Introduction: American Mahjong is an adaptation of the original Chinese game, designed with flexible hands and easy to follow rules.
Objective: The objective of the beginner’s game is to go Mahjong! Players do this by drawing and discarding until they have three sets of four identical cards and one pair. Points are earned by going Mahjong. Each player starts with 650 points. A scorekeeper writes each player’s name at the top of a column and updates the scores after each round. Points are awarded to the player who goes Mahjong and deducted from each opponent’s score (see “Scoring”).
Instructions
Step 1: Get Ready To Play
Remove the blank cards, QR code cards, and 4 Jokers; keep 8 Jokers for play.
Step 2: Setup & Seating
Each player rolls the dice; the highest roll becomes EAST (dealer)
Each player is dealt 13 cards by EAST (dealer); EAST receives 14 cards.
Remaining cards are placed face down in the center to form a draw pile.
Step 3: The Charleston
Each player now exchanges three cards with the player sitting on the RIGHT, then three cards with the player sitting OPPOSITE, then three cards with the player on the LEFT.
Step 4: Play
EAST (dealer) discards one card face up to start the game. Thereafter, play will pass to the RIGHT. On your turn, draw the top card, add it to your hand, and then discard a card face up on the discard pile. Play continues until someone goes Mahjong!
Sets are composed of multiple cards of the same coloured number (or letter)– like four Green Dragons or the 9–9 –9–9 of the red suit. JOKERS are wild cards. One or more can be used to represent the cards needed to complete a set.
Step 5: Calling & Claiming
Whenever an opponent discards a card that you can use to complete a set of four cards, you may call for it. If you do, you take it and lay down the complete set to prove you’re correct. (This is the only time you lay down cards prior to going Mahjong)
Step 6: Winning the Hand
Lay down your hand and shout out “Mahjong” as soon as you have 3 sets of four cards each, and a pair. (You do not discard your final turn; you need your final draw.)
Step 7: Scoring
If you Mahjong, you take points from each opponent (either 50 or hundred points from each – more if you laid down no jokers. See scoring chart)
Step 8: Playing the next round
East (dealer) is now the player to the right of the previous dealer. They shuffle all the cards and deal a new round. Play continues until each player has been East once. Highest score wins!
Rules in Detail
Your initial hand may look like this
Step 1: Get Ready To Play:
A dealer is appointed who shuffles the 152 cards and deals 13 cards to each player and 14 to the themselves. Place the remaining deck face down, which is positioned in the middle of the table.
The OBJECT, in the beginner's game, is to GO MAHJONG! By drawing and discarding until you have 3 sets of FOUR identical cards, and one pair.
You win points by going mahjong! Each player starts with 650 points.
A score keeper writes each player's name at the top of a column and updates scores after each round. Points are won by the player who goes mahjong. Points are deducted from each opponent's score (see "Scoring").
Step 2: The Charleston:
Each player now tries to improve their hand by a series of exchanges known as "The Charleston" (named after the 1920's dance craze). Begin by exchanging three cards with the player sitting on your RIGHT.
Add the ones received into your hand, then exchange three cards with the player sitting OPPOSITE you, then take three cards from hand and exchange with the player on your LEFT.
ADVANCED RULE (add this once you're experienced)
Second Charleston: If one or more players wish to "Dance again," a second Charleston is performed; Repeat the process in the opposite order (pass first to the left, then across, then to the right).
Courtesy Pass: When the Charleston concludes, you may offer to exchange, sight unseen, one, two or three cards with the player seated opposite you. If this player agrees make the exchange.
Blind Pass: A player is permitted to Blind Pass one, two or three cards on the last pass of each Charleston. For example, if a player only has two cards in hand they wish to part with, they may take one card passed to them, sight unseen, add it to these two cards and pass them along. They then add to their hand the cards not involved in the blind pass.
Note: A Joker may never be passed during a Charleston or Courtesy pass.
Step 3: Play and Make up of the Deck
East (dealer) begins by discarding one card face up to start the discard pile. This brings their hand back down to 13 cards. Play passes to the player on their RIGHT. On your turn, Draw the top card, add it to your hand, and then discard a card face up on the discard pile. Play continues until someone goes mahjong. (Only the top card in this pile is "in play" as you'll see under "Calling.")
The Deck
There are 152 cards in all. There are three main Suits, each comprised of 36 cards of the same color, four of each number I through 9. For example: four green l's (Bams), four red 5's (Craks) and four blue 9's (Dots). There are also four Dragons of each color. The sixteen Winds include four of each Wind (north, east, south, and west). There are eight Flowers (including the four Seasons, which count as Flowers in the American game). The eight Jokers are wild and very important! One, two or three Jokers can be used to represent the cards you need to complete a set of four.
(Jokers may NOT be included in the pair you need to Mahjong!)
Step 4: Calling & Claiming
Pay attention to the latest discard! Whenever an opponent discards a card that you can use to complete a set of four cards, you may call for it. If you do, you take it and LAY DOWN the complete set to prove you're correct. (This is the only time you lay down cards prior to laying down your remaining hand when
going mahjong.
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You may not call for a card to make a pair, unless you are going mahjong as a result.
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If two or more players call for the same card, the player calling for the card to go mahjong has priority over any other player. If not, then the one whose turn would come next receives the card.
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You may not call for a card to add to a prior set.
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DISCARDING AFTER A CALL. After calling, a player discards to bring their total holdings to 13 cards. Play passes to the player on the right (meaning a player or two might miss a turn!)
Claiming a Joker:
If another player exposes a set with a Joker, and you have the exact card it represents, you may replace the Joker and take it either immediately when it is exposed or on your turn after drawing (before discarding).
Jokers cannot be used in pairs.
If you have an extra Joker that you cannot use, you may discard it, no one can call it.
For example, West calls for the 8 of Dots and lays down two more8 of Dots cards and a Joker. You have an 8 of Dots in hand. Youcan immediately exchange it for the Joker.
Discarding A Joker: After calling, discard to return to 13 cards; play continues to the right.
If you later draw a card that can be exchanged for a Joker, you may do so upon the draw, and then continue with your turn. On rare occasions, you might find that you have too many Jokers in hand. This would happen if you need to complete a pair and are unable to use the Jokers. In this event, you may discard a Joker, but no one can call it.
Step 5: Winning the Hand
You win the hand the moment you lay down your hand and declare "Mahjong!!" (You do not discard on your final turn; Your final draw is part of the fourteen cards you need.)
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In the Beginner's game, you go mahjong as soon as you have three sets of 4 cards and a pair.
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For advanced players, you go mahjong when you complete the requirements for a winning hand, as listed below.
Step 6: Scoring & Penalties
If you declare mahjong, you take points from each opponent; These get added to your score .
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If you are playing according to the beginner's requirement, each opponent pays the winner 50 points. Thus, the winner's score rises by +50 for each opponent. Fifty points is subtracted from each opponent's current score.
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It is possible to win or lose more points. If you draw your "mahjong" card (rather than call for it from the discard pile), you are paid double. That means each opponent loses 100 points while you gain 100 from each. Further, if there are no jokers among your melds, you are paid double. So, if you drew the card you needed to go mahjong and your hand is jokerless, you will get 200 points from each opponent and each opponent will lose 200 points!
Penalties:
Mistakes are costly in Mahjong. Your hand "goes dead" and you are out of the round if you ever misplay and end up with more or less than 13 cards in hand and on the table, or you declare mahjong in error.
Step 7: Playing the Next Round
EAST (dealer) passes to the player on the right of the last dealer. The dealer then shuffles all cards and deals new hands.
Play until each player is EAST once. High score wins the game!
Once you're experienced, you'll want to use expanded scoring!
Winning Hands - Advanced Rules
Once you are comfortable with the play of Mahjong, you should move beyond the
beginner's way to win. Refer to the chart below. You can go mahjong whenever your
cards meet the requirement for one of these ten types of winning hands.
For your information, a "kong" is Chinese for "four of a kind," while "pung" is Chinese for "three of a kind."
Quints are five of a kind, therefore at least one Joker must be included (unless composed of all flowers).
Point Value | Cards Needed |
|---|---|
25 | Like Numbers: 3 kongs of any type and one pair |
30 | Like Numbers: 3 kongs-including one Dragon kong-and one pair |
25 | Even Numbers: 4 even pungs in 2 different suits and one pair |
30 | Run: two pairs, two pungs, one kong - all of the same suit and consisting of four consecutive numbers like 2,2; 3,3,3; 4,4; 5,5,5,5; 6,6,6 |
30 | Even Numbers: three even-numbered kongs in the same suit and a pair of Flowers or Dragons |
30 | Odd Numbers: three odd-numbered kongs and one pair, all in the same suit |
35 | Winds/Dragons: one kong, two pungs, two pairs-all of Winds and Dragons |
35 | "2011": a pair of "1's," one White Dragon, one "2" plus a pair of Flowers and two kongs |
40 | Quints: two quints and two pairs of consecutive numbers, all in two suits. |
50 | Pairs: seven pairs including one Flower pair, the others must all be even or odd numbered pairs |
Here are all the types of card combinations in American Mahjong!
