MAHJONG, WHICH VERSION TO LEARN FIRST (Article 202)

Introduction

Many people know about mahjong because of solitaire applications in which the player selects pairs of mahjong tiles from a multi-layered configuration like a pyramid. This is a solitaire game, but it is NOT mahjong! Another misconception is that it’s only played by the elderly, but many young people play it.  I learned to play when I was twelve. You can learn more about me if you read my bio. Now that I’ve set the record straight let’s look at the origins and fundamentals of the game…

Mahjong is a 4-player Chinese tile game that is unknown to most Americans.  The game’s name roughly translates to “chattering sparrow” because the tiles clacking together when mixed sounds like these clever little birds.  

Some say the game was invented around 500 BC, but the earliest archeological evidence dates to the 1880s. There are many theories about who invented it, including Taiping Rebellion soldiers, a Chinese princess, a Shanghai aristocrat, two Ningpo brothers, and even Confucius himself. Regardless, it is an intriguing game of skill, strategy, and luck that has lasted through the ages.
 
In the beginning, the game was played only by royalty.  It was illegal for commoners to play.  In the 1900’s, the restriction was lifted, and the game gained popularity throughout Asia and eventually made its way to European countries in 1920.  In 1923, the game was brought to the United States by Joseph Babcock, who simplified the game and standardized the rules for Americans. 

Most styles use 136 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. The tiles are like a deck of playing cards in that there are four suits with four of each tile, including Dots, Bamboos, and Characters, numbered one through nine, and Honor tiles consisting of Winds and Dragons.  Some styles also use jokers, flowers, and animal tiles.  It’s much like building a Rummy-style puzzle with three opponents vying for the same pieces.   In most styles, players start with thirteen tiles, and the game’s object is to be the first player to complete a valid hand by drawing or melding discarded tiles.  The rule set determines valid hands. 

There are many ways to play mahjong.  The styles currently number 47+ (learn more at Sloperama). In all my years of playing the game, there are four prominent versions, each with variations.  I’ll denote a Learning Curve to show the level of learning difficulty and Sustainability to show how long the style tends to keep a player’s interest.  The scores are based on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being short-term and 5 being long-term.

Hong Kong Mahjong (HKOS)

Hong Kong Old Style mahjong (HKOS) is very close to the original game and it’s the most commonly played worldwide.   This style requires each player to gather four sets (three in a sequence [chow] and/or three of a kind [pung] or four of a kind [kong]) and a pair to win.  There are two exceptions to this configuration: seven unique pairs and a hand called Thirteen Orphans, my personal favorite!  

The combination of sets determines a player’s score.   In many cases, the closer the combination gets to all one suit, the better the score.  For example, all chows with mixed suits are only worth one point, but if all of the chows are in one suit with honors, the hand would be worth four points, and, better yet, if the hand consists of only one suit, it would be worth seven points.  Honor tiles tend to be coveted because they have a one-point value for a pung of dragons and, in some cases, a pung of winds. 

Every player’s goal is to be the first to complete a winning combination of these sets. The point structure is short and simple, and there is typically a two—or four-point minimum to be eligible to win. 

Some players have house rules that include playing with two jokers.  The jokers can be used in place of any tile.  If jokers are part of an exposure, another player can take that joint on their turn if they have the tile it represents.    

There are a few restrictions with HKOS, so it’s the easiest way to learn and the most flexible way to play.  If you are new to mahjong, this is the best place to start – most people can play independently after an hour or so.  If you learn this style first, you should be able to quickly learn how to play other Asian styles with a fairly short learning curve.  Because this style is so simple, players tend to tire of it and move on to more complex styles after playing for a few years.

Learning Curve:  2

Sustainability:  2

Read more: HONG KONG MAHJONG (Article 164) ; FILIPINO MAHJONGG (Article 213)

Riichi Mahjong

Japanese Modern, also known as Riichi, was designed in 1912.  In this style, players are required to gather four sets (three in a sequence [chi] and/or three of a kind [pon] or four of a kind [kan]) and a pair to win, just like the other Asian variants. One thing that makes this game unique is the use of red 5’s and Dora tiles that can add point multipliers (han) to the winning hand. Another differentiator is being able to declare ready to win (riichi), which raises the value of the hand and allows an additional wager. House rules may vary slightly, and a 1-2 yaku (valued set or combination) minimum is typically required to win. 

This style has surprise and strategic elements that make it exciting and more complex than the Cantonese style. It’s quickly gaining worldwide and long-term popularity. If you learn this style first, you can quickly learn most Asian variants with a minimal learning curve with scoring.   

Occasionally, I search YouTube for videos showing how to play Mahjong in different styles. HanaYoriUta is the best series I have found for Riichi Mahjongg. HanaYoriUta created his channel in 2011. At the time of this post, he currently has 162 videos posted. He’s really into an Xbox game called “You Don’t Know Jack.” He also has a penchant for Japanese anime and Riichi. The latter interests me and is what I will review for this post.

HanaYoriUta created a four-part video series about how to play Riichi (also known as Japanese Modern) online and live. He narrates the videos and is the only one present throughout. He speaks clearly and is quite articulate, albeit quirky. He shares a lot of technical detail, and there are several surprise bits of humor, so they are all both enlightening and entertaining.

The topics span from the fundamental to the advanced, including setup, basic game-play, wait, payment, hand combinations, and variations.  Slides are used in the videos as well.  The slides are on a very colorful background that can be a bit distracting at times but the content, though lengthy at times, is well-planned and nicely formatted.

I recommend these videos for all playing levels.  Beginner and intermediate players may want to avoid the last video, where HanaYuriUta talks about variations that advanced players would find most interesting.   

Riichi Mahjong has surprise and strategic elements that make it exciting and more complex than Hong Kong Mahjong. It’s quickly gaining worldwide and long-term popularity. This version is relatively easy to learn, but it will take a lifetime to master.

Learning Curve 4

Sustainability 4

Read more: RIICHI MAHJONGG (Article 165)

Mahjong Competition Rules

In October 2005, expert players from Mahjong organizations in China, Japan, America, Germany, France, Denmark, Hungary, and the Netherlands selected the most popular scoring elements from various Mahjong styles played around the world.  These elements, 81 in all, are now used for international competitions. This version is known as Mahjong Competition Rules or Chinese Official.

The setup and gameplay are like Cantonese style except that the walls are kept in a square formation instead of pushing them in at a 30° angle.  Making exposures and discarding tiles follow Riichi’s (Japanese Modern) methods.  Players are still required to gather four sets (three in a sequence [chow] and/or three of a kind [pung] or four of a kind [kong]) and a pair to win. There are some exceptions like 7 pairs and thirteen orphans.  Other exceptions include “knitted sets,” which are special runs of sequential tiles from one set to another; for example, 1-4-7 in Dots, 2-5-8 in Characters, and 3-6-9 in Bamboos.  A player may not claim a discard to complete these sets so they must be self-drawn.

Riichi mahjong would be a good style to learn in addition to this one because it uses many similar combinations of tiles, so the learning curve would be minor.

Learning Curve 3

Sustainability 4

Read more: MAHJONG COMPETITION RULES (Article 166)

American Mah Jongg

National Mah Jongg League Rules

For the third post in a series of four, I’ll share my opinion of National Mah Jongg League rules, also known as American style, created in the late 1930s.

Each player uses a card that describes approximately 30 pattern-based hands. The card is published with fresh patterns every April and can be purchased at the NMJL website. The hands are arranged in categories like the current year, 2468, 369, 13579, consecutive numbers, honors, singles, and pairs. This style requires the player to gather singles, pairs, pungs (3 of a kind), kongs (4 of a kind), and quints to match one of the hands on the card. Flower tiles are used in many hands, and eight joker tiles can be used for anything but singles and pairs. One element that makes this game unique is the exchange of tiles called the Charleston, where unwanted tiles are passed multiple times before the first discard.

This style is probably the most common way to play in the United States, especially among Seniors and the Jewish Community. In my opinion, it is one of the hardest styles to learn, but it is well worth the effort. 

Learning Curve 4

Sustainability 4

Read more: AMERICAN MAH JONGG (Article 162)

Wright-Patterson Mah Jongg

Wright-Patterson Mah Jongg was created by the Officer’s Wives Club at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the early 1920s. It has elements of NMJL and Cantonese styles with Classic Chinese scoring. It is equally as challenging to learn as the American mah jongg and worth the effort. The valid hands are published in a booklet about every six years.

This style is typically played by military dependents, so many people have never heard of it. Learning this version takes a while because there are 90 hands to play 2020 edition of the valid hands, but it is well worth the effort. 

Learning Curve 4

Sustainability 4

Read more: WRIGHT-PATTERSON MAH JONGG (Article 163)

Conclusion

So which version should you learn first? Here’s what I recommend…

If a mahjong group is in your vicinity, learn the version they play.

If you connect to a particular style through your nationality, heritage, or country of interest, learn that version. 

If neither of these situations applies to you, I recommend that you start with Hong Kong mahjong. It is the easiest to learn and is the perfect entry point for all other versions.

Tom Sloper has an article about tile sets with visuals.

If you want a second opinion, take the questionnaire Which Mah-Jongg rules should I learn?