WEEKLY MAH JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2010 NMJL card). Continuing defense by the numbers with the 2010 card.

1. 13579 has no hand like this.

2. Probably no card has ever had a hand like this.

3. Some years there's a 1-9 hand, but not on this year's card. Not in one suit, and not in two suits.

4. Like Numbers #2 or Consec. #3. Hot tiles are 1C, 1D , soap, 2C, 3B.

5. She's dead.

6. No such hand.

7. Kong of zeroes with kong of ones? Nope. Call her dead. No hand uses a kong of ones and a dragon kong.

8. There is no such hand as this one either.

9. Could be Like Numbers #1 or Consec. #4 or 13579 #5. The hot tiles are 1D 1B 2C R 3C 5C.

10. She can safely be called dead.

11. You may call her dead.

12. This one also is no good.

13. She is making Quints #1. 3D is hot.

14. She is mistaken. Call her dead.

15. She's making Quints #3. Whatever you do, don't discard any flowers.

16. Whatever you do, call her dead.

17. This one is no good, in two suits or one.

18. There is no hand that can use a quint of ones and a kong of threes. She's dead.

A tip of the hat to sharp-eyed reader Sarah Cohen!

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Question or comment about this column? I often miss something; maybe you'll be the first one to spot it! Please be gentle. Email and the discussion will be posted on the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board.

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 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/.

© 2010 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.