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By Tom Sloper
Cinco de Mayo, 2019 Column #720 |
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By Tom Sloper
Cinco de Mayo, 2019 Column #720 |
American Mah Jongg (2019 NMJL card). Let's talk more* about that "new" controversial NMJL rule: the one that says opposing claims for exposure should go to whoever exposes first. That's not really what it says, and it's not really a new rule. I have complained that this rule opens the door to "slam-exposing." Where did I get that idea? See the League's wording of the rule:
2007 NMJL newsletter:
Q. I called Mah Jongg on a discarded tile. Just a few seconds later, the player next in turn to discarder also called Mah Jongg on that same discarded tile. Who is entitled to the Mah Jongg?
A. Just as long as you have not exposed your hand...player next in turn would have priority.
2013 NMJL newsletter:
Q. Two players called for the same tile for an exposure. The second player who called started to make her exposure but next in turn announced that she wanted that tile also. Who is entitled to the tile?
A. Just as long as the other player started to make her exposure, next in turn was TOO LATE.
Mah Jongg Made Easy (2018 revision, page 19)
13. (a) When two players simultaneously call the same tile for an exposure, the player nearest in turn to the discarder gets the preference, unless the other player has started to expose their tiles.
2019 NMJL FAQs:
2. When two players want the same tile for exposure, player next in turn to discarder has preference, EXCEPT when other caller has started to expose tiles.
3. When two players want the same tile for Mah Jongg, player next in turn to discarder has preference, EXCEPT when other caller has started to expose tiles.
An aggressive player can read any of those and interpret the rule to mean "First player to expose gets the tile." This is not the intent of the rule. The intent of the rule is to state an exception; claiming a discard is not a race, but if you speak up too slowly, somebody else can take the discard. An exception shouldn't be twisted into a strategy. But people do, and I wish the wording forbade aggression.
Why do I insist aggressive players will interpret the exception as a strategic ploy? Because of how so many players misinterpret another rule: the Window of Opportunity rule. The window for claiming a discard opens when the tile is "down," and it closes when the next player racks, discards, declares mah-jongg, or exchanges a joker. When beginners learn that racking closes the window, they often think it means that when their turn comes, they have to pickandrack quickly, to purposely shut out claims for the live discard. And many players falsely believe that a picked wall tile must be racked. Some players even adopt a table practice of "tapping" the picked wall tile on the rack's top, to shut out claimants faster. This aggressive style of play is not the intent of the rule. Yet aggressive play is not at all uncommon in mah-jongg circles. Aggressive players seek all opportunities to shut out other players' claims for discards.
Note that if next-in-turn has spoken, no other player should be taking actions. Also, the rulebook says: "it is preferable to place the called tile on top... before taking the tiles in your rack to make the exposure." This could give the next-in-turn a smidge more time to speak. And that's a good thing.
* I previously wrote about this controversial rule in Column 712.
P.S. May 9. [Added to FAQ 19-H3]
In most cases, when one person speaks and another one not only speaks but also takes action, the one who made the action holds sway. Just remember that next-in-line having spoken prior to the action invalidates the action (next-in-line has priority). So maybe I've been worrying too much about aggressive players using slam-exposing as a tactic.
- Tom
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Question or comment about this column? I often, um... intentionally... "miss" something; maybe you'll be the first one to spot it! Email 
and the discussion will be posted on the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board. In fact, this column was inspired by the Q&A BB emails below.
Hi, Susan! You wrote:
I don't see it as new. Hasn't it always been that the tile goes to the player who is next in turn unless the player who is not next in turn has started to expose? Next in turn can't be asleep. That is no different than before.
You are right. The problem isn't the rule - it's the new wording.
People are concerned about racing and slam exposing, but I don't think that was ever the league's intentions.
Absolutely, it wasn't. But aggressive players often find loopholes and interpret rules in ways that lead to discord.
I see this ruling as clarification.
Yes. But something I've learned from writing about mah-jongg rules for over two decades is how easily one's carefully chosen words can be interpreted in opposite ways. Misunderstandings occur. Holes are found and exploited by aggressive players.
I still say that once a player who is not next in turn hears a verbal call from a player who is next in turn, that should be a signal to stop and concede the tile. It seems as if hardly anyone agrees with me on this.
I agree with you on this. The rule only says that an exposure overrules a verbal call. I think it would be good if the rule included additional wording to say what you said. And I like the Chinese 3-second rule; a caller has a 3-second window in which to call. Anything that happens during that 3-second window has to be undone so the caller can take the discard.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
May Day, 2019
Los Angeles, California, USA
The 2019 card (part 27) and slam-exposing (part #?)
>From: Kate S
>Sent: Friday, April 19, 2019 1:26 PM
>Subject: 2019 card questions
>Hi Tom,
>I have two questions on the new card.
>1. In the 2019 hands, the second hand with two suits. Since soaps are suitless when used as zeroes, I should be able to build this hand with a pung of 2s in any suit; a kong of soaps, and a pung and kong of 1s and 9s, respectively in the same suit, but different than the 2s. Do I understand that correctly?
>2. When I go to the updates page on the NMJL site, where they update the card issue on the FFF 1111 2222 DDD hand, they also seem to be making a change in who gets a tile if two individuals call for it. Do I understand correctly that if I and another player both call for a tile, neither for Mahj, it is the player that begins to expose first that gets the tile as opposed to who is next in turn after the discarder?
>Thanks so much!
>Kate S B
Hi, Kate! You asked:
I should be able to build this hand with a pung of 2s in any suit; a kong of soaps, and a pung and kong of 1s and 9s, respectively in the same suit, but different than the 2s. Do I understand that correctly?
Yes.
Do I understand correctly that if I and another player both call for a tile, neither for Mahj, it is the player that begins to expose first that gets the tile as opposed to who is next in turn after the discarder?
Not exactly. First in turn gets the tile, UNLESS another claimant exposes first.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated!
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
April 19, 2019
The "slam-exposing" rule
>From: "service@paypal.
I'm the one who coined the phrase "slam-exposing" (the subject line of today's Facebook thread), here on this website. Someone in the thread agrees with how I interpret this rule (despite the way it's currently written): the act of exposing is not intended to aggressively cut off opposing claims. I imagine one could use this rule if time is passing silently after someone discards a tile. The next-in-line may be sitting there thinking. In my opinion, if she thinks more than 3 seconds (the length of the Window of Opportunity in Chinese Official majiang), another player is free to speak and expose.
It is required to speak the claim. Someone in the Facebook thread mentioned something about just putting tiles up, without verbalizing; that don't fly.
I saw on the Facebook group today Ray Heaton's suggestion that I (or Michelle or Johni, or all of us) petition the League to change the rule. I don't roll that way. I interpret official rules - I don't try to get them changed. Larry and David Unger read my site now and then; they already know my stance on this. I think it takes more than a small handful of people to influence great changes.
>From: Leslie
>Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2019 2:52 PM
>Subject: NMJL FAQs Claiming a Tile
>Tom ~
>Please address the NMJL’s online FAQs section, specifically points #2 & #3. What’s your take on this? Would it not then be a good practice to start an exposure even prior to verbally calling the tile, to insure no other player can lay claim to it? (For instance, I hear a Flower discard, Ithen quickly place a Flower from my hand on the rack so I’d be assured of claiming that discard.) And how do you define “started” to expose tiles? Thank you.
>Leslie Z.
>Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2019 2:33 PM
>Subject: Reference: MJ@Sloperama Sloperama Mah-Jongg Answers - Donation from Leslie A Z
>Hello Thomas Sloper ,
>This email confirms that you have received a donation of$25.00 USD from Leslie A Z
>Donation Details
>Total amount: $25.00 USD
>Currency: U.S. Dollars
>Reference: MJ@Sloperama
>Quantity: 1
>Purpose: Sloperama Mah-Jongg Answers
>Contributor: Leslie A Z
>Sincerely,
>PayPal
Thank you for the generous donation, Leslie! Please address the NMJL’s online FAQs section, specifically points #2 & #3. What’s your take on this?
I have long said that I dislike the way the rule is written. The new writing on the League's FAQs page today is a little new, but still problematic.
Would it not then be a good practice to start an exposure even prior to verbally calling the tile, to insure no other player can lay claim to it?
If "good" equates with "aggressive" in your mind, then yes (I suppose). Also, note that in the rulebook it says it's "preferable" to take the claimed discard onto the rack before exposing from the rack.
how do you define “started” to expose tiles?
I interpret it as meaning you have placed at least one of your concealed tiles atop your rack.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
April 4, 2019
Conflicting claim, and a player has already put the discard atop her rack
>From: Zoe G
>Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 3:27 PM
>Subject: American Maj Jongg question
>Two people call for the same discard, but the first person who called it has placed it upon the top of her rack already without putting any of the matching tiles on her rack, the second person who wanted it was the person who had priority, either to make the exposure or to declare Maj Jongg. Did the person end the window of opportunity by placing the discard upon the top of her rack?
>Thanks, Zoe green
Hello, Zoe! Great to hear from you. Putting the discard atop the rack does not shut out the next-in-line. "Slam-exposing" shuts the window, by exposing tiles from the hand atop the rack. Your player didn't do that, so the next-in-line claimant gets the tile. See FAQ 19-H3.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 23, 2018 7:45 PM
Has the NMJL changed this rule?
>From: Jan K
>Sent: Monday, September 17, 2018 8:40 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Has there been a rule change by NMJL on two people calling for a tile. I always used your statement first in line unless for Mahjj.
>On line this came up by way of a friend.
>NMJL SPEED RULE-Page 19 - #13(a) - 2018 Guide Book - when two players simultaneously call the same tile for an exposure, the player nearest in turn to the discarder gets the preference UNLESS the other player has started to expose their tiles.
>I couldn’t find any update from you on this rule. Hope I am not asking a question that has already been answered.
>Thanks for your help,
>Jan
Hi, Jan!
Yes, that rule (about a player "slam-exposing" to shut out next-in-line) is discussed in FAQ 19 and in the errata for my book. And as one could deduce from the previous sentence, I've also come up with a name for the practice. I call it "slam-exposing" (I envision the possible scenario of two players rushing to claim the tile, and one shutting out the other by acting faster). This rule isn't all that new, by the way. It's been around since 2007. See FAQ 19-H (especially FAQ 19-H2 and H3), and column #696.
Tom Sloper
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated!
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
September 17, 2018
The "change of heart" rules, part 2 (see March 1)
>From: Susan D
>Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2018 5:26 PM
>Subject: Another Question about the Window of Opportunity
>Tom, After much discussion, hopefully most other players now understand that even if the person who is next in line to the discarder wants the same tile as another player(for an exposure) that if a player who is not next in line has claimed a discard and made an exposure, then next in line is too late. Today, there has been a discussion on Mah Jongg That's It! about if next in line wants the tile for Mah Jongg. If a player who is not next in line claims a tile and exposes, is it too late for next in line to claim it even if it is for Mah Jongg?
>Thank you,
>Susan
Hi, Susan! Your question has been answered by the League, in the 2007 and 2013 newsletters. I cited those answers in FAQ 19-H2.
if next in line wants the tile for Mah Jongg. If a player who is not next in line claims a tile and exposes, is it too late for next in line to claim it even if it is for Mah Jongg?
Probably yes (see FAQ 19-H2). But the players might perceive a highly aggressive player "slam-exposing" to shut out the other player.
How aggressive was the punger/konger? How slow was the erstwhile winner? The players at the table can reasonably judge whether the claim for mah-jongg should trump the exposure, based on whether the mah-jongg claimant was reasonably quick to call for the win, and whether the other player was aggressively pushing out her tiles in such a way that the clear intent is to prevent anyone else from playing.
Did the punger/konger speak the claim, then take the discard as is preferred by the new rulebook, before exposing tiles from the hand? All before the other player said "mahj?" If so, sounds to me like the erstwhile winner was indeed too slow. It's too late to speak the claim now, and in fact speaking it now (or suddenly gasping or looking upset) tells the rest of the table what she needs.
Myself, I like the Chinese 3-second window of opportunity. But that's too simple (and un-American, to boot).
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
St. Patrick's Day, 2018
Calling: the steps
>From: Debbie B
>Sent: Friday, January 19, 2018 8:41 AM
>Subject: Proper way to call a tile for exposure
>tom,
>I know there have been many discussions on who gets a discarded tile. My question is about the proper order for calling a tile for exposure. In my group most of us will call for the tile, expose from our hand and then add the discarded tile.
>We had a discussion that there is a new rule that states you must take the discarded tile and place it on your rack and then expose. This will eliminate the question of who gets the tile if 2 people want it. Basically the quickest person wins the discard.
>Am I correct in this assumption and any comments you can make on this subject would be greatly appreciated?
>Thank You
>Debbie B
Hi, Debbie!
You say this is a new rule? It's not in the 2018 bulletin. Are you saying it's a new rule in the just-released revision of the League's official rulebook?
I just learned this morning that there is a 2018 revision of the official rulebook, and this morning I ordered a copy. So I haven't yet read the 2018 rulebook. If this is a new rule, I won't know until the rulebook arrives in my mailbox.
I have never seen a rule in writing saying that it's important in what order the steps of exposing occur. I've seen it done three different ways, and although I used to object when someone would take the picked tile into the hand prior to exposing the completed set (that one was expressly permitted by the League not long ago), I never had a problem with either exposing the set first or racking the tile first.
Although actually I had a problem with another ruling from the League, the rule that says that a player making an exposure trumps any other player speaking a claim for the discard. That rule opened the door for aggressive behavior, slam-exposing, to shut out any other claims for a discard. If it is true that there is a new rule saying you first have to rack the taken tile (atop the rack, not on the sloping front), then I like that it shuts out slam-exposing.
So I support the idea of this, and I hope that it really is a rule now. Will find out when my new rulebook comes!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the
Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
January 19, 2018
Join Johni Levene's popular Facebook group, "Mah Jongg, That's It!" for lively conversations about American mah-jongg and all things mah-jongg.
Where to order the yearly NMJL card: Read FAQ 7i.
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 in the outdated official rulebook. AND see FAQ 19 for fine points of the American rules (and commonly misunderstood rules). AND every player should have a copy of Mah Jongg Made Easy, the official rulebook of the National Mah Jongg League (see FAQ 3 for info on mah-jongg books).
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