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SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
October 28, 2012
No. #543

American Mah Jongg (2012 NMJL card). Charleston; what would you pass?

1. A lotta everything, so a lotta nothing; count highs, lows, odds, evens. Seven highs, five lows (fives count for both). Seven odds, three evens. Highs and odds win. Pass evens (you can throw in R as well).

2. Pair of eights. Its friends are evens and highs. Keep soap for now, pass low odds and winds.

3. Consecutive pairs in bams; clear low Consec. Pass highs. Wouldn't pass either of those dragons just now, for defensive reasons.

4. Strong Consec. beginning in the 5678 region. Pass lows, soap, and F.

5. Like Nos., Odds. Pass lows and evens.

6. Consec. #1, Odds #1. Pass 4D W R. Passing Wh too early can give someone a direction (i.e. 2012). Passing it later might put it in someone's hand after she no longer needs new ideas.

7. Ones and opp. dragons are a Quixotic quest with these tiles. Dragons are likely the false trail here; focus on the ones. Consec. (lows) or Odds. Pass high evens, and break up G. And I wouldn't try for Consec. #6 with these (too far).

8. Maybe Consec. (3456). And keep all dots for now.

9. It seems to be saying Evens. Pass odds and winds.

10. The pair of twos has few friends. Evens outnumber odds, lows outnumber highs. So think low and evens, let high odds go. Pass 7B 9B N.

11. Odds and dragons. W and R can go, and those craks don't fit either.

12. Pair of sevens and a lot of jokers. Could go Quints or Consec. or Elevens. Pass E 2B 3D.

13. The pair of sevens has friends, and 2D G W have not been invited to join the clique.

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Need rules for American mah-jongg? Tom Sloper's book, The Red Dragon & The West Wind, is the most comprehensive book in existence about the American game. AND see FAQ 19 for fine points of the American rules (and commonly misunderstood rules). AND get the official rulebook from the NMJL (see FAQ 3). Linda Fisher's website is the only website that describes American rules: http://sites.google.com/site/mahjrules/.