WEEKLY MAH JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2011 NMJL card). Defense exercises. What do you do when you see an opponent is displaying the following?

1. Yes, Virginia, there is such a hand. It's 2011 #1. The hot tiles are 1C, 2C, F, and soap.

2. She is making Consec. #4. F and soap are hot.

3. This is Consec. #5. All twos are hot. Carefully scan the discard floor to see if any of them are dead.

4. She's going for Odds #5. 3C and F are hot. Check to see if 3C is dead.

5. This is Sevens #1. The hot tiles are F and 6D.

6. Sevens #1 again. Same hot tiles as #5 above.

7. Has to be Quints #4, of course. 3B is hot.

8. Honors #3. Hot tiles are 1D and N.

9. Can only be Consec. #2. Hot tiles are 2C, 1B, 2B.

10. Three possible hands: Sevens #1, Consec. #4, or Odds #5. The hot tiles are fours, sevens, 2B, G, 3B, and 5B. Look for clues among the discards.

11. Quints #3. Winds are hot. Whichever one is rarest on the table is the one most likely she's going for.

12. This is Quints #3 again, but now flowers are hot.

13. Could be Consec. #2 or #3. Lots of hots: 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s in the other two suits, R, soap. Look for clues.

14. H onors #4. E and W are hot.

15. Could be Consec. #2 or #3. The hot tiles are 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s in the other two suits, R, soap. Look for clues.

16. Evens #5 or Consec. #1. Hot tiles are 1D, 3D, 5D, and 6s and 8s in the other two suits.

Thanx to sharp-eyed reader Belinda G!

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October 2010 article on American mah jongg's rise in popularity, from the WALL STREET JOURNAL: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703631704575552683266650568.html ?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_2.
There's a movie of the WSJ story too -- just click the Video tab on the above page, or go to http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703631704575552683266650568.html ?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_2#articleTabs%3Dvideo.

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/.

© 2011 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.