DISCARDED TILE CAN NOT BE USED FOR A JOKER EXCHANGE (Article 127)

Commentary: When a player discards a tile, another player can claim it to either complete an exposure with the rest of the required tiles from their hand or declare mah jongg and expose all the tiles in their hand. In other words, if a player discards a tile that could have been used for a joker exchange, another player cannot claim that discard and use it to exchange for a joker.

Question from a player:  Can a discarded tile be picked up from the table to use to redeem a joker from an exposure?

Answers from the NMJL:  Once a tile is fully named or touches the table the discarder cannot take it back and may not use it for a Joker exchange. 

Source: Mah Jongg Made Easy (2024 page 17 #4); 

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Other answers from the NMJL: 

“A tile may only be called in order to make an exposure or for mah jongg. It may never be called in order to replace a joker in an existing exposure.”

“A discarded tile can never be called by a player and used to redeem a joker in an exposure. A discarded tile can only be called for an exposure or for a declaration of mah jongg.”

“A discarded tile may only be picked up to either make an exposure or to declare mah jongg. It may never be picked up to redeem a joker in an exposure.”

“A discarded tile can only be called for an exposure or for mah jongg. You may not use it to redeem a joker in an exposure.”

“You cannot pick up a discard to redeem a joker in an exposure.”

“Once a tile has been discarded, it cannot be called for a joker redemption. Tiles may only be called for either an exposure or for mah jongg.”

“The tile may not be called and redeemed for the joker in the existing exposure. A tile may only be called for use in an exposure or for mah jongg.”

Sources for other answers:  NMJL Bulletin Q&A (1982 page 3, 1983 page 4, 1984, 1985, 1991 page 5, 1994 page 5, 1995 page 4, 1996 page 5, 1997 page 5, 1999 page 5, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 , 2015, 2018, 201, 20209)