Hong Kong Mahjong: Learning the Basics

1. Hong Kong Mahjong:Learning the Basics Jan 7 2014

2. Objective • To put together a hand that consists of 4 melds and a pair with a hand point minimum – (usually 3) • Different kinds of melds • Run : 3 consecutive tiles in the same suit • Ex. 3, 4, 5 characters • Triplet : three of a kind in the same suit • Ex. 5, 5, 5 bamboo/stick • Special Triplet - Kong : four of a kind in the same suit(will be explained in more detail later)

3. Beginning a Game • Determining True East • True East is determined by rolling the dice twice (see demonstration) OR • Seat orders are drawn with the Wind tiles, and then dice is rolled once to determined True East • Opening draws • Dice is rolled to determine where to begin draws, and begins with dealer drawing 4 tiles, continuing in a counter-clockwise direction until everyone has 13 tiles (Dealer begins with 14)

4. Play Order • Play begins with the dealer (East) and continues in a counter-clockwise direction • A player may perform one of four actions on their turn • Draw – one tile is drawn from the wall • Chi – last tile thrown (by preceding seat) is taken to complete a consecutive meld (run) • Pong – last tile thrown (by any person) can be taken to complete a triplet meld [can be done on any discard] • Kong – can complete a triplet if the fourth one is self drawn, or discarded by another player if the triplet in question is concealed, draw a tile from the end of the final wall, and discard a tile to continue play.

5. Priority of Actions and the Furiten Rule • Pong has priority over Chi if two people are claiming the same tile to complete their melds • Ron (win) has priority over all actions • Furiten = when a player discards a tile you are waiting to Ron on, and you do not take it, you may not win off the same tile during the same round, until you draw again (includes double/triple sided wait) • This prevents you from targeting specific players to win off of and ensures fairness

6. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 1 point • If you have a corresponding flower to your seat, have all 4 flowers of the same color (2 points), or have no flower at all • East = 1, South = 2, West = 3, North = 4 (changes as dealership changes) • If you have a triplet, open or closed, of a dragon, or the corresponding wind to the round, of your seat • (If seat = south, round = east, triplet of east and south are worth 1 point each.) • (If seat = south, round = south, triplet of south is worth 2 points.)

7. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 1 point (pt. 2) • If your entire hand is concealed (you did not chii or pong or kongany tile) • Self drawing your winning tile • PingHu – All 4 melds in your hand, open or closed, are RUNS, with an additional pair • (e.g. 1,2,3 ball, 5,6,7; 7,8,9 man, 3,4,5 stick, pair Wests) • Kong Flower – Drawing a flower from a Kong • (When declaring a Kong: open/reveal the 4 tiles and draw the last tile from the last wall, and discard a tile to continue play)

8. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 1 point (pt. 3) • Steal Kong – If a player Kongs their open triplet, and you are calling the same tile • Hoi-Tei-Lao-Yu – Winning on the final discard • Hai-Tei-Lao-Yue – Self-Draw win on the final tile • Note: Counts as Self-Draw + Hai-Tei-Lao-Yue. (2 points) • Kong Self Draw – Self-drawing on the tile drawn from a Kong

9. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 3 points • Doi-Doi-Hu – All 4 melds in your hand, open or closed, are TRIPLETS, with an additional pair • (e.g. 3,3,3 8,8,8 stick, 1,1,1 ball, 5,5,5 man, pair 9 man) • Semi-Purity – All 4 melds in your hand, open or closed, are honors and another suit of your choice • [your hand is void in two of: ball, stick, man] • (e.g. triplet Wests, triplet Red Dragons, 1,1, 2,3,4, 7,7,7 ball) *note: This hand is worth 4 points in total: Triplet RedDragon + Semi-Purity, assuming West is not a scoring honor for the player.

10. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 5 points • Small 3 scholars – your pair is a dragon, and have triplets of the other dragons + 2 more melds • 7 points • Purity – All melds, and your pair in your hand are of the same suit (one of: ball, stick, man)

11. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 10 points – the biggest hands (pt. 1) • 13 Orphans/Terminals – 1,9 stick, 1,9 ball, 1,9 man, one of every honor, the 14th tile is to be paired up with another terminal tile in your hand • Big 4 Blessings – a Doi-Doi-Hu where your 4 triplets are the 4 direction honors, with an additional pair • Small 4 Blessings – 3 of your 4 melds are triplets of 3 direction honors, + another meld and your pair the last direction honor • 4 Concealed Triplets – a CONCEALEDDoi-Doi-Hu that must be self-drawn if you are calling 2 different tiles. Can win off others if you are calling 1 tile for your pair

12. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 10 points – the biggest hands (pt. 2) • All Green – your melds can only consist of “Green” tiles: 2,3,4,6,8 stick and Green Dragon • (e.g. 2,3,4 2,3,4, 6,6,6 8,8 stick, triplet Green Dragon) • Qing-Lao-Tou – a Doi-Doi-Hu in which every triplet is a 1 or 9 • (e.g. 1,1,1, 9,9,9 stick, 1,1,1 9,9,9 man, 9,9 ball) • 4 Kongs– a Doi-Doi-Hu where your triplets are quadruplets (Kongs), with an additional pair • All Honors – a purity Doi-Doi-Hu of honors only

13. Counting Hand Points – The Basics • 10 points (pt. 3) • Nine Gates – a Purity hand of the shape: 1,1,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,9,9 + 14th tile of the same suit • Big 3 Scholars – 3 of your 4 melds are triplets of the 3 dragons, + another meld and a pair • Human’s Grace – If you can win off of an opponent’s first discard, if no one chii’s or pong’s prior to their discard • Earth’s Grace – If you self-draw on your first draw, if no one chii’s or pong’s prior to your draw • Heaven’s Grace – If the dealer self-draws on their first tile