PUSHING OUT THE WRONG WALL (Article 85)

Commentary: When a player pushes out the wrong wall, and someone notices that a player has picked and racked a tile from that wall, that player’s hand can be declared dead. In this case, play continues from the wrong wall. When the tiles have been depleted in the incorrect wall, the correct wall is pushed out, and the game continues.

When a player pushes out the wrong wall, which is not noticed until later, all hands are thrown in, and a new game starts.

Question from a player:  What happens if the wrong wall has been push out and tiles have been picked from that wall? 
 
Answer from the NMJL: Pushing out the Wrong Wall: 

• If a player pushes out the wrong wall, and a tile from the wrong wall is picked, the player who picked the tile now has a “dead” hand. The tile remains with the “dead” hand. The game continues from the wrong wall and then proceeds from the correct wall.
  If the wrong wall has been in play and someone calls Mah Jongg, they are entitled to the Mah Jongg and the person who pushed out the wrong wall pays for the table.
  If a player pushes out their wall before the previous wall is exhausted, causing another player to pick from the wrong wall, both players’ hands are “dead.”

Source:  Mah Jongg Made Easy (2024 page 20 #17)

Other answers from the NMJL:

“When a wrong wall has been pushed out and tiles have been picked from the wrong wall, then all hands should be thrown in and the game stops.  However, if the wrong wall has been pushed out and tiles picked from the wrong wall have resulted in mah jongg, the  mah jongg should be honored.” 
 
“All hands should be thrown in and the game ceases however; if tiles picked from the wrong wall result in mah jongg, then the mah jongg is honored.”  
 
Sources for other answers: National Mah Jongg League Bulletin Q&A (1995 page 4, 1997 page 6, 1999 page 6, 2000 page 6, 2007, 2019)