SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

Majiang Competition Rules. Let's kick off the (Chinese lunar) new year with some Chinese defense exercises. I'm a bit rusty, so keep a sharp eye out for mistakes you can slap me up side the head with. An opponent is showing two exposures; what do you do?

1. Definitely do not discard white dragon! He could make Big Three Dragons or Little Three Dragons, and you don't want to bear the brunt of it.

2. Could become All Even Pungs, or Lower Tiles, or Triple Pung or Reversible Tiles, among other possibilities. I wouldn't discard 2C or ones or threes or evens (and other reversible tiles are also questionable).

3. This could make Mixed Straight. 4B 5B 6B are all unsafe.

4. It would be unwise to discard S or W (unless you can see them both already dead on the table). She could make Big Three Winds or Big Four Winds or Little Four Winds.

5. Could become Reversible Tiles or All Types, or Half Flush. Playing with reversibles or bams could be playing with fire.

6. Could become Pure Shifted Chows or Four Shifted Chows. All bams between one and eight are at risk. (And I wouldn't throw nine bam, either.) Don't bother trying to defend against All Simples; too hard to do, and it's cheap anyway.

7. Could become Full Flush or Reversible Tiles. Dots and reversibles would be unwise to discard.

8. Could make All Fives or Mixed Shifted Chows. Not really enough information. But to play it safe, don't discard any numbers between three and seven.

9. Could make Half Flush; bams are hot.

10. Could become Mixed Triple Chow; 1B 2B 3B are hot.

11. Your opponent forgot (or doesn't understand) that a Knitted set must be concealed. Nothing to defend against; this player's hand is dead.

A tip o' the Sloper hat to sharp-eyed reader Ray Heaton!

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Photos of the 2007 WMJC in E Mei Shan, China.
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.
Photos of the 2005 OEMC
Photos of the 2003 CMOC.
Photos of the 2002 WCMJ.


• 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.
• And be sure to download the MCR Errata/Addenda HERE. And you should also download Per Starbäck's "Beyond the Green Book" at http://starback.se/mj/beyond/.
• Competition Mahjong Official International Rulebook ("OIRB"). Takeshobo, 2002. ISBN 4-8124-0944-6. Condensed and now somewhat outdated English translation of the official Chinese rules, still useful as a reference. Translator: Ryan Morris. You can download it HERE.
• 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.

© 2014 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.