Mahjong Match

 

Mahjong is a traditional Chinese game that involves skill, strategy, and calculation, along with a degree of chance. It is typically played by four players using a set of 144 tiles, which are divided into several categories. Here’s an overview of the game:

Basic Setup:

• Players: 4 players, each seated around a square table.
• Tiles: The game consists of 144 tiles, including:
  • Bamboo (Bams): Numbered from 1 to 9.
  • Character (Chars): Numbered from 1 to 9.
  • Dot (Circles): Numbered from 1 to 9.
  • Wind Tiles: East, South, West, North.
  • Dragon Tiles: Red, Green, White.
  • Bonus Tiles: Flowers and Seasons (these are used in some variations).

Objective:

The goal of the game is to form a complete hand of 14 tiles. A complete hand consists of:

• 4 sets of either a pung (three of a kind), chow (a straight of three consecutive tiles in the same suit), or kong (four of a kind).
• 1 pair (two identical tiles).

Gameplay:

1. Dealing: Each player is dealt 13 tiles. The dealer gets 14 tiles. Players take turns drawing tiles and discarding them.
2. Drawing Tiles: On each turn, a player draws a tile from the wall or picks up a tile discarded by another player to complete a set or pair.
3. Discarding Tiles: After drawing, the player discards one tile to keep their hand at 13 tiles (or 14 if they just formed a set or a pair).
4. Forming Sets: Players try to form sets of three (pung, chow, or kong) and a pair. If a player completes a valid hand, they declare “Mahjong” and win the round.

Winning the Game:

A player wins when they complete a valid hand of 14 tiles. Some ways to complete a hand:

• Pung: Three identical tiles (e.g., three 3s of Bamboo).
• Chow: A sequence of three consecutive tiles in the same suit (e.g., 4, 5, 6 of Characters).
• Kong: Four identical tiles (similar to a pung but with an extra tile).
• Pair: Two identical tiles.

The game is typically played over several rounds, and scoring varies depending on the ruleset being used. In traditional Mahjong, players may also earn points for bonus tiles, specific hands, and other factors.

Common Variations:

• Hong Kong Mahjong: Popular in Hong Kong and many other countries.
• Chinese Classical Mahjong: One of the oldest and most traditional variations.
• Japanese Mahjong: Played with slightly different rules and additional points for certain hands (Yaku).
• American Mahjong: Often played with a different tile set and includes a scoring card that changes each year.