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HONG KONG MAHJONG (Article 164)
Hong Kong Mahjong is a pick-and-discard game that requires a player to complete a valid hand of 13 tiles. The components of a valid hand are a chow (three in a sequence; can claim a discard from the player on the left only) and/or pung (three of a kind) or kong (four of a kind) plus a pair to win. There are exceptions to this rule with pair hands and a special hand called 13 Orphans. House rules may vary slightly, and a 4-6 point minimum is typically required to win. This style is the closest to the original way to play and is the most widely known. It is a fast and flexible way to play, and it’s the easiest style to learn.
Replacement Logistics (i.e., Flowers, kongs)
Back of the Live Wall; when East breaks the wall, the tiles to the left start the deal (aka live wall). When players draw a Flower or declare a kong, they take a replacement tile from the back of the wall. Unless someone wins, the entire wall is depleted because players pick from the wall and take replacement tiles from the same continuous wall.
Dead Wall; when East breaks the wall, the tiles to the left start the deal (aka live wall). East counts from right to left seven stacks/14 tiles, and they create another break to create the dead wall (aka Flower wall, dead wall, ghost wall, kong box). This is where players only get replacement tiles for Flowers and Kongs. In other words, picking from the wall does not go into the dead wall. If the tiles are depleted and a player needs a replacement tile, they should pick from the last tile in the live wall. Some groups replenish the Flower wall from the live wall, so it always has 14 tiles.
How to Learn and How to Teach Hong Kong Mahjong using the Tibet Method
The Tibet Method was created by Benjamin Boas, an American author and mahjong player living in Japan. These rules have been modified for Hong Kong Mahjong.
| Phase | Layout | Blocks | Number of Tiles | Objectives |
| Phase 1 – One Suit (Dots) | Random pile | 1 plus a pair | Deal 4 tiles (concealed chows) Deal 7 tiles | Introduce Dots; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]). |
| Phase 2 – Two Suits (Dots & Bams) | Random pile | 2 plus a pair 4 plus a pair | Deal 7 tiles (concealed chows) Deal 13 tiles | Introduce Bams; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]; one suit or mixed suits) |
| Phase 3 – Three Suits (Dots, Bams, Cracks) | Random pile | 4 plus a pair | 13 tiles | Introduce Cracks; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]; one suit or mixed suits) |
| Phase 4 – Three Suits with Honors (Winds and Dragons) | Random pile | 4 plus a pair | 13 tiles | Introduce Winds and Dragons; explain corresponding Dragons; explain seat Wind and Wind of the round; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]; one suit or mixed suits with or without honors) |
| Phase 5 – All Tiles plus Flowers | Random pile | 4 plus a pair | 13 tiles | Introduce Flowers; explain how Flowers correspond to Seat Wind and Wind of the Round; create a Flower Wall; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., d; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]; one suit or mixed suits with or without honors) |
| Phase 6 – All Tiles plus Flowers | Build walls | 4 plus a pair | 13 tiles | Introduce building walls, rolling the dice to break the wall, deal the tiles; play open hands to analyze each pick and discard and coach decision making (i.e., chow (i.e., 3 in a sequence], pung [three of a kind), kong [i.e., 4 of a kind]; one suit or mixed suits with or without honors) |
| Phase 7 – All Tiles plus Flowers | Build walls | 4 plus a pair | 13 tiles | Introduce scoring (player reference); play closed hands |
Phase 1-5, introduce tiles and explain how they can be used. Turn the tiles upside down, then mix them. Have each player take tiles from the pile. Pick tiles from the random pile then discard.
Progress to the next phase when players are comfortable with decision-making.
Penalties
- False Mahjong: If a player declares Mahjong but has an incomplete hand or invalid blocks, the erring player pays their opponents the equivalent of a 4-fan hand.
- Wrong Number of Tiles If a player has too few or too many tiles, their hand is invalid, and they stop playing that hand.
- Missed Win If a player is ready to win but does not declare mahjong, that player cannot claim any identical discarded tile until their next turn.
- Final Four If a player discards a winning tile when there are only four tiles left in the final wall and another player declares mahjong, the discarder pays for everyone.
There are insurance penalties that ensure mindful discarding when an opponent has exposures that indicate they are playing a big hand or they have a sure win.
Big Hands
- Big Three Dragons: If a player has two pungs of Dragons exposed and player discards the third dragon, it results in mahjong, and the discarder pays for everyone.
- Big Four Winds: If a player has three pungs of Winds exposed and a player discards the fourth Wind, it results in mahjongg, and the discarder pays for everyone.
- All Honors: If a player has three pungs of Honors (e.g., Dragons, Winds) exposed and discards an Honor that results in mahjongg, the discarder pays for everyone.
- All Terminals: If a player has three pungs of Terminals (i.e., Ones, Nines) exposed and discards an Honor that results in mahjongg, the discarder pays for everyone.
Sure Wins
- 9 Showing If an opponent has three blocks of one suit exposed and another player discards a tile of the same suit that results in mahjong for a one-suit hand (full flush), the offending player pays for everyone.
- 12 Showing If an opponent has four blocks exposed of any combination (i.e., chow, pung, kong, same suit, different suits) and another player discards a tile that results in mahjong, the discarder pays for everyone.
If the discarder had no choice but to discard a risky tile (i.e., other opponents have insurable hands, the discarder has the same tiles for insurable hands), the penalty is waived.
Dig Deeper: http://mahjong.wikidot.com/rules:hong-kong-old-style-overview