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WEEKLY MAHJONG

By Tom Sloper (湯姆·斯洛珀)

November 4, The Year Of The Pig
Column #342

Mahjong Competition Rules. Continuing from last week. Thanks again to Stéphane Parcollet and the Fédération Française de Mah-jong for these Chinese terms. In pinyin notation, words are Romanized, and numbers indicate the proper vocal tone to be spoken.

64-Point Fan

All Terminals	Qing1 Yao1 Jiu3
Little Four Winds	Xiao3 Si4 Xi3
Little Three Dragons	Xiao3 San1 Yuan2
All Honors	Zi4 Yi2 Se4
Four Concealed Pungs	Si4 An4 Ke4
Pure Terminal Chows	Yi1 Se4 Shuang1 Long2 Hui4

88-Point Fan

Big Four Winds	Da4 Si4 Xi3
Big Three Dragons	Da4 San1 Yuan2
All Green	Lu4 Yi2 Se4
Nine Gates	Jiu3 Lian2 Bao3 Deng1
Four Kongs	Si4 Gang4
Seven Shifted Pairs	Lian2 Qi1 Dui4
Thirteen Orphans	Shi2 San1 Yao1

As you read this column, I'm in Chengdu, playing in the World Mahjong Championship. This column was written and posted in advance. My apologies to those readers who play American mahjong, but when I have an international tournament to go to, the weeks leading up to the event have to focus on MCR instead, and then when I return from the event there are stories to tell and photos to share. By late November or so, we may be able to have another American column.

Speaking of "American," this World Mahjong Championship will see two American teams. Several of us who played at the Open European Mahjong Championship in Copenhagen last June will be in Chengdu, and the #2 champion from the first World Mahjong Championship in 2002 in Tokyo, John O'Connor, will be joining us. At the time this column was written, the American lineup stands as follows:

Benjamin Boas
Diana Moore
John O'Connor
Joseph Moore
Josephine Lee Moore
Ryan Morris
Tom Sloper

Readers may recall Ryan Morris; he was at WMJC 2002, the 2003 JMPA Goodwill Tour in Los Angeles, and at OEMC 2005 in Nijmegen. Benjamin, John, and Ryan are especially strong players. Looking good for the Americans this year!

麻雀

Click the entries in the header frame, above, to read other columns.

Question or comment about this column? Email and the discussion will be posted on the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board.

Photos of the 2007 OEMC in Copenhagen.
Photos of the Fourth China Majiang Championship and Forum in Tianjin, 2006.
Photos of the Third China Majiang Championship and Forum in Beijing, 2005.
The official website of the Third China Majiang Championship and Forum in Beijing, 2005.
The official website of the Open European Mahjong Championship
Photos of the 2005 OEMC
Photos of the 2003 CMOC.
Photos of the 2002 WCMJ.

Want to play Chinese Official rules on your computer?

Offline (solo vs. computer opponents): Four Winds from Lagarto & Armadillo Graphics is available at http://www.4windsmj.com.
Online (play against human players around the world): Mahjongtime is at http://www.mahjongtime.com

Tom Sloper's book, The Red Dragon & The West Wind, can be ordered through Amazon.com.
FAQ 22 answers the most frequently asked questions about Chinese Official scoring.
Download the official English translation of the Majiang Competition Rules for free at http://www.chinamajiang.com/ssxx20.html.
World Champion Mai Hatsune and fellow Japanese champion player Takunori Kajimoto have written the definitive strategy guide to Mahjong Competition Rules. It's been translated into English and is available for free at http://museum.takeshobo.co.jp/kokusai/index.html.
For more help with your MCR strategy, see www.tilehog.net.
Another useful MCR strategy tool is at http://www.mahjong-o-matic.com.
If you can read Chinese, the full and complete official rules are at http://us.mjclub.com/RulesAndScore.