was founded by a team of international media and entertainment professionals
who are based in the Greater China region and well-versed in the management of high-profile
international sporting and entertainment events.
http://www.gamesandcasino.com/mahjong/games.htm
The Different Types of Mahjong
There are over twenty different variations of the game as it is played somewhere in the world:

Alan's Zung Jung

American Classical

American Modern

Australian

British Official

Canada Mahjong

Chinese Classical

Chinese New Style

Chinese Official

Chinese Transitional

Dutch League Rules

European Classical (same as European Contemporary in 4 winds 1.0)

French

German

Hong Kong

Internet Mahjong Server

Italian Official

Japanese Classical

Japanese Transitional

Japanese Modern

Korean Style

Mahjong Masters Million

Taiwanese 16-Tile Mah Jong

Wilmington Advanced 12-Tile

WMPA Rules

Novice

The differences in rules among these variations is generally very subtle. The objective of the
game is still pretty much the same.

The most significant and important versions of Mahjong are Chinese Official and Hong Kong.

Videos:
How to Play Mahjong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRCb_LOkEmQ
How to Hand make Mahjong Tiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbG4ryrsb6w
Mahjong 101
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-wCCilwB4