The Mah-Jongg Q & A Bulletin Board

The larger images are more attractive and detailed, but the issues I pointed out yesterday still apply:

So as attractive as these tiles are, I'm still staying with my font solution for my column for the time being. At some point, I may create my own 3D-looking tile solution. But it's nice to have my eyes opened to these other possibilities, and I do appreciate the tip.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 16, 2008

Here's some public-use colored Mah-Jongg Tiles (Would look great in your columns.)

>From: (Lana) looky.lou
>Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 12:56 PM
>Subject: Here's some public-use colored Mah-Jongg Tiles (Would look great in your columns.)
>PsyPets.net
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Hi Lana,
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm actually quite satisfied with the font I currently use.

I didn't dig very deeply into the matter, but it seems to mean that I'd have to place a license notice on each column, and for all I know my columns might even constitute "front covers" or "invariant sections" (whatever those are).

I'm not positive, but I think those PsyPet tiles are the ones used by YakitoriOnline. (I went to check, but YakitoriOnline was down today - guess the webmaster forgot to pay his webhost bill or his domain renewal.)

If it becomes apparent to me that color tiles would be better than the font I'm currently using, I don't think it would be difficult for me to make some graphics more suitable to my needs. For now, though, I'll stay with the graphics I currently use. They're a font that I modified (adding corner indices and a Joker tile) from a font created by Yoshiki Kita and available for free download at http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~mn8y-kt/font/font.html.

Thanks for the thought, anyway. May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Father's Day, 2008

Wow! Chinese MahJongg is so much fun!

>From: (Lana) looky.lou
>Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 4:07 PM
>Subject: Wow...Chinese MahJongg is so much fun...
>Tom:
>Thanks for helping us in our attempt to learn the CHINESE MAH-JONGG SIMPLIFIED, available on sloperama.com. Your rules are an easy way to teach regular mah-jongg players (NMJL -- or that other one...lol) how to break into another mah-jongg dimension.
>
>We started playing for Chows (3 in-a-sequence) and Pungs (3 of-a-kind) and later added Kongs (4 of-a-kind). Our teacher said we were ready to put the 8 Flowers back in, and we did. We learned how manage our Flowers and how to pick replacement tiles from the Garden Gate. For ease, we pushed each working wall out at an angle.
>
>After about two hours we had even mastered the double-dice toss (to initially break the walls). We tried to learn how to keep score. Who would have "thunk" that a revered mah-jongg doesn't always earn the player the higher score?
>
>Our teacher explained..."that above all else one must always maintain harmony in play." And we'll certainly remember that saying when we're trying to out-play, out-scheme, out-mahj, and out-score other players...lol.
>
>We are anxiously looking forward to choosing our Chinese nicknames. What is your Chinese nickname, and, if you have one...what does it mean?
>
>Happily we were all able to mahj at least once...phew!
>Lana
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Tom: Since I had recently written to you on June 7th (and my email was published on your Q&A BB) you don't need to publish this one -- your choice. I really just wanted you to know how much fun we had. I hope I didn't mis-quote any of the above-mentioned rules.

Hi Lana,
I'm so delighted that you're enjoying Chinese Classical mah-jongg. So many players of American mah-jongg don't know what they're missing.

You also wrote:

Our teacher explained..."that above all else one must always maintain harmony in play."
Which is what I've been saying all along in FAQ 9. Glad to hear the word is getting out.

looking forward to choosing our Chinese nicknames. What is your Chinese nickname
In all the times I've been to China, nobody ever said word one to me about having a Chinese nickname. I don't have one, and I don't know if any of the other non-Chinese players on the international mah-jongg scene have one either. I know nothing about how one goes about choosing one.

Oh wait, a guy I met there last time offered me 时同梦, which he said was a more poetic way of writing my last name. But I wasn't sure (its meaning is "it's time to have a common dream," which didn't sound special to me), and a Chinese friend didn't think it was so great, so I haven't been using it - and I don't know if it qualifies as a "Chinese nickname" as you suggest. I just write my name the way it was written in Chinese player lists - 湯姆 斯洛珀. It means "Tom Sloper."

you don't need to publish this one
Of all the emails I've gotten in the past month, this one above all needs to be shouted to the world. A player of American mah-jongg who's discovered the joys of one of the Chinese variants? Wild pandas couldn't stop me from posting it! Well, okay, I guess they could, but you get the point. (^_^)

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Father's Day, 2008

Is this a "missing link" or "hybrid" variant? (followup to May 7 post)

>From: arnold
>Cc: ArnoldA100
>Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 8:43 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Thank you very much for the information on the laaks from P&C. From the little I had been able to find—Rep’s book and mahjongtime.com—both of which showed a 10 fan, 3 laak system—I had figured that a laak of 3 fan (before the final limit) was pretty much an ironclad rule.
>
>I am still a little leary about how a home-crafted Hong Kong game could warp these laak and the fan ranking of hands. In the only game I played, I later got the feeling that the fan and laak design had been designed toward a particular playing goal of its designer, i.e., to give a higher than “normal” payout to the more difficult hands that could or had to include chows, because of the high relative payments given to all players during the game to their declared kongs. She gave 8 fan to both Pure Hand and Pico Pico. This is compared to the “normal” 10 Fan she gave to 13 Wonders, 3 Fan to Clean Hand, 3 Fan to All Pungs, & 1 Fan to All Chows.
>
>Yes, there was a typo. Sorry. Pico Pico had to consist entirely of Terminal Chows (123s, 789s), with an Eye of 11’s or 99’s. No suit limitations. No requirement of a “pairing” of a 123 with a 789. Later, I thought that this Pico Pico should have been built up from different defined combinations like 1 Fan for Paired Terminals, and 3 Fan for the hand Rep called 5 Corners (or 2 Fan for the OC Outside Hand). Or if just defined as an isolated hand, then ranked as 5 or 6 fan maximum.
>
>This laak system automatically had both Pure Hand and Pico Pico skipping the long 1st laak of (4,5,6,7), placing them on the 2nd (short) laak (8,9), giving them a good opportunity to jump to the 3rd laak (10, 11), right up there with 13 Wonders.
>
>Maybe this was all okay. I just would have liked to have been “let in” on this design feature. Later, for a long time, I just felt so crushed when the game I had loved and played so long was not the “real” mahjong shown on the computer and in the one book I could find.
>
>Well, such is mahjong. I still feel privileged to have been able to play, with real live players, any modern Chinese game, particularly a Hong Kong game with laaks. It was a unique cultural opportunity and I have found out so much about the history and context of mahjong.
>Again, thank you very much. (And I do hope I have no typos this time!)
>Marlene

Hi Marlene,
Took me a moment to realize that you were writing in regards to a post from five weeks ago (far, far below) -
>Is this a "missing link" or "hybrid" variant?
>>From: MKAswWA
>>Cc: MKAswWA; ArnoldA100
>>Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 3:03 PM

Now you write:

Maybe this was all okay. I just would have liked to have been “let in” on this design feature. Later, for a long time, I just felt so crushed when the game I had loved and played so long was not the “real” mahjong shown on the computer and in the one book I could find.
Mah-jongg players have to be flexible. Because every time you go to someone else's house to play a game, you'll discover that they use some house rules, some special interpretation of how the game is played. And invariably, they're convinced that their way is "the only right way" to play. See FAQ 14 and FAQ 9. Just be flexible, and bend graciously to others' cherished rules.

Anytime you have questions about the game, I'm always here!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Father's Day, 2008

From the FIND PLAYERS board:

From: Scana5溌aol.com
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 6:23 AM
Subject: Find Players/Teachers
Location (city and zip code): Manhattan 10025
I would like to learn to play Mah Jongg and am interested in joining a friendly group that meets in the evening. Thanks, Susan
email - scana5溌aol.com

Susan, also see FAQ 15 for tips on finding players or teachers. And you should probably use FAQ 2a to help you decide which kind of mah-jongg you want to learn, then look for websites (FAQ 4b) or books (FAQ 3) that teach that kind of mah-jongg. See FAQs above left.
May the game be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Father's Day, 2008

Kudos from NY

>From: Robert
>Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:24 PM
>Subject: Hi Tom
>Hi Tom,
>Just wanted to send you a quick email thanking you for such a kick ass site. I've been playing one or another variant of "Chinese" Mah Jong for a while now and thought American MJ would be a boring, useless pursuit. How wrong I was! I enjoy it just as much as CMJ and have joined a group of women (once again the only man) who play weekly at the local coffee house. Keep up the good work, your site is invaluable for reference. You truly are Mr. Mah Jong!!!
>Cheers!,
>Robert
>Mahopac, NY

Cool! Thanks for writing, Robert.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Friday the 13th, June 2008

Where can I get tiles like those?

>From: Sheryl
>Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 12:59 PM
>Subject: mah jongg tiles
>Dear Tom, I viewed your site and really loved your journey. I was wondering if you knew of any websites for this stores or anyplace to get tiles like the ones shown on your site. Thank you, Sheryl

Hi Sheryl,
Well thanks, but I don't know which journey you mean. I also don't know which tiles you are referring to. To find out about buying mah-jongg sets, please scroll up and find the links to the FAQs, above left. Read FAQs 7j & 7k.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Friday the 13th, June 2008

Kudos from Down Under

From: nickandclaire
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:38 PM
Subject: simple mah-jongg rules
Hello Tom,
I would like to say thank-you very much for your simplified rules for mah-jongg. I used your simplified rules to firstly learn, and then to teach, some friends mah-jongg for a weekend getaway last weekend. Your version of the rules made playing as a beginner really easy and fun. We scored using the ‘oooh aaah’ method and had a great time playing the whole weekend!
Thanks very much.
Nick
Melbourne
Australia

Nice! Thanks for writing, Nick.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 11, 2008

Erroneous exposure

>From: Ruth Schnake
>Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 6:00 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Re: American Mah Jongg
>When west discarded a 3 bam, east claimed it and displayed 2 bams and a joker. When looking for a discard she found that she had the wrong number of tiles and her hand was declared dead. When play moved back to west again, she wanted to claim the joker with another 3 bam. Two of us said "No, this is a dead hand.which was discovered during the play when she displayed the joker." Two of us said "Yes. She did not find the error until she had displayed the tile."
>Who is correct?
>Thank you. RMS

Hi Ruth,
You lost me with your first sentence. I don't know what East did wrong exactly. But I think I don't need to, to answer the question. East was declared dead, you said. But you didn't mention her putting that erroneous exposure back on the sloping front of her rack, which is what she's supposed to do when she goes dead on an exposure. If she'd done that, you never would have asked me a question at all. Read FAQ 19P - the FAQs are above left. I recommend you bookmark FAQ 19 for future reference.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 11, 2008

Couple tricky situations

>From: Bernice Vitcov
>To: Questions Sloper
>Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 5:16 PM
>Subject: After I called and exposed
>Hi dear Tom: 2 questions: 1)After I called a tile and exposed 2 jokers with the other 2 I needed for my kong I noticed that I had another tile in my rack and really only had to put up one joker. Is there a time I can exchange the tile from my rack to the kong I exposed?
>2) If a person throws a tile and miss states the correct name of the tile. The next player picks, racks the tile she picked and throws and the one who misnamed the tile says: "I made a mistake I threw this instead of that and player number 3 says: "I want that tile that was named incorrectly." Of course they can say that but is there a remedy? The person who racked a tile wants the tile she racked and doesn't want to put it back. What can be done, if anything. How would you resolve it?? Bernice Vitcov

Hi Bernice, you asked:

Is there a time I can exchange the tile from my rack to the kong I exposed?
Read FAQ 19AF and FAQ 19M. You know where the FAQs are.

If a person throws a tile and miss states the correct name of the tile. The next player picks, racks the tile she picked and throws and the one who misnamed the tile says: "I made a mistake I threw this instead of that and player number 3 says: "I want that tile that was named incorrectly." Of course they can say that but is there a remedy?
There's no remedy for something that happened in the past and cannot be undone.
Once the next player picked and racked, the error was in the past. Player 3 is out of luck, and it's her own fault for not keeping her eyes open. In this case, four people erred - first, the player who misnamed the tile - secondly, the three players who didn't bother looking at the discard.

From what you told me that player 3 said, she didn't say she wanted the tile for mah-jongg - if she did, the game should be thrown in entirely, and rule 95c from my book (page 61) should be invoked. Player 1 pays player 3 four times the value of the hand completed by the misnamed discard (she "pays for the party"). This is also rule 6 on page 17 of the NMJL rulebook. But since player 3 just wanted it for an exposure, there's no penalty and no disruption to the game - everybody just continue playing (player 3 gritting her teeth and kvetching if that's her wont). FAQ 9 might offer some useful tips too - I recommend giving it a re-read.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 11, 2008

Metal racks, part 2

>From: Sharon McClure
>Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 12:06 PM
>Subject: Metal Racks
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Thank you for your prompt reply regarding my rather unusual metal racks. I would be interested to learn anything you are able to discern from the information/photos included here. Per your request, here is detailed information on the set:
>
>I would classify it as being in fair condition, since there are missing tiles, as well as some problems created by someone's boxing up the set before glue repairs were completely dry on the tiles. (The fragile & somewhat brittle paper faces have stuck together and several are chipped or torn.)
>
>The exterior of the sturdy wooden box is painted black, the lid being decorated with a hand-painted gold picture of pig-tailed Chinese players (who look somewhat "witch-like" with their pointed hats). The lid does not slide; it merely lifts up. There is no brass or other metal trim. The lid is also decorated with strips of paper repeating the words "Mah jongg" which appear to have once surrounded the gold painted figures. The interior of the box is painted red and has compartments for racks, tiles, counters, etc.
>
>There are 134 dark wooden tiles with paper faces, consisting of 32 craks, 29 dots, 36 bams, 14 winds, 11 dragons, 7 flowers, & 5 tiles with the paper faces missing. (10 tiles appear to be missing.) There are no jokers. The tile dimensions are 13/16 x 1 1/16 x 6/16. The craks appear in 3 colors - red, green, & yellow. The one bams (2 red birds/2 yellow birds) & the one dots have reverse red & yellow coloring.
>
>There are 72 painted wooden counting sticks, consisting of 10 gold, 15 red, 18 yellow, & 29 green. (Some of the "greens" may be faded blues.)
>
>There are 2 ivory-colored dice, one of which is accented with a large red dot on the 1,3, & 5.
>
>There are 4 metal racks, previously mentioned.
>
>No paper manuals or other paper materials are included, except for the tile faces & decor on the lid.
>
>I will probably not keep an incomplete set, since I use my sets for playing, so I would appreciate an opinion of its value, in addition to its story - if it has one - so I can pass it along to anyone who might have an interest in it.
>Thank you.
>Mah jongg Mama

Hi Sharon, you asked about:

its value
That's a hard one, because I've never seen one of these before - meaning it's probably rare. But it's badly flawed, in that numerous pieces are missing, and one of the flower tiles is badly damaged, and there's no instruction manual, and the box top looks to be in bad shape too. It would only have value to a collector, especially one who has another set like it. A collector who doesn't have another set like it (thus doesn't have a crying need for its parts) would probably not pay more than $60 for it, but I could be off by $20 either way.

its story
Since I've never seen one before, I can't tell much. It looks like it was made cheaply, to be sold for a cheap price. The use of the name "mah jongg" on the box top is unusual and confusing, because it might mean any of 3 things - that it was made under Babcock's auspices, that it was made ignorant of Babcock's trademark, or that it was made after the trademark died of disuse. The set was definitely made for sale outside of China, probably North America, and probably was made IN North America. Could have been made anytime between 1924 and 1941 (possibly after WWII but probably not).

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 10, 2008

Sandberg must be wrong! Right?

>From: Amcxyz
>Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 8:57 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Regarding this book
>A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN MAH JONGG, by Elaine Sandberg (Foreword by Tom Sloper), Tuttle Publishing, 2007. ISBN: 0-8048-3878-X
>Sandberg on page 94 states if dead and challenger is correct:" ...you must pay challenger the amount your hand is worth listed in Values..."
>Our weekly group was surprised by this, as far as we know this is not part of NMJL rules. What is your read on this?
>A M Conboy
>Forest Hills NY
>amcxyz

Hello AMC,

Didn't you see the 2005 bulletin from the NMJL? (^_^) See Frequently Asked Question #19AB ("Called me dead but I'm not. What now?"). Please scroll up and find the links to the FAQs, above left. Click FAQ 19. Bookmark the page for your future reference. Scroll down and find your answer. If the wording of the answer is unclear, please let me know how I can improve the wording for future askers of this same question.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 9, 2008

From the FIND PLAYERS board:

From: Jayne Owens
Email: jayneowens♥gmail.com
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 9:19 PM
Subject: Find Players/Teachers
Location (city and zip code): Reno, NV 89523
My kind of mah jongg is: unknown
I would very much like to LEARN mah johgg. I am in northwest Reno and am open to learning any form of the game. If you have a game that needs a player, or if I can just sit in and learn while you play, I would really appreciate it.

Jayne, also see FAQ 15 for tips on finding players or teachers. And you should probably use FAQ 2a to help you decide which kind of mah-jongg you want to learn, then look for websites (FAQ 4b) or books (FAQ 3) that teach that kind of mah-jongg. See FAQs above left.
May the game be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 9, 2008

Metal racks

>From: sharonmcclure
>Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 6:26 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: I have just received an old American MJ set with racks made of what appears to be galvanized metal. Most of the racks I have seen and used have been wooden or plastic. Are metal racks unusual? (The tiles are wooden with paper faces, and the entire set is contained in a painted wooden box). I would appreciate any history you can share regarding this type of set.
>Mah jongg mama

Hi Sharon, you asked:

Are metal racks unusual?
Yep.

I would appreciate any history you can share regarding this type of set.
See Frequently Asked Question #7h. Please scroll up and find the links to the FAQs, above left. Give me more information after reading the FAQ, and maybe I can add something.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 9, 2008

Questions about Chinese mahjong

>From: (Lana) looky.lou
>Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 4:18 PM
>Subject: Just a half dozen MahJongg clarifications would help...
>Good day to you, Tom.
>Finally getting some gals together to start learning Chinese Mahj and then I discovered that there's the "official" and there's the "classical" and now I don't know which one to go with.
>
>In your book "The Red Dragon and The West Wind" you devoted pages 127 through 249 to the Chinese Official Mahjong. You devoted pages 2 through 126 to the American version, along with some history of Mahjongg. By the way, your book is a "keeper!" I decided to go with your book's instructions for Chinese Mah-Jongg.
>
>So I went online and copied your instructions for CHINESE MAH-JONGG SIMPLIFIED, which uses 136 tiles, but, but, but...I'm unsure about tackling this easier version. Until I compared both sets of rules I didn't realize that they were two different versions.
>
>Would the simplified version be best for current American MahJongg players who just want to experiment with some Chinese version?
>
>Should we jump right into the version that uses no jokers or flowers, or is that too big of a jump?
>
>Tom, we're anxiously waiting at the edge of the cliff and we're ready to jump...but how far? (Bite your tongue.)
>
>Just curious: What's the story behind the artistic sketch you use with your emails?
>
>A lesson learned: The other day I was playing for money and tossed away a 4 Bamboo which was really a Flower. I threw away a Mahj hand and didn't even know it until it was too late. The lesson learned is to carefully preview the tiles of any set you're not used to playing with before the game starts. The hand ended up as a wall game and cost me money. Strange, but no one caught the error at the time. Double duh...
>Lana

Hi Lana,
I'm so glad you like my book. You asked:

I discovered that there's the "official" and there's the "classical"
Look in FAQ 2b - there are a lot more Chinese variants than that!

and now I don't know which one to go with.
That's what FAQ 2a is for.

I went online and copied your instructions for CHINESE MAH-JONGG SIMPLIFIED, which uses 136 tiles, but, but, but...I'm unsure about tackling this easier version.
The simplified rules are intended to be a way to break in gently into any Asian variant. Actually, all it is is Asian mahjong, without any flowers, and without any scoring. You can accomplish the same thing by playing the rules in my book but ignoring flowers and scoring. FAQ 10 simply shows you the basics of Asian mahjong, is all. To get you started.

Until I compared both sets of rules I didn't realize that they were two different versions.
You haven't looked at Chinese Classical yet, if all you've printed is FAQ 10. FAQ 4b lists lots of websites where the CC rules are given. And as I said above, FAQ 2b lists all known variants - there aren't just two Chinese and one American. Take a look at Appendix 5 in my book. Personally, I think the CC scoring is too complicated, since every player pays every other player. But some folks think CO is too complicated because there are so many patterns to either memorize or look up. If playing CO, photocopy Appendix 7 as a tableside guide. After breaking in gently via FAQ 10, of course.

Would the simplified version be best for current American MahJongg players who just want to experiment with some Chinese version?
Sure.

Should we jump right into the version that uses no jokers or flowers, or is that too big of a jump?
As opposed to what?

What's the story behind the artistic sketch you use with your emails?
You mean the little drawing of me that I use to precede my answers here on the BB, and atop each of my weekly strategy columns? That's a caricature of me, from the Japanese manga "Kindai Majan" (2007年10月1日 issue, in the comic strip "愉快な人々," by artist 有元美保. Jenn Barr, an American who lives in Japan, is a professional mahjong player. She came to the Open European Mahjong Championship in Copenhagen last summer, and we first met there. She went back to Japan and was interviewed by 有元美保. In that interview she told him about meeting me, so I was part of the story. I'm chuffed to be a Japanese manga character! (^_^) Even if it was only the one frame.

The lesson learned is to carefully preview the tiles of any set you're not used to playing with before the game starts.
Yes, which is why I said that on page 30. And which is why I always use a different mahjong set in each class when I'm teaching.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 7, 2008

Where can one buy Hatsune Mai's book?

>From: Joe Ng
>Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 10:46 AM
>Subject: Hatsune Mai's book
>Tom,
>Where can one buy Hatsune Mai's book? My local Japanese booksotre (Kikokuniya) does not carry it. I had a friend inquire about the book when she was in Japan, apparently it is still in print.
>Do you have any links to book stores here or in Japan that still sell this?
>Thanks.
>Joe

Hi Joe,
No, I have no idea about specific bookstores that have particular books in stock. I couldn't even give you the exact location of a bookstore that has my own book in stock right now.

I recommend the Internet. I see that in FAQ 3 I'd neglected to show the kanji for the authors' names - an integral part of doing an Internet search. I fixed that, and here's the part you need to search on (you can copy and paste this into Japanese Google, at google.co.jp):

初音舞の世界に勝Ӗ
初音 舞 • 梶本 琢理
竹書房 ISBN 4-8124-2190-X.

That's the title (line 1), the authors' names (line 2), publisher and ISBN (line 3) Of course, since the book is in Japanese, the book is most likely carried on Japanese sites, so you might have to order it in Japanese. If you don't read Japanese, maybe a friend can help you figure out how to input the order.

By the way, you do know (from FAQ 3) that the important strategy chapters of the book have been translated into English, at http://museum.takeshobo.co.jp/kokusai/index.html, right?

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 7, 2008

Would it be better to break it up or sell it as a set, part 2

>From: Neva Wheeler
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 2:16 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>No, don't have the box. Not sure what wind tiles look like
>thanks for your help
>neva

Hi Neva, you said:

Not sure what wind tiles look like
You need to find out, then. You don't want to go on eBay and sell stuff without being informed. Prospective buyers are sure to ask questions, and you need to be able to answer them. Look in the Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQs"), specifically Frequently Asked Question #7N. Please scroll up and find the links to the FAQs, above left. Click FAQ 7N. Bookmark the page for your future reference.

May the sale be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 6, 2008

How much would this type of set sell for?

>From: LFHSC
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 1:33 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: How much would the set #079 on the museum website sell for? My friends Mother has one like it. All drawers have all the items like the one shown on the website.
>Thanks,
>Melinda
>Alabama

Hi Melinda, you asked:

How much would the set #079 on the museum website sell for? My friends Mother has one like it.
You're asking me to go to a website and look for a picture and give you an appraisal for a hypothetical identical set. Sorry, I do not offer a service like that. What I offer is to appraise your friend's mother's set for you, provided that you give me all the information requested in FAQ 7h, above left. An appraisal has to be based on a particular set - not a hypothetical set identical to a photo somewhere.

Standing by...
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 6, 2008

Would it be better to break it up or sell it as a set?

>From: Neva Wheeler
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 1:13 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Your site is so informative. I have learned so much and thank you.
>I bought a collection (set?) of tiles, some of which are bakelite (tested) and the rest I think are bone and bamboo. Also counting sticks dice, etc.
>I can send you pictures.
>The elderly lady said she had played with this set for over 50 years.
>I plan to list this on EBay
>Would it be better to break it up or sell it as a set?
>Thanks a lot
>neva

Hi Neva, you asked:

Would it be better to break it up or sell it as a set?
That depends. It's not clear from the photos you sent me whether you have a complete set or not. I didn't see any wind tiles, and the only catalin (Bakelite) tiles I saw in your photos were flowers and jokers (not enough jokers for a modern American set). It's also not clear from your description whether you have a box for the tiles or not.

If you don't have a complete set with box, then it's probably best to break it up.

May the sale be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 6, 2008

Slow player

>From: jackie.berman
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 9:58 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I play in a weekly game with 4 other women NMJL rules for approx 2
>years. One of the players is so painfully slow
>It is really becoming a problem it's so not fun. All she is interested
>in is winning. She does not have a clue what is going on at the table.
>All she cares about is her hand. She is a really good neighbor and I
>don't want to piss her off.
>We have said things like we have to play faster, we have even resorted
>to using a timer, 15 min per game.
>She is still looking on the back of the card to match dragons. She never
>knows when to push her wall out, any suggestions
>Other that ending this game and playing a night when she is busy? Love
>Love Love this site. Wish I could play in your game!!!!!!!

Hi Jackie,
Sorry, but I don't have any magic for you. If after 2 years of all of you urging her to speed up and pay attention, she still can't see anything beyond her card and she still plays slowly, there's nothing more I can offer you. She is what she is, take her or leave her.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 6, 2008

About stopping the Charleston too much, part 2

>From: Chak12
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 5:12 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Hi Tom
>Thank you so much for your really astute answer to my question AND dilemma about my group and their Charleston habits. I will definitely try your suggestions, and for now, not say anything, and keep track of winners and when they stop the Charleston. My frustration is that I do feel they are trying to keep ME from getting a better hand. As we say: OY Vey!
>I'll keep you posted on my travails.
>Helaine

Hi Helaine, as for what you said:

I do feel they are trying to keep ME from getting a better hand.
Yes, well, that is part of the battle, after all.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 6, 2008

About stopping the Charleston too much

>From: Chak12
>Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:22 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Hi Tom
>Charleston question - I have been playing with the same group of 5 players for about 2 years. During the past 6 months, the trend has been that someone, more often than not, stops the second Charleston. We could play 10 games, and maybe 5 of those games have the Charleston stopped after the first left. I have gently said that it is not really fair to everyone, but the others continue to do it. I now get the feeling that this trend is done to: 1. possibly prevent the "stronger" players from gaining a better hand, or 2. people don't want to "think" anymore so they just stop it. I have even suggested that we NOT REMIND players about stopping after the first left, because as soon as someone says "does anyone want to stop," inevitably someone says YES. Last time we played, we had more Wall Games, than wins. NEVER does the person who stopped the Charleston, win the hand! How can I bring the group back to stopping the Charleston only when necessary?
>Thanks for your time.
>Helaine

Hi Helaine,
I imagine you're going to find this really annoying... but I don't think this is really a Charleston question. I think this is really a question of how to manage a ménage à trios - an evil triangle. Your question involves three disparate needs ([1] the rules, [2] harmony, and [3] "what I want"), and how to find the optimum solution between the three.

This is a moral dilemma for you, Helaine! And I fully understand that.

The most harmonious thing would be for the other players to recognize that their frivolous invoking of the stop-the-Charleston rule is impacting harmony.

The quandary for you is that telling them that their acts are adversely affecting harmony could in and of itself be a disharmonious act! This is truly a delicate walk for you, Helaine.

You have told me that "NEVER does the person who stopped the Charleston, win the hand!" But you have not backed up that assertion with hard facts. As I see it, you have the following limited options:

1. Announce to the group: "I think we stop the Charleston an awful lot, and I also believe that the person who stops the Charleston NEVER actually wins the hand. So what I'm going to do is keep track of who stops the Charleston, and then see if that person actually wins that hand. After I've recorded 50 such events, I'll present you with the statistics I've recorded, and then we can discuss whether we've been stopping the Charleston too much, or not, and decide what to do going forward."

2. Keep your mouth shut for the time being. Keep track of who stops the Charleston and then see if that person actually wins that hand. After you've recorded 50 such events, present the group with the statistics you've recorded, and force a discussion as to whether they've been stopping the Charleston too much, or not, and what to do going forward.

3. Stop fretting about it. Frets are for guitar players (oh all right, banjo players and mandolin players and ukulele players too)! Just go with the flow, and enjoy the group - they're nice folks after all, right? Everything can't be perfect. That's life.

4. Quit that group and go find another.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 5, 2008

Tile spacing - and joker locating

>From: Chickering50273
>Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 2:10 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Display of tiles on the rack:
>1. Does it make any difference where a joker is placed?  dot-joker-dot  or
> joker-dot-dot                   joker-dot-dot-dot   or dot-joker-dot-dot
>2. Can all tiles be pushed together or should they be separated as each is called:
>3-dot,3-dot,3-dot  (space)  4-dot,4-dot,4-dot    or  3-dot,3-dot,3-dot,4-dot,4-dot,4-dot
>                                                                                                  ^
>                                                                                        (NO space)
>Thanks!

Hello "Chick," you asked:

Does it make any difference where a joker is placed?
It depends - are you talking about placement within exposures, or within the hand (on the sloping front of the rack as opposed to the horizontal top of the rack). This isn't a rules question - it's a question of strategy or etiquette.
- In the case of exposures (on the horizontal top of the rack), it's a matter of etiquette to put the jokers embedded within the exposure, so all other players can easily see which exposure a joker belongs to. The goal is to maximize harmony.
- Within the hand (on the sloping front of the rack), it's a matter of strategy. You should place the jokers in a place where you can most easily imagine them used in any of the possible places in the hand. Other players couldn't care less where you place them, since they can't see them anyway.

Can all tiles be pushed together or should they be separated
It depends - are you talking about spacing between exposures, or spacing within the hand (on the sloping front of the rack as opposed to the horizontal top of the rack). This isn't a rules question - it's a question of strategy or etiquette.
- In the case of exposures (on the horizontal top of the rack), it's a matter of etiquette to put spaces between your exposures, so all other players can easily see what your exposures are. The goal is to maximize harmony.
- Within the hand (on the sloping front of the rack), it's a matter of strategy to keep your tiles all together, without any spaces. If you put spaces between your groupings, other players can deduce clues as to what you're doing and how close you might be to making mah-jongg.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
June 5, 2008

Somebody who can touch up my tiles?

>From: hannah young
>Email: heygirl at sbcglobal.net
>Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 6:24 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Do you know any one in the bay area in northern California that can touch up and paint mahjong tiles. I have a beautiful vintage set and some of the tiles are get