UNDERSTANDING THE COLORS ON THE CARD (Article 14)

Commentary: American mah jongg cards use colors to indicate that different suits must be used in the hand. When there is one color, one suit must be used. When there are two colors, two suits must be used. When there are three colors, three suits must be used. The colors do not relate to a specific suit (i.e., blue does not mean the dot suit must be used, green does not mean the bamboo suit must be used, red does not mean the crak suit must be used) must be used. In other words, the player decides which suit to use for each color. The spaces separate the blocks of pairs, singles, pungs (three of a kind, kong (four of a kind), and quints (five of a kind). Here are some examples using the 2024 card:

Flowers (F) and Winds (NEWS) will always be blue.

One color on the card = one suit in your hand; for example, Evens #1 > Three 2s, three 4s,  four 6s, and four 8s all in bams

Two colors on the card = two suits in your hand; for example, Consecutive Run #4 > one 1, two 2s, four 3s  in craks with  one 1, two 2s, four 3s  in dots; you can start the run with any number so one 5, two 6s, four 7s  in craks with one 5, two 6s, four 7s in dots would also be valid 

Three colors on the card = three suits in your hand; for example, 369 #2 > A pair of flowers, one 3, two 6s, and three 9s in dots with three 6s in bams and three 6s in craks

In a nutshell, a change in color on the card means a change in suit in your hand.

Question from a player:   Do the suits correspond to the colors on the card?  Also, the Consecutive Run category has a hand shown in one suit with a corresponding dragon followed by “any 5 consec. Nos” but why doesn’t it say, “any one suit”?

Answer from the NMJL:  In illustrating the hands, each color signifies a suit. A hand shown in one color represents any one-suited hand. Two colors indicate any two suits. Three colors represent any three suits. A specific color on the card does not specify a particular suit. For example, if a hand is shown in 3 colors, it means any 3 suits. THESE SUITS MAY BE IN ANY ORDER [change]. If it is shown in green as the first color, it does not mean Bams, etc. The hands are clearly marked “C” for concealed, “X” for exposed and the value to be paid for each hand. An exposure is three of a kind (Pung), four of a kind (Kong), five of a kind (Quint) or six of a kind (Sextet).

Source:   Mah Jongg Made Easy (2024 page 12, paragraph 1)

Other answers from the NMJL:

“Three colors are shown to represent any three different suits, in any order.”

“When a hand is shown in only one color, the hand is played in one suit.  It does not say, “any 1 suit” because there is not always enough room on the card to indicate all instructions for a hand.  Two colors indicate 2 suits, 3 colors indicate 3 suits.  The color coding on the card never dictates which suits must be played but indicates how many suits are to be included.”

Source for other answers:  National Mah Jongg League Bulletin Q&A (2015, 2019) https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org