One of China’s top Mahjong players, Ricky Huang, shared some tips and strategies to Mahjong World Tour. Ricky started playing since he was eight years old and can’t remember a time when they didn’t have a mahjong table nearby.

Ten years ago, he started competing professionally. Every year, he tries to enter about six tournaments and have won several and placed in the top 10 in most.

The first discard (1)
You have just been dealt your first hand in a game of Mahjong (Chinese Official International Rules).
You are East, and the wind of the round is East. You are first to act.
Which tile would you discard?

Official Answer

Best		Keep the change of pure straight (wait 5/6 Characters), mixed straight (wait 5/6 bars) and outside hand (wait 2/3 bars), with best waiting tiles (2/5/6/7/8 Characters, 2/3/5/6 bars, 7dots).	100
Better			80
Good			60
Not Good			0

 

The first discard (2)
You have just been dealt your first hand in a game of Mahjong (Chinese Official International Rules).
You are East, and the wind of the round is East. You are first to act.
Which tile would you discard?

Official Answer

Best		Because You are East, and the wind of the round is East. The east wind is a double point wind, so it is more important than the North wind. And keep the red dragon to change for all types.	100
Better			80
Good			60
Not Good			0

 

The first discard (3)
You have just been dealt your first hand in a game of Mahjong (Chinese Official International Rules).
You are East, and the wind of the round is East. You are first to act.
Which tile would you discard?

Official Answer

Best		Keep the red dragon to change for all types and mixed triple chow (123).	100
Better			80
Good			60
Not Good			0

 

The first discard (4)
You have just been dealt your first hand in a game of Mahjong (Chinese Official International Rules).
You are East, and the wind of the round is East. You are first to act.
Which tile would you discard?

Official Answer

Best		When you want to lesser honors, knitted tiles, please discard the simples first. Another reason is if you have 3bamboo and 58 dots, you can discard 7, no 2dots, you should discard 1dots later. And if you play only one suit only at first, it is better.	100
Better			80
Good			60
Not Good			0

 

The first discard (5)
You have just been dealt your first hand in a game of Mahjong (Chinese Official International Rules).
You are East, and the wind of the round is East. You are first to act.

Official Answer

Best		If you want to discard two different dragon, please discard it in the turn with white-green-red usually.	100
Better			80
Good			60
Not Good			0

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Mahjong arguably has the largest player base of any skill game in the world at around 350 million players, but where did it come from and how did it become so popular? There are several theories explaining the history of Mahjong. MWT supports a popular theory that Confucius invented mahjong around 500B.C. After doing our homework we chose this theory over others based on certain elements that show a strong connection between Mahjong and Confucius.

First: The meaning of the three special tiles (The Red Dragon, Green Dragon, and the White Dragon) correlates with the three virtues of Confucius' doctrine: benevolence, sincerity, and filial piety.

Second: Confucius' wife's name was Che, the same term and character (Chee) used to describe a hand combination of "three-tiles-in-a-row of the same suit."

Third: A set of four which is officially known as "Kong" originates from his own name. "Kong" means “sparrow”. Further evidence that Confucius was very fond of birds further supports a strong correlation between Mahjong and Confucius.

The reason for the intense popularity of mahjong in China is probably best explained by the skill level it demands and its ability to hold groups of friends and families together for hours on end, sometimes days.

Mahjong was introduced to the Western world around the 1920s. J.P. Babcock an employee of Standard Oil working out of their Chinese branch introduced it to the U.S. by writing a book titled Mahjong Rules Red Book of Babcock. This book spurred widespread popularity of the game throughout the United States. Babcock, realizing he was on to something big, started importing mahjong sets as fast he could get them on the boats, but still had trouble keeping up with demand.

The game gained popularity in Japan in the early 1920s and saw the first mahjong club open in 1927. After World War II there were an estimated 20 million players in Japan. That number is continuing to grow today and is very popular among college students, children and women.

When the communist government took over China in 1949, they banned the play of mahjong due to its intrinsic gambling quality. In the early 80s Chinese government officials were surprised to discover that there were many more mahjong players in Japan than in China - the home of mahjong! This spurred the government to begin a drive to re-popularize mahjong in China.

In 1998 China pronounced mahjong a part of their national cultural heritage and made it the 86th national sport.

MWT is proud to be a part of history by creating a world wide venue for players to convene and take mahjong to the next level.


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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y

Game Glossary A

All Green
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists only of green Bamboo (numbers 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8) and Green Dragon tiles (in regular sets or as seven pairs). Some rules allow White Dragons as well (as in some tile sets green color appears also in White Dragons). All Honors
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists of Wind and Dragon tiles only (in regular sets or as seven pairs). All Honors Hand
A hand consisting of 14 honor tiles. All Simples
A winning hand consisting solely of suit tiles from 2 to 8. Japanese, Chinese New Style and Chinese Official rules reward a small bonus for this easy-to-collect hand. All Symbols
Another name for All Honors. All Terminals
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists only of terminals, i.e., suit tiles 1 or 9 (in regular sets or as seven pairs). All Terminals and Honors
A hand consisting only of Terminals and Honors (opposite of All Simples). Most rules reward a bonus for this hand. Avatar
Another word for the animated character representing each player.

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Game Glossary B

Baiman
Japanese mahjong word, 2 times Mangan. Score received with a hand worth 8-10 fans.


Ball
Another Name For Circle Bam
Another name for bamboo Bamboo suit
Named as each tile (except the 1 Bamboo) consists of a number of bamboo sticks. Each stick is said to represent a string (suo) that holds a hundred coins. Bamboos
One of the three suits, sometimes bams or sticks.Numbered tiles 1-9 with the bamboo design. The 1-bamboo tile has a picture of a bird. Numbers represented by number of bamboo sticks on each tile. Basic
The game of Mahjong played without the bonus tiles. 136 tiles are used. Big Four Joys
Another name for Big Four Winds Big Four Winds
One of the classical Limit hands. Consists of triplets of all four Winds. Big Three Dragons
One of the classical Limit hands. A hand consisting of Pungs/Kongs of all three Dragons and any other remaining set (Chow, Pung or Kong) and a pair. Some rules might specify restrictions for the remaining tiles. Birds Singing in Harmony
Another name Pung hand Bonus Tiles
The four flower tiles and the four season tiles. Also called optional tiles. These tiles cannot be kept in a hand. They must be revealed or declared on the player's turn. A replacement tile will be dealt for each bonus tile revealed. Breaking The Wall
A procedure used to determine the area of the wall from which players are dealt tiles, as well as the area that will be used for replacement tiles. Buckets
Another name for circles. Building the Wall
After shuffling the tiles face down, players each build a linear structure 17 tiles (or 18, when using bonus tiles) long, stacked two high. The four structures are then pushed to the center of the table to form the square Mahjong wall. Buried Treasure
Another name for Hidden Treasure Bushels
Another name for Bamboos.

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Game Glossary C

Calling
Waiting for the winning tile. Calling Hand
A hand that only needs one piece to win Catching the Fish from the Bottom of the River
Another name for Out on the last discard. Catching the Moon from the Bottom of the Sea
One of the classical Limit hands. Going out on the last tile of the Wall, tile being 1 of the Dots suit. Note that in some rules the original term refers to going out on any last tile of the Wall (not just 1 of Dots). Character Suit
Named as each tile represents ten thousand (wan) coins, or one hundred strings of one hundred coins. Characters
One of the three suits, sometimes called cracks or wan. Chee
Another name for chow. Cheung
A term used to refer to suit tiles 2, 5 and 8 (these are discarded more seldom than other suit tiles). Sets composed of Cheung tiles earn extra points in some versions of Mah Jong (notably in the Chinese New Style Mah Jong). Chi
Chinese term for a sequence of three tiles of consecutive ranks in one common suit; also called chow, sheung or sequence. You cannot make a chi in runs of four and you cannot make them from honor tiles. Chicken Hand
The lowest possible scoring hand, containing mixed suits and/or a mixture of chows, pongs, and/or kongs. China Jade
A hand composed entirely of green tiles. Chow
A chow is a meld of three suited tiles in sequence. Unlike other melds, an exposed Chow may only be declared off the discard of the player on the left. American Mahjong does not have a formal chow (that is, you cannot declare chows), but some hands may require that similar sequences be constructed in the hand. Some American variations may also have the knitted sequence, where the three tiles are of three different suits. Sequences of higher length are usually not permissible (unless it forms more than one meld). Chow Hand
A hand composed of four Chows and a pair. In order to be a scoring hand, most rules specify restrictions on either the nature of the pair (e.g., the must be non-scoring or not consist of Honors) of or on the way the hand goes out (e.g., the Japanese rules require Chow hand to be a No-points hand, which requires that it goes out on a discard that is used for a multiple-chance Chow). Circles
One of the three suits, sometimes called coins or dots. 1 [一], 2 [二], 3 [三], 4 [四], 5 [五], 6 [六], 7 [七], 8 [八], 9 [九] Claim
As a player discards a tile, another player can require, or claim, it in order to compose a set. Most rules apply certain restrictions on claiming a discard, e.g., a tile for a Chow can usually be claimed only from the previous player, unless the claiming player can use the tile to complete his hand and go out. Claim a Discard
To pick up a tile that has been discarded by another player. Clear Hand
The whole hand is of one suit. Coins
Another name for Circles. Colors
A classification of tiles consisting of three tiles. They are red, green, and white, bearing the characters chung, fat, and bo (or often none at all in the last case), respectively. Generally called Dragons by westerners. Combine / Combination
To match tiles in groups of three or more; also a matched set of at least three tiles, either a pong, kong, or chow. Common Tiles
108 tiles composed of 4 sets of same-suit tiles, each set numbered 1 to 9 in three different suits: bamboo, circles and character. Complete Hand
A winning, or "go Mahjong" hand which is composed of at least 14 tiles. Concealed
A tile or tiles drawn from the wall and not exposed. Concealed Hand
Traditionally a hand where all tiles are drawn from the Wall. If a concealed hand is subsequently completed on a self-drawn tile, the winning hand is said to be fully concealed, or a concealed self-drawn hand (men qian qing zi mo, Jap. men-zen tsumo); if the winning tile is a discard it is just called a concealed hand. Note that there are considerable differences between the rules regarding the acceptance of Kongs as part of a concealed hand (some rules allow no Kong, some allow only concealed Kongs, some allow concealed and claimed but not ones promoted from melded Pungs, and some rules accept all Kongs as concealed sets). Concealed Meld
Pongs or kongs that are dealt to a player or obtained by picking a tile from the wall; compare to exposed meld in which they are made from tile discards and therefore revealed to other players. Concealed Set
A set that is not shown to the opponent until mahjong. Crack
One of the three suits. Circle Suit
Named as each tile consists of a number of circles. Each circle is said to represent copper (tong) coins with a square hole in the middle.

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Game Glossary D

Dead Hand
A hand in which no one completes a winning hand before all tiles except the Dead Wall have been drawn. The round ends then with no winner. Dead Tile
A discarded tile that is no longer available for play. Once a tile is thrown, the discarder cannot recall it. A discarded tile that is not picked up by another player on the next turn also becomes unusable thereafter. Dead Wall
"Normally the 14 tiles to the right of the breaking point of the Wall are designated as the Dead Wall. Supplement tiles (replacements for Kongs) are taken from the Dead Wall. If Flowers and Seasons are used, supplement tiles for them are normally also taken from the Dead Wall (though in classical Chinese rules they are taken from the Wall, instead). Usually each supplement tile is replaced with a tile taken from the other end of the Wall, so the number of tiles in the Dead Wall always remains the same. Some rules use an exhaustible? Dead Wall with a predetermined number of supplement tiles in which case the used supplement tiles are not replaced with wall tiles. E.g., in the Chinese Classical rules an exhaustible Dead Wall of 16 tiles is used. In modern American and Australian rules, and modern pattern-centered Asian Mah Jong, Dead Wall is not used, at all. Note that when a replenishing Dead Wall is used and there are no tiles left in the Wall (that is, the only tiles left in the game are the tiles in the Dead Wall), the deal ends immediately when a new tile is needed in the game. That means, among other things, that a player cannot receive a supplement tile for a declared Kong or an extra tile (a Flower or a Season) after there are no tiles left in the Wall (since there are no more tiles which could be used to replenish the Dead Wall)." Deal
To distribute tiles from the live wall. Dealer
The player who is currently East and responsible for dealing the tiles. The dealer starts a hand, and in rules based on classical Mah Jong he receives and pays double. Normally, if the dealer wins, the deal does not pass. Otherwise the next player in turn becomes the dealer (that is, East becomes North, North becomes West, West becomes South and South becomes East). Declare
To utter a declaration of Chow, Pung, Kong, Ready or Out. Discard a winning tile
To discard a tile that is claimed by another player who uses the tile to complete his hand and goes out. In Japanese Mah Jong, discarder of the winning tile must pay for all losers. In classical rules, this is not penalized in any way, but in modern Chinese rules discarder normally has to play double while other losers pay normally (in the Chinese Official and Taiwanese rules discarder pays alone, but just for himself, so it is an advantage to try to go out self-drawn). Discard Area
The portion of the table in the front of the players where unwanted tiles are discarded, face up. Discard Pile
A pile where discarded tiles are place. The player and the opponent each have separate discard piles. Discard(n.)
A tile a player removes from his hand and places face up on the table after having received a new tile from the Wall, a supplement tile from the Dead Wall, or after having claimed a tile discarded by another player. Discard(v.)
Removing a tile from the hand and placing it face up into the discard area to end the turn.The discarded tile can be claimed by other players within a reasonable time limit, if they can use the tile to complete their hand or a set of Pung or Kong. A player next in turn after the discarder can also claim a tile for a Chow. If no one claims the tile, it is placed amongst the discarded tiles inside the Wall and can no longer used during the deal. Discarder
A player who discards the winning tile. Disks
Another name for Circles. Dispersed Kong
A hand with four identical suit tiles other than in a kong. Dominant Wind
Determined by the breaking point of the Wall at the start of the deal. In certain rules (notably the French rules), extra points are paid for sets that are composed of dominant Wind tiles (note the difference to the prevailing wind). Dora
Japanese mahjong word, A random tile or tiles, that changes each round, that can increase a player's score if it is contained within a player's hand. The Dora is the tile following the Dora Indicator. Check the Scoring section for more information. Dora Indicator
Japanese mahjong word, A tile or tiles that lay face up in the dead pile. Dora tiles
"Bonus tiles typically used in modern Japanese Mah Jong. Dora tiles are determined by exposing tiles (called Dora indicators) from the Dead Wall at the start of the deal and, optionally, each time a player declares a Kong (these tiles are called Kong Dora, or more properly, indicators of Kong Dora tiles). Each tile in the winner’s hand that is a successor of a Dora indicator gives bonus points. The successor is determined as follows: for the suits, the next number of the same suit (rotating from 9 back to 1), for Winds, the order is East, South, West, North, and for Dragons, Red, White and Green. E.g., if the winner has a Pung of Bamboo 3’s and a pair of Green Dragons, and the Bamboo 2 and White Dragons appear as Dora indicators, the winner receives extra points for a total of 5 tiles. Sometimes special tiles called Ura Dora are used besides the regular Dora tiles in the case the winner goes out on a hand that has been declared Ready. In this situation the tiles below the Dora indicators are exposed after the winner has declared out, and the winner receives bonus points also for each tile in his hand that is a successor of a Ura Dora (or Kong Ura Dora) indicator. Some rules also use special red Dora tiles (also known as Red Fives or Red tiles). For details, see Red Dora tiles. " Dot
Another name for circle. Double
A set of conditions either with respect to how a hand was completed or the tiles within it that entitles the player holding it to double their points. Doubles are cumulative, and can result in ludicrous scores in excess of 25 million, so there is a Limit. Double Wind
Wind tile that is at the same time player own Wind and Wind of the Round (or Dominant Wind). Pungs and Kongs of Double Wind usually pay the same as if the player had separately a Pung/Kong of Own Wind and Pung/Kong of Wind of the Round (or Dominant Wind), but some rules specify separate scoring (usually lower) for sets with Double Winds. Dragon tiles
red, green, and white. The term dragon tile is a western convention introduced by Joseph Park Babcock in his 1920 book introducing Mahjong to America. Originally, these tiles are said to have something to do with the Chinese Imperial Examination. The red tile ("中"榜) means you pass the examination and thus will be appointed a government official. The green tile ("發"財) means, consequently you will become financially well off. The white tile (a clean board) means since you are now doing well you should act like a good, incorrupt official. Draw (n)
"When there are no tiles left in the Wall, and none of the players succeeds to complete his hand and go out, the hand is said to end in a draw (or wash out). Note that if a replenishing Dead Wall is used and a player declares a Kong with the last tile of the Wall, or receives an extra tile (a flower or a season) as a last tile from the Wall, the deal ends immediately and no supplement tile is given. Usually no points are calculated nor paid after a draw, but there are exceptions. According to the classical Japanese rules the deal passes after a draw, but in other versions of Mah Jong the hand is normally played again. Some rules apply special rules for the deal that is played after a draw (see Goulash) Some rules allow also declaring an abortive draw in certain specific situations, e.g., if three players claim the same tile for going out, etc. In these situations the current deal is immediately abandoned and a new deal is started without passing the deal. For more information, see Abortive draws in the Miscellaneous rules section of the Japanese rules. " Draw (v)
To pick a tile from the Wall.

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Game Glossary E

Earthly Hand
One of the classical Limit hands. South, West or North player goes out on East's first discard. Earth's Blessing
Another name for Earthly Hand. East Wind
Another name for dealer. Elements
Another name for Dragons. Exposed
A face-up tile, part of a set or a discard. Another name for Melded. Exposed Hand
A hand composed of one or more sets that have been revealed during the game. This indicates that they were formed from a discarded tile at some point. The opposite of a concealed hand. Exposed Meld
A pong, kong or chow made by using a discarded tile ; compare with concealed meld. Extra Deal
Another name for Extra hand. Extra Hand
"When the dealer wins a game the deal normally does not pass. The rules may also specify that if the deal ends in a draw, deal does not pass (or passes only under certain conditions). A continued deal is said to be an extra hand or extra deal. The modern Japanese versions often specify that the losers must pay bonus points to the winner for each extra deal. The bonus is increased for each continued deal, e.g. if it is 300 points for the 1st extra deal, it is increased to 600 and 900 points on successive extra deals. Normally the counter of extra deals is reset immediately as the dealer changes (either because of another player wins or because of a draw). However, some rules specify that the extra deal counter is not reset until non-dealer wins. If the deal passes after a draw (and the deal was an extra deal), the next deal is considered a continued deal and extra deal counter is increased by one." Extremes
Another name for Dragons. Eyes
The pair, while not a meld (and thus, cannot be declared or formed with a discard), is the final component to the standard hand. It consists of two identical tiles. etting Off the Cannon
Discarding a dangerous tile (bao pai), which leads in a situation that a winner goes out (not necessarily immediately after having claimed the dangerous discard, but later either self-drawn or by discard) on a high-scoring hand. Note: Use of this term is discouraged as it is a direct translation of the Chinese original term , which means just discarding a winning tile? Note that a dangerous discard does not necessarily involve discarding of the winning tile, but just a tile that lets a winner to later go out on a big hand.

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Game Glossary F

Faan
Another name for Fan. Faan-Laak
A scoring system used in modern Chinese Mah Jong, according to which the final score of the hand is determined by a settling table which regulates doubling of the scores and often specifies identical or intermediate values for increasing number of Faans-Laak? specifies the limit, but unlike the classical and Western rules, it does not specify the absolute limit for the final score, but is used as a unit indicating a point where linear doubling is first time settled (e.g., a hand can be worth 3 limits). For more information, see Faan-Laak scoring. Family Hand
A hand composed or the three suits, dragons and winds. Fan
Japanese mahjong word, Used in scoring as a doubler. A player can receive Fans for having Doras and Yakus within his or her winning hand. Fishing
Another name for calling. Flower Tiles
Bonus Tile. typically optional components to a set of mahjong tiles, often contain artwork on their tiles. Flower Wall
Another name for Dead Wall. Forbidden Discarding
Another name for Pao Four
Another name for Kong Four Concealed Triplets
Another name for Hidden Treasure Four Kongs
One of the classical Limit hands, consisting of Four Kongs and a pair of any tiles. Some rules allow going out without completing the pair. Four Triplets
Another name Pung hand Four Winds
Represent the seating arrangements: East, West, North and South. The player chosen as the East Wind also acts as the dealer and starts the game. Fourfold Plenty
Another name for Four Kongs. Four-of-a-kind
Another name for Kong. Free Tile
"A tile is free when: It is not covered at all by any other tile. There are no tiles touching it on the right or left side. This does not apply to the top or bottom of the tile. " Fu
Ch. and Jap. for the Point unit used for scoring in classical Chinese Mah Jong and all Japanese versions of Mah Jong. Note that the point unit is normally not used in modern Chinese Mah Jong Furiten
Japanese mahjong word, A tile that a player cannot declare Ron with if that tile was previously discarded by him or her. If one of his or her tile possibilities to go out with is a Furiten, then the rest of the tiles that a player can go out with are considered Furitens as well.

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Game Glossary G

Game
A complete game of Mah Jong normally consist of four rounds (East, South, West and North), which in turn consist of at least four hands, so that each of the players has been a dealer at least once per a round. There are often more than four hands per round, since normally the deal does not pass if the dealer (East) wins or if the deal ends in a draw. Game End
The game finishes when once someone goes Mahjong, or a draw ensues. Gang
Another name for kong, Chinese word. Going Mahjong
Declaring a hand worth eight points or more. Ending a game by obtaining a complete hand of tiles, composed of either a special hand or a traditional hand that includes a pair of identical tiles (eyes) and 4 sets of matched tiles. Going Out
Another name for going Mahjong, or winning. Gong
A set of four identical tiles. More commonly known as "Kong" and in traditional Chinese, "Gang", also referred to as a set of four and a quadruplet. To kong also means to call the play and lay down the four tiles. Goulash
"A rule sometimes used in both the Western and Asian rules, which specifies that a special deal is played after a deal ends in a draw. E.g., in the British and Australian rules the Goulash deal is started with a Charleston (exchange of tiles); in addition, four jokers are used, and the winning hand is not allowed to contain Chows. The winner of the Goulash deal often collects a special bonus. Sometimes the term is used just to denote a re-deal (a situation where a new deal is started after a draw without passing the deal)." Great Wall of China
The four lines of tiles pushed together to form a square.

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Game Glossary H

Haitei
Japanese mahjong word, Name given to the very last tile drawn in a round. Han
Jap. for double or multiplier?(the Chinese equivalent is faan?. Note that in modern Japanese Mah Jong based on the Mangan scoring system a fan? is not actually a double, but instead a sort of regulated multiplier. The final score is determined by the combination of a given fu and han values earned by the hand. E.g., the final score for a hand worth 20 points (fu) and 3 han is not 160 points (20 points doubled three times), but 640 points, specified by a settling table. Hand
A deal of tiles that ends in one of the following situations: a) one of the players goes out, b) one of the players makes a faulty declaration of ‘Out’, c) hand ends in a draw. Haneman
Japanese mahjong word,1.5 times Mangan. Score received with a hand worth 6-7 fans. Heads
The pair of tiles necessary in most hand to go out. Heavenly Hand
One of the classical Limit hands. East goes out on the dealt hand (after having replaced possible Flowers and Seasons). Heaven's Blessing
Another name for Heavenly Hand. Hidden Treasure
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists of four concealed triplets and a pair. The rules vary significantly as for acknowledging Kongs in this hand, and in respect of the required way of going out. In the Chinese Classical rules the hand is allowed to contain concealed Kongs, but the winning tile must be self-drawn. Japanese rules also allow concealed Kongs but do not require the hand to go out on a self-drawn tile. Other rules might require that the hand goes on a pair (some allow going out on a discard, other require a self-drawn winning tile). Hong Kong Rules
The most common rule set used in Mahjong, also known as the old 13-tile rules. Hong Kong Bonus rules include the flowers and seasons tiles; Hong Kong Simple rules use the basic 136 tile set, no bonus tiles. Honours
The winds and dragons, as distinguished from common suit tiles and bonus tiles. Hu
Another name for going Mahjong, or winning. Chinese word.

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Game Glossary I

Identical Tiles
Tiles with the same numerical face value derived from the same suit. Imperial Jade
Another name for All Green. Independent hand
Another name for Concealed hand.

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Game Glossary J

Jiang
Another name for eyes, Chinese word. Jokers
"Extra tiles used in Modern American Mah Jong (and sometimes also in the Chinese New Style). The number of jokers is often 4 or 8, but some players use even more. Sometimes the use of jokers is restricted in some way (e.g. not allowed to replace Chows or single tiles). In so called 12-tile Mah Jong each player receives one (virtual) joker in a dealt hand: the joker can be seNd? only at the time of going out. " Jong
Another name for dealer. Juntsu
Japanese mahjong word, A set of 3 sequential tiles of the same suit. Will refer to it as Chi.

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Game Glossary K

Kan
Another name for kong, Japanese word. Kantsu
Japanese mahjong word, A set of 4 identical tiles. Will refer to it as Kong. Keishiki tenpai
Janpanese mahjong word. A rule, normally used in modern Japanese Mah Jong (Ari-Ari rules), according to which a minimum point requirement specified for a winning hand (normally worth 1 han) is ignored, when determining the ready state of the hand. I.e., a hand is considered ready, if it can be structurally completed into a winning hand, even if it would not meet the minimum point requirement, when complete. The more restrictive Nashi-Nashi rules often require a ready hand (when completed into winning hand with best possible tile) to meet the minimum point requirement. The rule is meaningful in the context of draw when determining whether a player should receive a bonus for a ready hand, and also when determining whether a deal should be passed after a draw (the rules might e.g. specify that a deal is not passed if the dealer has a ready hand). It is also used after a drawn game, when players who declared ready must expose their hand for evaluating whether their declarations were legal. Knitted Tiles
Tiles 1-4-7, 2-5-8 and 3-6-9 in different suits. Kong
A kong is a set of four identical tiles. Because all other melds contain three tiles, a Kong must be immediately exposed when explicitly declared. If the fourth tile is formed from a discard, it is said to be an exposed Kong (明槓/明杠, pinyin ming gang). If all four tiles were formed in the hand, it is said to be a concealed Kong (暗槓/暗杠, pinyin an gang). In some forms of play, the outer two tiles of a concealed Kong are flipped to indicate its concealed status. It is also possible to form an exposed Kong if the player has an exposed Pung and draws the fourth tile. In any case, a player must draw an extra tile from the back end of the wall (or from the dead wall, if it exists) and discard as normal. Play then continues to the right. Once a Kong is formed, it cannot be split up (say, if you wanted to instead use one tile as part of a Chow), and thus, it may be advantageous not to immediately declare a Kong. Kong Box
Another name for the dead wall. Kong on Kong
One of the classical Limit hands. Player completes two Kongs in a row on one turn and goes out on the supplement tile received for the second Kong. Koutsu
Japanese mahjong word, A set of 3 identical tiles. Will refer to it as Pon. Kraks
Another name for Characters Kuikae
Janpanese mahjong word.A rule, sometimes used in Japanese Mah Jong, forbidding a player to break an existing set and immediately discard a tile identical with the claimed tile, or one related to the claimed tile (i.e., a tile 3 numbers different from the claimed tile which can form a sequence with the just exposed tiles). Kuitan
Japanese mahjong word,A rule that allows a Tanyao, All Simples, hand to be made with revealed sets.

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Game Glossary L

Leader
Another name for Dealer Last-chance hand
A one-chance hand where all but one exemplar of the only possible winning tile have been played (see pictures above). The rule is sometimes extended by specifying that a hand with multiple chances is considered last-chance, if all but one possible winning tile have been played (i.e., they are no longer available). Lay Down
Another name for reveal. Leaping Tiles
A ritual performed by the dealer as the tiles are first distributed from the wall. The dealer does not wait until all players have the compulsory 13 tiles in hand before drawing his first tile to start play. He takes his 13th tile and skips over the next tile to take the 14th tile right away. Limit
A maximum point total that a hand maybe worth, to which any higher-scoring hand is automatically reduced. Limit Hand
A rare hand that automatically pays the limit (or a percentage of the limit, e.g., 50% of Limit, 400% of Limit, etc.), in which case scores for components are ignored and final score is directly determined by the scoring for the limit hand. Sometimes multiple limit hands are acknowledged; e.g., a hand can score one limit for being Hidden Treasure, and another for being All Green. A limit hand can also be composed of irregular combinations. E.g., Thirteen Orphans is not composed of regular Chows, Pungs, Kongs and a pair. There are about ten Limit hands that are universally acknowledged. For more information, see Limit and Special hands. Limit Points
For short, the ‘limit’. An agreement between players on the maximum amount of points any player can score for a hand. Note that the limit is not applied to payments but just to the final score a player can have for his hand. E.g., in the classical rules the limit is typically 500 points, but if the winner is East, and he goes out on a hand that merits the limit, he will receive 1,000 points (double his final score) from each of the other players, so that the total of payments is 3,000. In modern Asian Mah Jong a multiple limit scoring system is used instead of an absolute limit. Here the limit specifies a point where linear doubling of scores is first time regulated. A hand can well score multiple limits (either by virtue of multiple patterns the faan values of which have been added together, or by virtue of a single pattern that can score e.g. 400% of the Limit). The maximum final score is specified by a settling table but can be surpassed by assigning a direct multiple limit value to individual hands and patterns, or by allowing multiple limit hands, in which case a hand can score several limits for being e.g. both Hidden Treasure and All Green. Little Four Joys
Another name for Little Four Winds Little Four Winds
A hand containing three triplets and a pair of Winds. Normally pays 1 extra double. Little Three Dragons
A hand with two Dragon Pungs and a Dragon pair plus any sets. This usually scores three doubles (one extra, since the two Dragon triplets score each 1 double). Live Wall
The portion of the wall from which tiles are dealt and players "pick" tiles during play. Loose tile
Another name for supplement tile. Loose Tiles
Another name for replacement or makeup tiles; tiles which are picked from the dead wall to replace bonus tiles or to replace the fourth tile laid down in a Kong. Lowest Scoring Hand
The chicken hand, composed of mixed chows, pongs, and/or kongs, and/or mixed suits. Lucky Pair
A pair composed of Dragons or special Wind tiles (usually player’s own Wind or Wind of the Round). In classical rules a lucky pair is worth 2 points.

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Game Glossary M

Mahjong
A winning hand in which all the tiles have been matched into a special hand combination or regular hand combination of four sets (pongs, kongs, and/or chows) and a pair. Ways of mahjong: – self-drawn (Ch. zi mo chi he, Jap. tsu-mo agari): winning with a tile received from the Wall. – on a discard (Ch. ron he; Jap. ron agari): winning with a tile claimed from another player. – on a supplement tile (Ch. ling shang kai hua, Jap. rin-syan-kai-hou): winning with a tile received from the Dead Wall (after declaring a Kong or having a Flower or Season from the Wall) . – with the last tile of the Wall (Ch. hai di lao yue, Jap. hai-tei-rou-ei, hai-tei): winning with the last tile of the Wall. – with the last discard (Ch. ho di lao yu, Jap. hou-tei-rao-yui, hou-tei): winning with a tile that is discarded after the last tile of the Wall is played. – by robbing a Kong (Ch. qiang gang huo, Jap. chan-kan): winning by taking a tile that another player tried to use for promoting a melded Pung to a melded Kong. Major Tiles
A term used to denote the Dragons, Winds and Terminals (as opposed to simples, or minor tiles, i.e. suit tiles from 2 to 8). Major tiles score slightly better in classical Mah Jong than minor tiles. Makeup Tiles
Another name for loose or replacement tiles which are picked from the dead wall to replace bonus tiles or to replace the fourth tile laid down in a kong. Mangan
Japanese mahjong word, Initial Scoring Limit.A scoring system used in modern Japanese Mah Jong, according to which the total score of the hand is determined by a settling table over fu (points) and fan(multipliers). The settling table regulates doubling of the fu and often specifies identical or intermediate values for increasing number of han. As in modern Chinese Mah Jong, the limit does not specify the maximum for the total score, but is used as a unit (e.g., a hand can be worth 3 limits). For more information, see Mangan scoring. Match
A series of rounds to defeat one opponent and move to the next. Matched Pair
Two identical tiles (also called the "eyes"). Matched Set
A set of tiles that make up a chow, pong or kong. Matchin Chows
Two matching chows in different suits. Meld (n)
When a tile is claimed from another player, the resulting set must be put aside and exposed to other players. This is called 搈elding?a tile set. Once a set is melded, its component tiles can’t be used for other combinations. Melded tiles are placed above each player’s hand. Notice that declaring a concealed Kong closely resembles melding a Kong: in both cases the tiles are exposed and put aside and can’t be used for other combinations, but in the previous case the 1st and 4th tiles are normally turned face-down as to mark the set as concealed (in some rules the tiles are left face-down). Also a tile set that is melded. Meld (v)
A tile set that is composed by claiming one of the tiles from another player’s discard. A melded tile set is placed face up above the player’s hand. Notice that a concealed Kong, which must be placed on the table after the declaration, is not melded, though the second and third tile are normally placed face up (in certain rules, however, all tiles of a concealed Kong are placed on board face down). Note too that in some rules a claimed Kong is considered as a concealed triplet (while being at the same time a melded Kong), and accordingly the fourth tile is turned face down as to make is stand out from concealed Kongs and Kongs completed from melded Pungs. Minimum points
A restriction on a winning hand, which requires that the hand is worth at least the specified amount of points (the unit can be points – meaning the total score for the hand – doubles, faan or han, depending on the selected scoring system). Often the rules specify certain additional conditions for calculating the minimum points, e.g., the bonus points for Flowers and Seasons, Dora tiles, etc., are often ignored when determining whether a hand meets the minimum point requirement. Minor Tiles
A term used to denote the suit tiles from 2 to 8 (as opposed to major tiles, i.e. Honors and Terminals). More commonly known as simples. Missed discard
A rule that forbids a player to go out on a discard that he has missed (after his last move, and before he has made his next draw or a legal claim). Some rules extend the rule to cover a player’s next self-drawn tile, as well. Note that it is legal to claim a missed discard if the player does not go out with the tile (i.e., he discards one of his tiles after having melded the set). Mixed Hand
A hand that contains sets of tiles from two or more suits. Mixed Suits
Similar to a mixed hand: Matched sets of tiles in different suits. Moons
Another name for Circles Move
Any play made by a player with a tile on his or her turn. This includes tile discard and calling pong, chow, kong and/or Mahjong.

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Game Glossary N

Nagashi Mangan
A rule occasionally used in the modern Japanese Mah Jong, which states that if the deal ends in an exhaustive draw (as opposed to an abortive draw, caused by e.g. a dead hand) and a player’s discards consist of terminals and honors only, and none of his discards have been claimed and the player himself has not melded any tiles (including concealed Kongs), the hand is scored as if the player had gone out. The score is often specified as single limit (mangan). Nine Gates
One of the classical Limit hands. Can be considered a sort of other of all hands in classical Mah Jong. The hand consists of tiles 1112345678999 of one suit, all in hand, allowing a player to go out on any tile of the same suit, a player has nine chances to go out, hence the name. Not to be confused with American gate hands, which are just irregular hands amongst others. Modern versions sometimes allow impure version of Nine Gates hand, in which case the player has 12 of the tiles mentioned above in hand and 13th tile of one of the tiles between 2 and 8 (the winning tile makes the hand identical with the pure version of Nine Gates, but the player did not have 9 chances to go out). Nine Sacred Lamps of Lotus
Another name for Nine Gates Nine United Sons
Another name for Nine Gates No-points Hand
No-points hand (sometimes also called a Valueless hand) consists of a complete hand with mere Chows and an ordinary pair (other than a pair of Dragons or a pair of player’s own Wind or Wind of the Round, or any other pair that possibly has a scoring value). The hand is typically used in Japanese Mah Jong and should not be confused with Chicken hand (a hand with a total value of zero). Normally it is required that the hand does not score anything in the point (fu) unit, excepting the winning bonus (and possibly a point bonus for Concealed hand), i.e., the hand must be completed on a discarded tile (since going out self-drawn earns 2 points), and the winning tile must not complete a pair or a one-chance Chow (since these earn 2 extra points each). Note however that a No-points hand can pay doubles normally (e.g., three doubles for being One Suit Only, etc.). A No-points hand normally pays the winner one extra double/han (or 10 points, depending on the rule). Normal Hand
Also called a regular hand, this hand is normally composed of 4 simple matched sets of tiles (kongs, pongs and/or chows) and a pair. No-Ten
Japanese mahjong word, What is called when a player does not have Tenpai at the end of the round. Number Tile
Tiles that represent numbers. There are three types: Characters, Bamboos, and Dots.

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Game Glossary O

One-Chance
Having only one tile possibility to choose from to go out. One-chance Hand
A hand is called one-chance if there is just one kind of a tile (disregarding how many there are still left to be played of that tile), which can theoretically complete it into a structurally valid winning hand (see pictures above). E.g., a hand consisting of 2-3-4-5 and calling for 2 or 5 is not considered a one-chance hand, even if four 2 and three 5 have already been played (in the latter case the hand is practically one-chance as there is only one kind of tile that can complete it, but it is not theoretically one-chance). However, often the concept of one-chance is extended by specifying that a hand with multiple chances is considered one-chance, if all but one possible winning tiles have been played (i.e., all four of each of the other tiles appear amongst discards and melds). Note however, that a tile is not dead by the fact that it cannot complete a hand (e.g., because of a minimum point requirement). E.g., if a player is calling with a Dragon pair and pair of Bamboo 5 and the hand would qualify for a winning hand only if it were completed with a Dragon Pung, the hand is not considered one-chance? One-chance hand is acknowledged in the classical Chinese rules, but is often interpreted in later rules as a hand that is completed with either a one-chance Chow or a pair, allowing cases like calling with 2-3-4-5 for 2 or 5?(on the other hand, in this case there is normally no extra bonus for going out on a pair; in classical rules a player might get bonus for both going out on a pair and for One-chance hand). See also Last-chance hand. Open
Describing a meld completed with a tile that another player discarded. Same as Exposed. Opening a Flower on top of a Mountain
Another name for Out on a supplement tile Optional Tiles
The flower tiles and the season tiles. Also called bonus tiles. Original Call
A player declaring ready on his first discard. If a player subsequently goes out on the declared hand, he is normally rewarded with one extra double. This rule is used in classical Chinese Mah Jong. It normally requires that the hand is not altered in any way after the declaration (if changing is allowed and a player does change his hand, he is no longer entitled to this bonus). Out on a one-chance Chow
A one-chance Chow is one that can be completed only on one side or with a middle tile (see picture above). In Japanese and Western rules this gives often a minor bonus (usually worth 2 points). Out on a one-way-Chow
Another name for Out on a one-chance Chow Out on a supplement tile
Going out on a tile received as a replacement for declaring a Kong or as a replacement for a Flower or Season tile. This normally pays 1 extra double. Some rules (e.g. Chinese Classical) pay this bonus only if the supplement tile was received for declaring a Kong. Out on the last discard
Going out on a discard after all tiles of the Wall have been drawn. This is normally rewarded with 1 extra double. Out on the last tile of the Wall
Going out by drawing the last available tile from the Wall. This is normally rewarded with 1 extra double. Note: In some rules this hand is called hai di lao yue (meaning literally Catching the Moon from the Bottom of the Sea), but this term is more generally used to refer to a special case where a hand goes out on the last tile of the Wall and the winning tile is 1 of Dots. Over -punging
Another name for Over-claiming Over-claiming
An act of claiming a discarded tile for a Pung (or Kong, if jokers are enabled) after one of the other players has claimed the same tile for a Chow. This can be done unintentionally, but normally over-claiming is a strategic device: the discard is claimed e.g. to prohibit an opponent player to improve his hand. Own Wind
Own Wind refers to a pair or triplet composed of player’s own Wind. This is is often rewarded with bonus points.

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Game Glossary P

Pair
The fifth set in the winning hand, consisting of two identical tiles. All regular hands must contain one (and only one) pair. Also called the eyes. Pao
In classical Mah Jong special Pao rules are often applied (in Western world the rule is more commonly known as Pao and accordingly the rule is listed here rather than under the letter 揃?. These rules specify that if a player makes an irresponsible discard, he must pay alone all losses (for all losers), even if the actual discarder is someone else or if the winning tile is self-drawn. These penalties are also called insurance penalties since they guarantee that other losers do not suffer from the pao discarder抯 blunder. In addition to One suit only, insurance penalties are normally used for the classical limit hands Big Three Dragons, Big Four Winds, All Honors, All Terminals and All Green. In addition, some rules specify Last Five Tiles Error (or Last Four Tiles Error), according to which a player who discards a fresh winning tile, when only five (or four) tiles are left in the Wall, must pay for all losers. Passing of the Deal
Normally the winds change places in a counter-clockwise direction after the hand is played. East wind, which marks the dealer, passes to the next player in turn. Note that if East wins, the deal normally does not pass. Also, if the deal ends in a draw, the deal usually does not pass (except in Japanese Mah Jong). Payout
The portion or share of the table stakes amount paid to the winning player by each losing player. Equal payouts amongst players occur when the winner self-picks the winning tile. When a player throws the tile that allows a player to win, the Discarder Pays All penalty rule applies. Penalty
In live Mahjong games, penalties may be given for errors in play, such as when a player has too many or too few tiles in their hand, discards a tile before picking one from the wall, and so forth. Peng
Another name for Pong, Chinese word. Pick
To take a tile from the live wall or from the discard area and place it in your hand. Pieces
sometimes called tiles Plates
Another name for Circles Plays
Any move that a player makes with a tile on his or her turn. This includes tile discard, and calling pong, chow, kong and/or Mahjong. Pon
Another name for Pong, Japanese word. Pong (n)
A pong or pung is a set of three identical tiles. In American Mahjong, where it is possible to meld Flower tiles, a pong may also refer to a meld of three of the four flower tiles in a single group. American Mahjong may also have hands requiring a knitted triplet - three tiles of identical rank but of three different suits. Pong (v)
To claim a tile for a Pung by declaring pung. Prevailing Wind
A Wind that starts with East and changes every four hands, once the original East is East again. When the winds have gone around (i.e. the original East is East again, and the prevailing wind is again East), the game ends. (Although addicts are allowed to start up another game, of course!) Tiles of the Prevailing Wind as well as of a player's own Wind are worth more in melds. Primes
Another name for Dragons. Private Hand
Another name for Concealed hand. Progressive Chows
Chows stepped up one or two digits. Progressive Pungs
Pungs stepped up one digit. Pung
Three identical tiles, sometimes transliterated as Pong instead. Pung Hand
A hand composed of four triplets (Pungs/Kongs) and a pair. I.e., a hand that contains no sequences (toi-toi ho). This is normally rewarded with one extra double.

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Game Glossary Q

Quadruplet
A set of four identical tiles. Also known as gong, gang, kong and set of four.

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Game Glossary R

Rank
The numerical value of a tile (1,2,3 etc). Reach
Japanese mahjong word, A declaration that can be made after drawing a new tile. The hand must be entirely concealed and need only one more tile to go out once a tile is discarded. Ready
A hand that is one tile short of being complete; also, a player waiting the winning tile. In the Japanese rules a player can declare Ready (Jap. ri-chi) which results in a bonus if the player subsequently wins the deal. Some rules require an obligatory ready declaration as to warn other players that a player needs only one tile to go out. Note: A Ready hand means that the hand is structurally in all respects one tile short of a winning hand. If there are restrictions on the winning hand (e.g., limitation in number of Chows, prohibition of mixed suits, etc), the hand is not considered ready, if it cannot be completed with just one tile in a way that meets these requirements. If the rules apply a minimum point requirement on the winning hand, it is often ignored when the ready state of a hand is checked, but some rules require that a hand ?when completed ?meets the minimum point requirement. In this case rules often specify certain additional conditions (e.g., bonus points for Flowers or Seasons, Dora tiles, the ready declaration itself, etc., are often ignored when calculating the hand for minimum points). Ready Hand
A hand that is one tile short of winning. Red Dora Tiles
In addition to (or sometimes in place of) the actual Dora tiles, some Japanese rules use special red Dora tiles, also known as Red Fives or simply as red tiles. According to this rule, one of each of the four number five tiles of each suit is marked red (thus there are three red bonus tiles theoretically available in each deal). Each such special tile in a winner's hand gives a specified bonus. If the winning hand is restricted by requirement of minimum points (han), the bonus for red Dora tiles is normally not included in the calculation when determining whether a hand qualifies for a winning hand. Regular Hand
Also called a normal hand, this hand is normally composed of 4 simple matched sets of tiles (kongs, pongs and/or chows) and a pair. Replacement Tiles
Also called loose tiles or makeup tiles; tiles which are picked from the dead wall as replacements for bonus tiles or to replace the fourth tile laid down in a kong. Another name for Supplement tile. Reveal
To turn a tile a set of tiles face up on the table for opponents' viewing. Revealed Hand
A hand containing one or more sets that have been shown, or turned face up. to opponents during the game. Revealed Set
A set that is shown to the opponent. Revealed sets can only be made using an opponent's discard. Reversible Tiles
Tiles that have the same appearance when inverted. Ri-chi
Japanese for declare Ready?(the Chinese term in Pin Yin is li zhi). A version or Ready hand rule used often in the Japanese Mah Jong. According to this rule the hand that is to be declared ready must usually be completely concealed (concealed Kongs are allowed, though). After the declaration, the hand is often locked (and sometimes the tiles are placed face down on the table). This means that no changes are allowed to the hand (though some rules allow concealed Kongs that do not alter the hand). Furthermore, the rules may require that the player who has declared Ready must go out with the first possible discard (or self-drawn tile). Going out on a hand declared Ready usually scores one extra double (han). Penalties are often applied if a player who has declared Ready fails to win the deal. Riichi
Another name for Ri-chi Robbing The Kong
Going out by taking the winning tile from a player who declares a melded Kong (adding a tile he has received from the Wall to a melded Pung). This normally pays one extra double. If the robbed tile is Bamboo 2, the winner receives limit points (if the limit hand Scratching a Carrying Pole is acknowledged). Ron
Japanese mahjong word, what is called when a player goes out using an opponent's discarded tile. Round
A Round consists of at least four deals so that each player has been East (dealer) at least once. There are often more than four deals per round, since normally the deal does not pass if the dealer (East) wins, and in some versions of Mah Jong, the deal is also played again if the hand ends in a draw. Notice that sets composed of the Wind of the Round (like sets composed of player’s own Wind) often pay twice more than sets composed of ordinary winds, and they are usually worth an extra bonus (one double/faan/han). A complete Mah Jong session normally consists of four rounds. The first round is East, the second round South, the third West and the last North. In modern Japanese Mah Jong a single match consists normally of only two rounds (East and South rounds) but often several complete matches are played in a row. Round of Play
When all players have been the dealer at least once. At least 4 hands Rule Variations
There are Mahjong rules for different countries. Chinese rules are most prevalent, but other rule variations exist, including Japanese, American and others. Run
A straight, or a series of consecutive numbered tiles in the common suits.

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Game Glossary S

Sacred Discard
A tile previously discarded by a player which would allow that player to go out at a later point in the game; player must declare the sacred discard and may not use that tile (or any identical ones discarded by other players) until after drawing from the wall at least once. Sanbaiman
Japanese mahjong word, 3 times Mangan. Score received with a hand worth 11-12 fans. Score, Scoring
The total points earned at the end of hand including points earned from bonus tiles. Scratching a Carrying Pole
One of the classical Limit hands. Going out by taking the winning tile from a player who is about to promote a melded Pung of Bamboo 2 into a melded Kong. Season
Any of the four optional (bonus) tiles showing a season of the year. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Seat Wind
Wind corresponding to the player's seat. Seating, Seat Assignment
Players are seated randomly at a table. The computer generates and shuffles the four wind tiles. The wind tiles are randomly assigned to each seat. The player assigned the East Wind tile becomes the dealer. The player assigned the South Wind tile will be seated to the right of the dealer. The West Wind will sit to the dealer's left, and the North Wind will be seated opposite the dealer. Self-Draw
Also called self-pick, this occurs when a player chooses a tile from the wall. Self-Pick
Also called "self-draw", this occurs when a player chooses a tile from the wall. Sequence
Three suit tiles in successive order; another name for chow (or sheung). Set
A complete hand is composed of four sets and a pair. The sets (besides the pair, which is normally not counted as a set) are as follows: Chow (a sequence of one Suit), Pung (three similar tiles) and Kong (four similar tiles). A set can be composed of tiles received from the Wall (a concealed set), or completed by claiming the missing tile from another player’s discard (a melded set). Set of Four
Another name for a kong (gong, gang or quadruplet). Set of Three
Another name for a pong (pong or triplet ). Settling
The act of comparing scores between pairs of players and transferring points between them accordingly. Shang
Another name for chow, Chinese word. Sheung
A sequence of three tiles of consecutive rank in one common suit; also called chow, chi or sequence. You cannot make sheungs in runs of four and you cannot make them from honor tiles. Simples
A Bamboo, Dot or Character tile whose value is other than 1 or 9. Some rules give points for a hand with All simples. Also known as Minor Tiles. Special Hand
A valuable hand that is often composed of irregular combinations, e.g. Seven Pairs. Often used as a synonym for Limit hand. Stack
A pile of two tiles, forming a unit in the Wall. Starting Dealer
The very first dealer of the game Stepped Chows
separated by one or two numbers. Sticks
Another name for Bamboos Suit
One of three symbols found on the common tiles, either bamboos, characters, or circles. Suit Tile
On of the 108 tiles showing a number (from 1 through 9) in the bamboo, character, or circle suit. Supplement Tile
A tile taken from the Dead Wall as a replacement for a tile used for declaring or claiming a Kong. If Flowers and Seasons are used, supplement tiles for them are normally also taken from the Dead Wall (however, the Chinese Classical rules specify that the supplement tiles for Flowers and Seasons are taken from the Wall, instead). A supplement tile is also known as a loose tile? (because the supplement tiles used to be placed two at a time on top of the Dead Wall as if tiles that are loose?. Normally each supplement tile taken from the Dead Wall is replaced with a tile from the end of the Wall so that the number of available supplement tiles always remains the same; as a result each used supplement tile reduces the number of available tiles by one. Normally the number of supplement tiles in the Dead Wall is 14. Note that a player is not given a supplement tile after there are no tiles left in the Wall; instead, the deal ends immediately after the last action that would normally result in receiving a supplement tile (this is because there are no longer tiles that could be used to replenish the Dead Wall). In some rules (notably in the Chinese Classical rules) the Dead Wall is exhaustible with a pre-determined number of tiles (e.g., 14, 16 or 20). In this case a supplement tile is not replaced with a tile from the Wall, and consequently does not reduce the number of playable tiles. In the modern American, Australian and highly pattern-centered Asian games (e.g. in Chinese Official) Dead Wall is not used – the supplement tiles are simply taken from the tail end of the Wall.

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Game Glossary T

Ten Thousands
Another name for Characters Tenpai
Japanese mahjong word, What is called when the round ends, and a player only need one more tile to make a complete hand. It is also the name for a hand that is a tile short in which the addition of another tile will make it into a complete hand. Terminal Chi
A Chi that contains a 1 or 9. Terminals
A suit tile with a rank of 1 or 9; compare with simples. Thirteen Grades of Imperial Treasure
Another name for Thirteen Orphans Thirteen Orphans
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists of one of each Dragon and Wind, 1 and 9 of each suit and 14th tile forming a pair with any of these. Classically a player was allowed to rob even a concealed Kong to complete this hand, but this is no longer allowed in modern Mah Jong. In Japanese Mah Jong separate scoring is sometimes assigned to Thirteen Orphans pure, which requires that a player is calling with the orphans (in which case he can go out on a tile identical with any of the 13 tiles already in hand). Thirteen Terminals
A special hand consisting of one of each of the terminal tiles (one and nine), plus one each of the honor tiles (4 winds , 3 dragons ) and a 14th tile that matches any of the other 13. Thirteen Unique Wonders
One of the classical Limit hands. The hand consists of one of each Dragon and Wind, 1 and 9 of each suit and 14th tile forming a pair with any of these. Classically a player was allowed to rob even a concealed Kong to complete this hand, but this is no longer allowed in modern Mah Jong. In Japanese Mah Jong separate scoring is sometimes assigned to Thirteen Orphans pure, which requires that a player is calling with the orphans (in which case he can go out on a tile identical with any of the 13 tiles already in hand). Three Great Scholars
Another name for Big Three Dragons. Throw
Another name for discard.To play a tile face up in the discard area. Tile
The rectangular objects used to play Mahjong ; similar in function to playing cards. Tile Set
A complete set of 144 tiles. Time Limits
The amount of time to make a play. Time allowed for decision-making and play varies. Traditional Hand
Common hands that are somewhat easier to assemble than special hands. Traditional hands contain varying numbers of chows, pongs and/or kongs and a pair. Triplet
A set of three identical tiles, also referred to as pong or a pung. Tsumo
Japanese mahjong word, What is called when a player goes out with a drawn tile. Tsumo Pinfu
Japanese mahjong word, A rule that allows a Pinfu, All Chi, hand to be made only by Tsumo and not by Ron. Turn
A player begins his turn by drawing a tile from the Wall or by claiming a discarded tile, and concludes the turn by discarding a tile. Some rules restrict player’s right to declare a concealed Kong, or completing a melded Pung into a melded Kong, to the situation where the turn is started by drawing a tile from the Wall (declaring Kong after having claimed a discarded tile is not allowed). Turn Face Up
Another name for reveal. Twin Chows
Two identical chows in the same suit. Twofold Fortune
Another name for Kong on Kong.

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Game Glossary V

Void Suit
A hand lacking tiles of one suit.

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Game Glossary W

Waiting
Another name for Ready. Wall
Before the deal begins all 136 (or more, if Seasons and Flowers or jokers are used) tiles are shuffled and arranged in four rows (two layers per each row) forming a square shape that resembles a wall. At the beginning of the deal the Wall is broken, and the dealing of tiles is started from the first tile left to the breaking point. Traditionally the 14 tiles to the right of the breaking point comprise the Dead Wall (or the Ruin). Wan
Another word for character, one of the three common suits. Wash-out (n).
Another name for Draw Wheels
Another name for circles. Win
Another name for going Mahjong, or winning. Wind Indicator
A disk that appears in the nameplate of each player. It indicates their seating position in the game: East, West, North or South. Wind of the Round
Another name for Prevailing Win. Wind Tile
East, South, West and North. Four tiles for each. They can be discarded from the layout in pairs of two identical tiles. Winning from the Bottom of the Sea
Another name for Out on the last tile of the Wall. Winning Hand
A complete, or "go Mahjong" hand composed of several matched set of tiles: usually a pair of identical tiles (eyes) and 4 sets of tiles that make chows and/or pongs and/or kongs. Other special combinations are possible. Winning on the Roof
Another name for Out on a supplement tile. Woo
Another name for going Mahjong, or winning.

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Game Glossary Y

Yakitori
A special penalty, sometimes used in modern Japanese Mah Jong, according to which a player who has not won a single deal during the entire game (normally consisting of two rounds) must pay each of the other three players a penalty worth a limit (normally 2,000 points) at the end of the game. East normally pays and receives double. Yaku
Japanese mahjong word, What is needed in order to go out. Each Yaku is equivalent to 1 Fan. Yaku Table
Another name for Mangan Yakuman
Japanese mahjong word, Scoring title obtain when a player's score is worth 13 or more Fans. YanAnother name for eyes, Chinese word.

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