SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

American Mah Jongg (2012 NMJL card). An opponent is showing two exposures. What's your defense?

1. This has to be 2468 #1. 4C and 8C are hot. Check the life signs of 8C (in other words, look to see if 8C is dead on the table).

2. This could be 2468 #3 or #6. The hot tiles are F, G, 4C, 4D, 6C, and 6D. Look for clues (if F is dead, so is she; if any four or six is dead, you know her suit).

3. This can only be 2468 #6. F and G are hot.

4. Quints #4. 1B is hot.

5. 2012 #3 or Like Nos. or Consec. #4. The hot tiles are 1D 3D 0 2C 2B. If you pick 2D, redeem it; don't just throw it, since it too is hot. She might be doing 2012 #3 (if so, she erred exposing the 2D kong without the fourth 2D in hand). If you redeem J and she is doing 2012, you killed her hand but cannot call her dead; she can switch to Like Nos. or Consec.

6. 2468 #6. The hot tiles are 8C F.

7. 2012 #3 or 2468 #6. The hot tiles are F 8C 1B 2B. See problem 5 above.

8. Quints #2. The hot tiles are 1D 2D 3D 4D.

9. Quints #4. 4D is hot.

10. Quints #3. Dragons are hot.

11. Quints #3. Flowers are hot.

12. 369 #5. Hot tiles are 3, 6, and 9 in dots and bams. Check the life signs of sixes in dots and bams. If one is dead, she's doing the other.

13. Consec. #2 or 369 #5. The hot tiles are 2B 2D 4C and all threes, sixes, and nines. Check the life signs of 2B, 2D, and all sixes. If one is dead, you know what she is not doing, and that narrows the possibilities.

14. Consec. #1, #3. Hot tiles: 1C 2C 5C 5B 5D 6B 6D.

A tip o' the hat to sharp-eyed reader "sssm"!

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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 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/.

© 2012 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.