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SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
May 29, 2016
Column #653

American Mah Jongg (2016 NMJL card). It can be tricky sometimes deciding between hands, and sometimes the mah-jongg goddesses force you to decide "right now," while the other three players are waiting. What would you discard in the following examples?

1. Not a difficult decision. Go for Odds #2, a 2-suit hand. That lone crak has to go. Save 5B for joker bait.

2. Must choose between Consec. #1 and Consec. #6. Count'em up: seven tiles towards Consec. #1 (I don't count jokers, if they can be used in all decision options), and nine towards Consec. #6. Can't call any tiles, since the latter is a concealed hand. For Consec. #1 I'd have to lose three Fs and a 6D. For Consec. #6 I have to lose the 9D pair. When you put it that way, I'd throw 9D and not look back.

3. If you throw a joker, you're waiting for a soap. Why take a chance like that? Force a pair: discard R or G.

4. Not a very good Evens hand. I see Like Numbers, in fours. I'd discard a two or six.

5. The problem with Evens #4 is that if you go with dots for the 2-4 part, you have no pairs. If you go with bams for the 2-4 part, you have to lose sixes. You can delay the decision a little by breaking up 8D right now.

6. Two ways of making Odds #5. One way you don't have your pair, and the other way you don't have enough raw material to go with the jokers. But a simple count puts dots ahead of craks. If you're feeling lucky, throw a crak.

7. If you go Consec. #3, which number for the middle? The craks suggest sevens, but you have no 7Ds. How about Consec. #5 instead? 6-7, 6-7, 8. Throw 8C or 8B.

8. Consec. #2 or Consec. #5 (eight tiles either way). 5D and 6C are not needed, so throw either one.

9. Consec. #1 (seven tiles, with half a pair) or #2 (eight tiles). As usual, Consec. #2 is the better bet. Discard 3D or 4D (save 5D for joker bait).

10. W-D #5 (nine tiles) or Like Numbers #2 (eight). When you count them like I did, this choice becomes obvious; go Winds-Dragons, and discard a six. The biggest problem is the missing N.



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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 about the American game, including official rules not included in the official rulebook. 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).

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