Remove all Joker cards; they are not used in Taiwanese Mahjong.

• Each player rolls the dice; the highest roll becomes East (dealer).

• Seats are assigned counter-clockwise: East → South → West → North.
  (Tip: “Eat Soup With Noodles” helps you remember the order.)

• The dealer deals 16 cards to each player, and 17 cards to themselves (East dealer).

• The remaining cards are placed fce down in the center to form the draw pile.

At the start of the game, players check their hands for Flower and Season cards. Any such cards are set aside, and replacement cards are drawn to maintain 16 cards in hand (and 17 cards for the East dealer).

This rule applies throughout the game—whenever a Flower or Season card is drawn, it must be set aside immediately and replaced with a new card from the draw pile before play continues.

Once all players have sorted their cards, East discards first, and play continues counter-clockwise (to the right).

On each turn, a player may either claim the most recent discard or draw a card from the center draw pile, then discard one card.

When claiming a discard to complete a set, state and lay down the type of set you are forming:

• Pung (Pong): a set of three identical cards.

• Kong (Gong): a set of four identical cards. After declaring a Kong, immediately draw a replacement card from the back of the draw pile and then discard an unwanted card to maintain 16 cards in hand.

• Sheung (Chow): a set of three numerically consecutive cards, such as 6‑7‑8 or 3-4-5 in any suit (can only be claimed from the player on your left).

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You can claim a discard to complete any set needed to call Mahjong, including your pair. However, you cannot claim a discard solely to form a pair.

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Claiming Priority: When multiple players want to claim the same discard, the order of priority is:

• Win (Mahjong): claim a discard to complete your hand.

• Kong or Pung: claim a discard to complete a set of four (Kong) or three (Pung).

• Chow (Sheung): claim a discard to complete a sequence of three cards (only from the player on your left).

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After successfully claiming a discard, play passes to the right.

As soon as a player completes a legal hand, they call out “Mahjong”, lay down all remaining cards in their hand, and have their hand checked to confirm the win. (If the draw pile is exhausted before any player completes a hand, the round is void and no points are scored.)

• Discards: Go face-up in a central pile — it may look messy, but it helps everyone keep track.

• Replacement Cards: Always draw after claiming a discard or declaring a Kong.

• Flowers & Seasons: Always draw a replacement card after setting aside a Flower or Season.

• Strategy: Place smart, discard smarter — think ahead before discarding to avoid helping your opponents.

• House Rules & Variations: Before starting the game, discuss any variations or special rules with your table. Agreeing on them in advance keeps the game fair and fun for everyone.