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WEEKLY MAHJONG

By Tom Sloper (湯姆斯洛珀)
January 30, The Year Of The Tiger 寅 (until Thursday, then it'll be the year of the Rabbit)
Column #479

I have not been writing the column every single week, and I wasn't going to write one today either, but then I got this email:

Hi, our group has enjoyed the Year of the Tiger hand (SSS EEE 2010 2011) and are looking forward to your Rabbit creation. Thanks! Connie

So I figure, sure. Why not? Here's a special hand just for the Year of the Rabbit:

The Year of the Rabbit begins this week, on Thursday, and runs until January 22, 2012. Thus the hand contains both "2011" and "2012," using white dragon as zero as per the American practice, and in two suits (any two suits -- dots may be substituted for bams or craks) for greater ease of attainment. Pungs of East and West, representing China (East) and our own part of the world (West).

As with previous special hands I've posted, this hand can be used in any 14-tile variant, and should be treated as a high-value hand, using whatever value your group prefers.

The 2011 and 2012 are not exposable prior to declaring mahjong, of course, because they're just single tiles and a pair.

I hope the Year of the Rabbit really hops for all my readers!

麻雀

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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.

Want to play Chinese Official rules on your computer?

MahjongLogic went online in 2009. It supports Chinese Classical, International (MCR), and Japanese riichi/dora majan.
Offline (solo vs. computer opponents): Four Winds from Lagarto & Armadillo Graphics is available at http://www.4windsmj.com.
Online (play against human players around the world): Mahjongtime is at http://www.mahjongtime.com

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.