NMJL RULES FAQs (Article 250)

Mah Jongg Made Easy, the official guidebook from the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), covers the game’s fundamentals, including rules, protocols, scoring, and variations. The NMJL also publishes annual bulletins and responds to player inquiries for rule clarification. However, many players are unaware of these resources, leading to frequent rule questions on social media. The Mahj Life wiki was created to offer reliable answers, and below are the most common questions with clear explanations and official NMJL rulings.

Commitment
This collection of wiki articles explores key actions, such as Charleston passing, picking tiles from the wall, calling discards, and discarding tiles, while highlighting the importance of commitment to these actions.

Concurrent Interests
This collection of wiki articles examines situations where multiple players’ interests collide, providing a detailed outline of the rules, strategies, and etiquette that promote smooth gameplay and fairness.

Joker Protocols
This collection of wiki articles describes the protocols for using jokers, detailing the rules, strategies, and best practices to ensure compliance and fairness.

Mah jongg in Error
This collection of wiki articles explains how to proceed when a player incorrectly declares mah jongg, providing next steps to maintain the integrity and flow of the game.

Misnamed Discards
This collection of wiki articles describe what to do when a player misnames a discard and how to proceed in a way that maintains the integrity the game.

Naming Discards
This collection explains how and why discards are named, clarifying standard terminology and common misstatements. Clear naming supports turn order, priority, and table flow, helping prevent misunderstandings and keep play consistent across tables.

Disqualification
This collection of wiki articles clarifies when a hand becomes unplayable and what should happen next, offering clear guidance so players can handle disqualifications consistently, confidently, and without disrupting the rhythm of the game.

It’s kinder to use the term “disqualified,” “invalid,” and “unwinnable.”

Scoring
This collection of wiki articles details how to score a winning hand, including the variations when playing with a bettor.