Chinese Official: | Overview | Gameplay | Scoring | Penalties & Errors | Resources |
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A minimum of eight points is needed to call for mahjong. There is less emphasis on Dragon tiles and concealed hands.
Initial Points
As these rules are based on tournament play there are no initial starting points. If you are playing casually everyone can start arbitrarily with 500 points.
Outline
The winning player adds up the value of his hand, then the other players may check and verify. The other players need not assist the winner in calculating the value of his hand if it is underscored. To visually show the value of the hand, the winning player uses (from his discards) a single face up tile to represent 1 point and a face down tile to represent 10.
The winner of the hand receives the score from the player who discard the winning tile, plus 8 basic points from each player; in the case of self drawn win, he receives the value of this round plus 8 points from all players. There is no scoring maximum.
Win by Self-drawn: Each player pays the extra and basic points to the winning player.
Win by Discard: Each player pays basic points to the winner. The player who discarded the winning tile pays the basic points in addition to the extra points.
Principles for Counting Basic Points
- The Non-Repeat Principle: When an fan is implied or included by another fan, it is not scored.
- The Non-Separation Principle: After combining sets to arrange a fan, it cannot be re-arranged to create another.
- Non-Identical Principle: If a set is used to create a fan, it cannot be used with other sets to create the same fan.
- Freedom to Choose: If a set can form both a high-scoring and low-scoring fan, the player has the right to choose which fan will be scored.
- Exclusionary Rule: When sets have been combined to create a fan, the player can combine any remaining sets once with a set that has already been used.
Criteria
The hand must contain 14 tiles and be composed of four sets and a pair (with the exception of special limit hands). If two players call mahjong for the same discard, the player sitting closest to East in turn order is given the tile. The hand must also have a minimum of 8 points (not including points for Flowers).
Scoring Table
Points | Hand | Description | Pattern |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Pure Double Chow | Hand includes two identical chows in the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
1 | Mixed Double Chow | Hand includes two chows of the same numbers but in different suits.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
1 | Short Straight | Hand includes two chows in the same suit that run consecutively after one another to make a six-tile straight.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
1 | Two Terminal Chows | Hand includes a 123 chow and a 789 chow in the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
1 | Pung of Terminals or Honors | Hand includes a pung (or kong) of 1's, 9's, or winds that aren't the prevalent wind nor the player's seat wind.![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
1 | Melded Kong | Hand includes a melded kong.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
1 | One Voided Suit | Hand uses tiles from only two of the three suits. The hand can include honors. | Suit-Based |
1 | No Honor Tiles | Hand uses suit tiles only. | Suit-Based |
1 | Edge Wait | Winning on a 3 to form a 123 chow, or solely for a 7 to form a 789 chow. This tile must be the only one that will complete four sets and a pair. | Going Out |
1 | Closed Wait | Waiting solely for the middle tile of a chow. This tile must be the only one that will complete four sets and a pair. | Going Out |
1 | Single Wait | Waiting solely for a tile to form a pair. This tile must be the only one that will complete four sets and a pair. | Going Out |
1 | Self-Drawn | Winning on a tile drawn from the wall. | Going Out |
1 | Flower Tiles | Each flower tile is worth 1 point. They do not count towards the 8 point minimum for making mahjong. | Special |
2 | Dragon Pung | Hand includes a pung (or kong) of dragons.![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
2 | Prevalent Wind | Hand includes a pung (or kong) of the prevalent wind. | Terminals/Honors |
2 | Seat Wind | Hand includes a pung (or kong) of the player’s seat wind.![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
2 | Concealed Hand | Hand includes four concealed sets and is won by discard. | Going Out |
2 | All Chows | Hand consists of all chows and no honors.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
2 | Tile Hog | Hand uses all four of a suit tile without using them as a kong. | Special |
2 | Double Pung | Hand includes two pungs of the same number in two different suits.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
2 | Two Concealed Pungs | Hand includes two concealed pungs.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
2 | Concealed Kong | Hand includes one concealed kong.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
2 | All Simples | Hand consists entirely of simples.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
4 | Outside Hand | Hand includes terminals and honors in each set, including the pair.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
4 | Fully Concealed Hand | Hand consists entirely of concealed sets and is won by self-draw.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Going Out |
4 | Two Kongs | Hand includes two melded kongs.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
4 | Last Tile | Winning on a tile that is the last of its kind. This fact must be clear based on the visible discards, melds, and the winning player’s hand. | Going Out |
6 | All Pungs | Hand includes four pungs (or kongs) and a pair.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
6 | Half Flush | Hand composed entirely of honors and suit tiles of only one suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
6 | Mixed Shifted Chows | Hand includes three chows, one in each suit, each shifted up one number from the last.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
6 | All Types | Hand in which each set, including the pair, is composed of a different type of tile (characters, bamboos, dots, winds, and dragons).![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
6 | Melded Hand | Hand includes four melded sets and is won by discard. | Going Out |
6 | Two Dragon Pungs | Hand includes two pungs (or kongs) of dragons.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
8 | Mixed Straight | Hand includes a 123 chow in one suit, a 456 chow in another suit, and a 789 chow in the third suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
8 | Reversible Tiles | Hand consists entirely of reversible tiles (1,2,3,4,5,8,9 dots; 2,4,5,6,8,9 bamboo; and white dragon).![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
8 | Mixed Triple Chow | Hand includes three chows of the same numerical sequence, one in each suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
8 | Mixed Shifted Pungs | Hand includes three pungs (or kongs), one in each suit, each shifted up one number from the last.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
8 | Chicken Hand | A hand that would otherwise earn 0 points (excluding flowers). | Special |
8 | Last Tile Draw | Self-drawn win on the last tile of the wall. | Going Out |
8 | Last Tile Claim | Win by discard on the discard after the last tile of the wall is drawn. | Going Out |
8 | Out with Replacement Tile | Winning on the replacement tile drawn after declaring a kong. Counts as self-drawn. | Going Out |
8 | Robbing the Kong | Winning off the tile that somebody adds to a melded pung. | Going Out |
8 | Two Concealed Kongs | Hand includes two concealed kongs.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
12 | Lesser Honors and Knitted Tiles | Hand composed of singles of any honors and singles of suit tiles that belong to different knitted sequences. Combines with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
12 | Knitted Straight | Hand includes a nine-tile straight formed with 3 different knitted sequences.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
12 | Upper Four | Hand consists entirely of suit tiles 6 through 9.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
12 | Lower Four | Hand consists entirely of suit tiles 1 through 4.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
12 | Big Three Winds | Hand includes pungs (or kongs) of three of the winds.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
16 | Pure Straight | Hand includes three consecutive chows in the same suit, making a nine-tile straight.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
16 | Three-Suited Terminal Chows | Hand consists of a 123 chow and 789 chow in one suit, a 123 chow and 789 chow in another suit, and a pair of fives in the third suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
16 | Pure Shifted Chows | Hand includes three chows in one suit, each shifted up either one or two numbers from the last, but not a combination of both.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
16 | All Fives | Hand uses a 5 suit tile in every set, including the pair.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
16 | Triple Pung | Hand includes three pungs of the same number, one in each suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
16 | Three Concealed Pungs | Hand includes three concealed pungs.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
24 | Seven Pairs | Hand consists of seven pairs. May combine with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
24 | Greater Honors and Knitted Tiles | Hand consists of one tile of every wind and dragon, and singles of suit tiles that belong to separate knitted sequences. May combine with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
24 | All Even Pungs | Hand consists of four pungs and a pair, using only even-numbered suit tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
24 | Full Flush | Hand consists entirely of suit tile of the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
24 | Pure Triple Chow | Hand includes three chows of the same numerical sequence and in the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
24 | Pure Shifted Pungs | Hand includes three pungs (or kongs) of the same suit, each shifted one up from the last.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
24 | Upper Tiles | Hand consisting entirely of 7, 8, and 9 suit tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
24 | Middle Tiles | Hand consisting entirely of 4, 5, and 6 suit tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
24 | Lower Tiles | Hand consisting entirely of 1, 2, and 3 suit tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
32 | Four Shifted Chows | Hand includes four chows in one suit, each shifted up 1 or 2 numbers from the last, but not a combination of both.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
32 | Three Kongs | Hand includes three kongs. May combine with Three Concealed Pungs if the kongs are all concealed.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
32 | All Terminals and Honors | Hand consists entirely of terminals and honors.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
48 | Quadruple Chow | Hand includes four chows of the same numerical sequences in the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
48 | Four Pure Shifted Pungs | Hand includes four pungs (or kongs) in the same suit, each shifted up one from the last.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
64 | All Terminals | Hand made with only terminal suit tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
64 | Little Four Winds | Hand includes three pungs of winds, and a pair of the fourth wind. Can combine with Prevalent Wind and Seat Wind.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
64 | Little Three Dragons | Hand includes two pungs of dragons and pair of the third dragon.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
64 | All Honors | Hand is composed entirely of only honor tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
64 | Four Concealed Pungs | Hand includes four concealed pungs. Combines with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pung-Based |
64 | Pure Terminal Chows | Hand includes two 123 chows, two 789 chows, and a pair of 5's, all in the same suit.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chow-Based |
88 | Big Four Winds | Hand includes pungs (or kongs) of all four wind tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terrminals/Honors |
88 | Big Three Dragons | Hand includes pungs (or kongs) of all three dragon tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Terminals/Honors |
88 | All Green | Hand is composed entirely of the 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 of bamboo and/or green dragon tiles.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
88 | Nine Gates | Holding a concealed hand of 1112345678999 tiles in one suit, and winning on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 of the same suit. Combines with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Suit-Based |
88 | Four Kongs | Hand includes four kongs. Does not combine with Single Wait. Points for concealed pungs can be added.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kong-Based |
88 | Seven Shifted Pairs | Hand is composed of seven pairs in the same suit, each shifted one up from the last. Combines with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
88 | Thirteen Orphans | Hand is composed of singles of any 12 of the 1, 9, and Honor tiles, along with a pair of the 13th. Combines with Fully Concealed Hand if Self-Drawn.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Special |
Remember the Non-Repeat Principle: When a fan is implied by or included by another fan, it is not scored. For example, if you have a Middle Tiles hand, you can't add points for All Simples or No Honor Tiles.
Note that having one concealed kong and one melded kong is worth six points.
Example
Example 1
Consider the following example. East (東) round; South (南) position.
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pair | concealed chow | waiting on 6-9 | melded kong | out on |
Half Flush | 6 |
Melded Kong | 1 |
Pung of Terminals/Honors | 1 |
Pure Double Chow | 1 |
Short Straight | 1 |
11 | |
Payment | 35 [(11 + 8) + 8 + 8)] |
Breaking down the hand, we earned 6 points for Half Flush. From the melded kong of Wests, we earn 2 additional points: one for having melded kong and one for having a pung of terminals/honors. Remember kongs are also counted as a pung. One point is earned for having a pure double chow (678 twice). We can combine the 345 chow with a 678 chow to make a short straight for one more point. Due to the non-identical principle we cannot do this twice with the other 678 chow.
The responsible player will pay out the value of the hand, 11, plus 8 points for winning. The two other players must pay out 8 basic points each for a combined total of 35.