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SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
September 9, 2012
No. #536

American Mah Jongg (2012 NMJL card). Defense.

1. Consec. #3 - hot tiles are eights and nines in the other two suits.

2. Consec. #2 or 369 #4 - hot tiles are 5D 5C 7B 3D 6C 9B.

3. Consec. #2 or #3 - hot tiles are 5C 8B 5D 6D; fives are key (they must be paired, so if you see more than two of either five on the table, she has to be making Consec. #3).

4. Consec. #3 or Evens #4 - hot tiles are 5B 7B 7D 9D 4B 2C 4C. 2C and 4B are key (if either pair is dead, she is making the Consec. hand).

5. Consec. #5 - hot tiles are 7B and F.

6. 369 #5 - the hot tiles are 6B 3C 6C; 6C is a key tile (if she can't pair it, her hand is dead).

7. 369 #2 or #3 - hot tiles are 3C 3B 6C 6B 3D F.

8. Consec. #3, 369 #2 or #4 - hot tiles are 7B 8C 3B 6C 3D 6D. The threes are key tiles (indicators that can help you eliminate a hand from your defense).

9. Like Numbers - hot tiles are 6C F. 6C is key.

10. 369 #5 - watch her discards, and look for dead sixes to try to determine her second suit.

11. Like Numbers, Elevens, or Consec. #4 - ones and sixes are key.

12. Consec. #5 - hot tiles are F 5D 8D. Look for clues.

13. Quints #4 - hot tile is 8D.

14. Quints #2 - hot tiles are dots, four through eight.

15. 369 #3 - hot tiles are 3B F.

16. Quints #4 - hot tile is 5B.

A tip o' the hat to sharp-eyed reader Shelly M.

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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/.