Subject: Re: Fwd: Follow up
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:53:49 -0000
>Hello Tom and Chris.
>It is very difficult to make an accurate observation from just pictures alone as I hope you can appreciate.
>
>With that caveat in mind, I am somewhat dubious about the dovetail joints of these tiles. You will notice that the end of the bone dovetails on some of the tiles are broken or cracked and that the bone dovetails do not match the bamboo dovetail shapes in a symmetrical fashion. When tiles were made, there were gaps usually found between the bone and bamboo and this was filled with an amalgam of glue and bamboo dust. During bamboo shrinkage or tile impact, this filler fell out leaving a tiny gap between the bone and bamboo. This problem appeared in mass produced tile sets.
>
>However, in this case it appears there is no shrinkage and the gaps appear at the extreme ends of the dovetail joints.
>
>It is my opinion that the bone tops and bamboo bases are not original to each other. In other words, it seems that the bone tops have been inserted into bamboo bases not originally designed for them – hence the difference in the size of the bamboo dovetail shape and the bone dovetail shape. This also may account for the broken edges of the bone dovetails.
>
>These tiles are very similar to a set I have and from which I have also inferred these conclusions as well.
>
>My set has bamboo bases that are also artificially darkened to simulate age. I cannot discern this to be the case in Chris’s set although the colour is very similar to mine and the corners of the bamboo bases appear lighter than the sides – as in mine. This colour and effect can be seen in modern looking reproduction sets commonly found on ebay that sometimes pose as antique sets.
>
>I think the bone tops may be old but I am not certain. Mine are also ambiguous in age.
>
>All in all, I cannot honestly give a value to Chris’s set due to the ambiguities I have highlighted. The engravings are interesting – especially the ‘bamboos’ and I think these reflect the strings of cash origin of this suit. Hence, my interest in their age.
>
>I am going to check my Japanese MJ Museum books as I think this type of set is represented in their collection.
>I will report back shortly about that.
>Regards
>Michael
Where can I get a copy of that game CD I lost?
>From: "JMD"
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:21:54 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I used to have a CD of Mah Jongg the full 4 winds game, not the matching tiles or the card. It was put out by Barry Blome and Game House. Somewhere I lost it and I am lost without my game. Please help me find a CD.
>Thank you,
>Sharon D
Hello Sharon,
I recommend you go to Berrie Bloem's website and ask him how to get one. His website is listed in
Frequently Asked Question #5.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this 
). Find the link to FAQ #5 and click it. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found in the FAQs.
May the CD be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 29, 2010
Found this old set, part 4
>Subject: Follow up
>From: Pigott C
>Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:46:47 -0800
>Hello Tom and Michael,
>Enclosed are pics showing random tiles on their sides. I would say that most dovetails are fine. I have found a few that slide a little side to side. No tiles are separated or broken. Just wear and tear I think.
>I'm new to this and am not an expert at stating condition, happy to provide more pics and info!
>Thank you gentlemen.
>Chris
Hi Chris,
OK, we'll see what Michael thinks about that. To expand a little on what I wrote yesterday: the majority of people who buy old mahjong sets buy them for their good looks and their utility. A relatively small percentage buy old sets for where they fit into a historical spectrum. It's possible that this is a pre-1920s set but it's not particularly pretty, and could be used in a limited way (to play an Asian game without flowers). So to determine its value is to determine its value to a subset of collectors only. If it were in a usual/normal auction to a usual/normal group of bidders, it would likely go for somewhere in the $90-100 range. A collector interested in its historical value might pay more. Maybe. At least, that's my experience with having purchased pre-1920s sets -- they were in normal auction settings, from sellers who just wanted to get whatever a normal auction would bring.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 29, 2010
Sole survivor - what now?
>From: Chickering50273
>Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:03:12 -0500 (EST)
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Example:
>four players
>three of them are called dead and each one of the three agrees that she/he is dead.
>what happens at that point (there are still tiles in the wall to be drawn)
Hello, Chick,
You weren't very specific as to the "cause of death" -- I assume it's each player's own fault (something that she herself did to cause a proper death challenge). At that point, it's a bad game, and everybody throws in their tiles. The sole survivor can't very well keep on playing by herself. And it would be dumb if the rule was that the survivor gets paid because everybody else just screwed up, since the survivor might have squat.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 28, 2010
But what if...?
>Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:36:03 -0700
>Subject: Value
>From: Megan T
>What if I did have two sets of Mahjongg tiles dated before 1920. They were a gift to my Great Grandfather from China.
Hi Megan,
Your "what if" question does not negate what I wrote in
Frequently Asked Question #7H. The value of a set still depends on a variety of factors, and I cannot tell you the value of a set without you giving me the information specified in the FAQ. If you don't know where the FAQs are, please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found in the FAQs. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 28, 2010
Found this old set, parts 2 & 3
>Subject: Thanks
>From: Chris P
>Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:36:28 -0800
>Tom,
>Many thanks for taking a look at my new set. I love your website and am new to mah jongg. I've learned a great deal from your site.
>If there's any more info, pics etc that would be helpful, I'm happy to send.
>Appreciate your help.
>Chris
Now that you mention it, Chris:
>From: "Michael Stanwick"
>Subject: Re: Just found this old set
>Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 19:49:20 -0000
>Hello Tom. Seasons greetings. I bought a very similar set some while ago. I was interested in the rendition of the ‘bamboos’ that actually represent strings of cash. However, when I received it, I noticed that there was something wrong with the joins between the bone and the bamboo portion of the tiles.
>Could you ask your correspondent if he could show a random selection of tiles on their sides and could you ask him to see if all the dovetails are intact?
>Cheers
>Michael
OK, Michael. Will do. Chris, if you send the photos Michael asks, maybe Michael can share his opinion on the value of your set.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 27, 2010
Found this old set
>Subject: Just found this old set
>From: P Christopher
>Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:50:19 -0800
>Hello Tom,
>I just found this old mah jongg set in an old plastic box in an antique warehouse in a dusty case. Pics enclosed.
>The original box and paperwork are missing.
>There are two small dice (10mm sq).
>The tiles measure 25mm x 18mm x 11mm.
>They appear to be bone on bamboo.
>The backs are concave and bow out slightly while the fronts are flat.
>The tiles are well worn and there is almost no color on the engravings. Only one or two tiles show slight color residue.
>The basic 136 tile set is complete.
>There are no additional tiles.
>There are no roman or Arabic numerals.
>I'd love your help in determining if this set has any value.
>Kind regards,
>Chris
Hi Chris, you asked:
if this set has any value.
Yes, it does -- to a collector or a museum. It looks quite old (as you say), although I'm a little suspicious of those 1 bam tiles. Hard to say how much value. Might not go for all that much if it was in an auction next to prettier sets with more tiles and in an exotic box or something. I'm going to hold off picking an amount for the time being.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 27, 2010
Little goof in the column, part 2
>From: Linda Kane
>Sent: Sat, December 25, 2010
>Subject: re: Tom Sloper's Weekly Mah Jongg Strategy Column
>Thanks.
>Love your website & your column!
>Happy Holidays to you as well.
>:) Linda
>Sent from my iPad
(^_^) Happy Boxing Day!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 26, 2010
Sent from my Intel Core2 Duo
Little goof in the column
>From: Linda Kane
>Sent: Sat, December 25, 2010 5:02:14 AM
>Subject: Tom Sloper's Weekly Mah Jongg Strategy Column
>http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/column475a.html
>#14 hot tiles could also be 2D 5C
>:) Linda
>Sent from my iPad
Thanks, Linda. Fixed now. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Christmas Day, 2010
Sent from my Intel Core2 Duo (under the desk desktop)
Please give me your opinion on this set, part 2
>From: Mick D
>Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 2:47:07 PM
>Subject: Re: Ivory Mah-jongg set
>follow-up Q: thanks for the reply and for pointing out that I legally imported the set (just!); how should I go about establishing that it IS ivory and that I didn't waste my money?
>Mick
I explained that in FAQ 7c2. You referenced FAQ 7c, but you didn't say you had done the "Is It Ivory" checklist in FAQ 7c2. If you do it and your results say it's ivory (your checklist nets you 3 yeses out of 3), that's good enough for me.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Christmas Eve, 2010
Please give me your opinion on this set
>From: Mick D
>Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 10:40:53 AM
>Subject: Ivory Mah-jongg set
>Tom,
>I'd appreciate your opinion on this set.
>You can't see in the photo but the "curvy grain of ivory on the front and the "stacked chevrons" or cross hatching on the sides" are clearly visible. (from http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/id.html)
>Merry Christmas!
>Mick
Hello Mick,
I see that the invoice says the item was HK$6,800 in 1988. Today's exchange rate is such that this would equate to US$874. I couldn't find the 1988 exchange rate, but the 1990 exchange rate still makes this about $874. And I checked on when it became illegal to import ivory items. The African Elephant Conservation Act was enacted or passed in October of that year, so the item was imported legally, assuming it was brought here shortly after purchase in July.
As for my opinion. You didn't say what kind of opinion you wanted. All I can say is, at that price, I sure hope it really is ivory. Awfully expensive if it isn't.
Merry Christmas.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Christmas Eve, 2010
Wild Flowers - 1948 NMJL Card
>From: Sara C
>Subject: Wild Flowers - 1948 NMJL Card
>Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:37:49 -0500
>Dear Tom,
>I recently came across an old 1948 NMJL Card. I read in your Column #311 that this year they played with 18F and that the flowers were used like Jokers ie. "Wild Flowers.". The card says that "Each player takes one flower before building wall. Wall is broken and each player takes twelve tiles. East...takes one additional tile." The only rule discussing the use of Flowers seems to be: "A flower can never be discarded." Do you know if they allowed the flower (ie. "Wild Flower") to be used as a single or pair back then?". I know that the 1963-64 card says "BIG JOKERS may replace any tiles in any hand, for anything."
>Thank you,
>Sarah
>Sent from my iPhone
Hi Sarah, you asked:
Do you know if they allowed the flower (ie. "Wild Flower") to be used as a single or pair back then?"
No, I don't. I can guess, but that would be just a guess. I can surmise, but that wouldn't be much better. The NMJL might be able to answer this question.
Posted from my desktop.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 22, 2010
How we played 3-player today
> Subject: Mahjong variation
> From: jjaclen
> Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:57:30 -0500 (EST)
> Hi Tom, ....
> Since we were down a player today, I pulled a 'Babcock' and decided we would use a
> triangular wall, with 24 tiles per side...It felt like the normal game; moved quickly; and
> we had 4 Majong's playing 5 hands...Obviously one has more easy access to
> a larger variety of tiles this way..Still....it made for an enjoyable session..
> Best wishes for the Holidays!! .....(Our group ordered a few more of your books)! Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Yes, you'll invariably find that there are more wins (and that high-scoring hands are easier to get) when playing with 3 people. There are a number of ways one can play 3-player, outlined in FAQ 13b and 13c. Have a great mahjong holiday time!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 20, 2010
The largest tile size that I would be able to find in the U.S.?
>From: "Faith A
>Subject: Tile Sizes
>Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:53:33 -0800
>Hello, would you be able to tell me the largest tile size that I would be able to find in the U.S.? I read online that there are sizes 6 - 8 with the corresponding mm sizes. I would like to get a set with larger tiles so that my friend who has arthritis can easily handle the tiles. She has difficulty with the standard size that I seem to find online and in the stores. Any information you may be able to share would be greatly appreciated.
>Thank You
Hello Faith,
the largest tile size that I would be able to find in the U.S.?
The largest tile size you can find in the U.S. is the same thing as the largest tile size available -- Vietnamese tiles, as described in
Frequently Asked Question #7A. The FAQs are above left, marked with a
blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ).
I read online that there are sizes 6 - 8 with the corresponding mm sizes.
Since I am not a mindreader, I don't know what those corresponding mm sizes are and I don't know where you found the information you found, but you didn't find that information in FAQ 7A, so maybe it would help if you read FAQ 7A.
I would like to get a set with larger tiles so that my friend who has arthritis can easily handle the tiles. She has difficulty with the standard size that I seem to find online and in the stores.
I am not a mindreader, so I don't know if tiles of size 8 that you found are compatible with your mah jongg variant. As far as I know, size 8 tiles are typically used for Hong Kong and Chinese variants. I don't know if your friend can read the Chinese numbers and other characters on the tiles, and I don't know if you and your friend play American-style mah jongg. I think your best bet is to contact the vendors directly and ask them what is the largest size that they can provide you that is compatible with your needs. I've listed a lot of online vendors in FAQ 4a.
And I've written an FAQ on "big number tiles" -- it's FAQ 7S. Suggestion #4 under Big Numbers suggests a way you might go for arthritic players (since your question isn't about impaired-sight play), if you and your friend play American mah jongg (which I don't know, since I'm not a mind reader) -- you'd need to buy two sets of big tiles, if no vendor sells big American MJ tiles, and cobble together an American set from those.
So again, I suggest you read FAQs 7A, 7S, and 4A. Good luck.
May the big tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 20, 2010
Where and when was this set made, part 2
>From: "Michael Stanwick"
>Subject: Where and when was this set made? Part 2
>Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:46:14 -0000
>Hi Tom. Merry Xmas.
>This slide top box set is most likely from the 1960’s – based on all the evidence I have. There is no evidence for a date prior to 1955 for this type of set (slide top).
>The booklet is not original to the set and comes from London in the late 1930’s.
>The centres of manufacture were Suzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
>Cheers
>Michael Stanwick
Horn-backed tiles, part 2
>From: "Michael Stanwick"
>Subject: Horn-backed tiles Part 2
>Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010
>Hi Tom.
The bamboo tiles are not straight lines like most sets I’ve seen, but have those squiggly little caterpillar like bams.
No idea what you're talking about without pictures. I've seen about four common types of bams (not counting the 1B).
>I have a sinking feeling that the bams might be from one of those modern poorly engraved sets.
>As you say, pictures are necessary.
>Cheers
>Michael
Awesome. Thanks, Michael. Merry Christmas.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 19, 2010
Horn-backed tiles
>From: Susie D
>Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 8:04:45 AM
>Subject: bone and horn mj sets
>Hi, I purchased a bone dovetailed into black horn MJ set form China and was wondering if you have any information about what type of horn would or could have been used ? I don’t think it is ebony because the coloration and streaking looks like horn. Do you know how old this set might be, and if they were made during a certain time frame? They are hand carved with no western numbers on them. I’m curious if there was a certain time period that horn tiles might have been produced? The bamboo tiles are not straight lines like most sets I’ve seen, but have those squiggly little caterpillar like bams. The other tiles are very finely carved, with lots of detail. There are 148 tiles. Would love to hear back from you with you thoughts, and thanks for such an interesting site!
>Susie susied
Hello Susie, you wrote:
I purchased a bone dovetailed into black horn MJ set form China and was wondering if you have any information about what type of horn would or could have been used ?
Ordinarily I'd say "why didn't you ask the seller," but Chinese sellers are notorious for making facts up and lying through their teeth because they don't know. All I can say is they'd be some type of horn that's plentiful, dark, and carvable. A quick Google search for "domesticated Asian ox" turns up water oxen (water buffalo), zebu, yak, etc. Could be any of those.
Do you know how old this set might be
Not without you reading Frequently Asked Question #7G and giving me more information. Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ).
and if they were made during a certain time frame? I’m curious if there was a certain time period that horn tiles might have been produced?
No idea. Could be anytime between the 1920s and 1960s, I suppose. Possibly earlier but not likely.
They are hand carved with no western numbers on them.
All that tells me is that the tiles were made for domestic use in China, not for export.
The bamboo tiles are not straight lines like most sets I’ve seen, but have those squiggly little caterpillar like bams.
No idea what you're talking about without pictures. I've seen about four common types of bams (not counting the 1B).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 19, 2010
Where and when was this set made?
>From: "Mike W
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:01:51 -0000
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Where and when was this set made? Images attached
>1. Write a factual detailed list of all the contents of your set.
>Complete set of playing tiles in a wooden box, no dice, no counters, no other markers.
>2. If the set contains any paper materials, like an instruction booklet or scoring card, write the title, author's name (if any), and date (if any) of those materials.
>Mah-Jongg, How to play and score.
>3. What are the tiles made of?
>Bone and bamboo.
>4. Describe what you know about when the set was made or purchased.
>Purchased from a collector fair in 1985.
>5. What are the dimensions of the tiles?
>Height 2.5 cm, width 1.7 cm, depth 1.3 cm, thickness of the bone 0.55 cm.
>6. How many tiles are there in the set?
>148 comprising - 136 of basic suits, winds, dragons, 4 flowers, 4 seasons, 4 blank spare tiles.
>7. What kind of container does the set come in?
>Wood, flat box with a sliding top.
>8. Which kind of craks are in this set?
>The older kind.
>9. Provide a picture of the One Bams.
>Bird style
>10. Provide a picture of the dragons too.
>Plain tiles for white dragons
>11. And provide a picture of the flowers/seasons.
>4 of each type
>12. How many jokers (if any) does the set have?
>None
>Thanks
>MikeW
Hi Mike, your questions for me are:
Where was this set made?
China
when was this set made?
Most likely the 1960s, but could be as early as the 1930s. No clues in the booklet, eh?
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 18, 2010
So, if I can't use a joker in NEWS or 2010, does that mean I can't call NEWS or 2010 for exposure either?
>From: "Cheryl A
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:15:58 -0600
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I recently learned by reading your book that I cannot use a joker in “NEWS” or “2010”. So does that mean that I cannot do a “Take” to complete a “NEWS” or “2010”. I’m thinking that since they care not Kongs, but singles & a pair that I can’t. Would you confirm that for me please?
>Cheryl A.
>Merry Christmas With Pointsettia.gif
Hi Cheryl,
I'm delighted that you have my book. I must apologize profusely that the book makes it hard for you to find the answer to this question.
The rule that says you can't use a joker in NEWS or 2010 is, of course, rule 81 on page 57.
The rule that says you can not call a discard to make a NEWS or 2010 is rule 58.a. on page 52. I am sorry that the rule doesn't make this clear enough.
Here on my website, you can find this rule stated in
Frequently Asked Question #19E.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this 
) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19, if you can't find them in the book.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 18, 2010
Heavenly Hand
>From: "Judy O
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 08:22:17 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>During a recent game, a dealer declared Mah Jongg on the second round of play. This led to the following question:
>Suppose after arranging the tiles on the rack,before any passing, a dealer discovers that the self dealt hand is already a Mah Jongg??!!??!!! Does the "Mah Jongg trumps all" rule apply, or (gulp) must the hand be broken for the first *compulsory* Charleston ~ and the very sorry dealer-player be left hoping that the Mah Jongg comes back?
>Judith O
Hi Judith,
This is called "Heavenly Hand." I started to write a detailed response to this question, and found myself getting VERY detailed with my answer, so I decided it would be better to reply with a column. To get to the "weekly" column, you can click on the purple banner atop this page (or you can click the underlined word "column" in this reply). Thanks for inspiring me with a great topic!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 18, 2010
Frequently Asked Question #7H
>Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 09:51:54 -0700
>Subject: Mah Jongg Sales Co. of America - Complete Set -
>From: "LindaVta
>Hello Tom,
>I am interested in selling this Mah Jongg set. I have attached pictures of the original label - Mah Jongg Sales Co. of America
>The set appears to be complete - all tiles in good condition. As you will see there is some damage to the case, however it does appear all the pieces necessary to repair it are there.
>I thought about using some glue to put the pieces back but not sure what type of glue would be best.
>The set was used in Maine in the early 1900's, it is currently in Phoenix, however I will be traveling through Los Angeles the end of December if anyone has an interest in looking at it.
>I've bounced around the web trying to determine a fair value and best way to advertise it. You seem to be the expert. Any thoughts or comments you have would be most appreciated.
>Best regards,
>LindaB
Hello Linda, you asked:
not sure what type of glue would be best.
Since you have to ask that question, I do not recommend that you attempt to repair it yourself. You have two choices: sell it as is and let the buyer handle the repair, or take it to someone with woodworking skills before selling it.
trying to determine a fair value
Value is all about completeness and condition. Like it says in FAQ 7H. Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #7H and click it. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found in the FAQs; please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
and best way to advertise it.
Looks to me like you're already readying to sell it on eBay, and that should be fine. Read FAQ 7J.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 18, 2010
Rarity of the high-scoring MCR hands, part 2
>From: Chris Schumann
>Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 4:54:24 AM
>Subject: Hand Rarity
>Hi Tom,
>I saw your response to jjaclen's latest note about the relative rarity of scoring patterns in MCR. If your readers are interested, I put together a table showing just that. Here's the URL:
>http://mahjong.wikidot.com/analysis:combinatorics
>I used names that I hope are recognizable by mahjong players, but in her example, there's a hand I call Three Similar Pungs (based on the name from Zung Jung). The table shows that in MCR, it's fan number 32 and gets 16 points. The table also shows there are 103,947,264 combinations of different tiles in a regular hand that will have this pattern.
>To compare, Three Pure Shifted Pungs has 278,299,266 combinations (more than 2.5 times as many), but actually scores more points in MCR (fan 24 for 24 points).
>The table does not account for game play (drawing, discarding, claiming, kong, concealed, exposed), so some of the MCR fan like three concealed triplets are not listed.
>I hope it's useful to your readers,
>Chris
>PS - The two hosts of the Reachmahjong.com podcast have been professional mahjong players for around five years (if I am not mistaken). In an episode a few months ago, Jen Barr noted that a player in the room had a "Blessing of Heaven." That's one time five years of professional play - not at her table, not in her hand, but just in the same room. That's pretty scarce.
Hi Chris,
That's great, thanks. I'm adding the link to FAQ 22.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 17, 2010
Rarity of the high-scoring MCR hands
Subject: Verification and comment
From: jjaclen
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:23:07 -0500 (EST)
>Hi Tom...During our game today, my friend was blocked from almost making an All Pairs hand...then reverted
> to trying for pungs; she succeeded...Had a Triple Pung for 16 points; this triple pung had been concealed...another 16 points..
> (32 points seems a bit generous for that (?), but I assume that total was correct.
> (Separate comment: p. 175 Under scoring basics....3.b we all felt that the word 'extra' added to confusion and would
> be better omitted
> (Additional separate comment:....I did check through FAQ's...but didn't find any references to my curiosity about the frequency of
> ever coming up with such hands as referenced in #'s 1 through14....In your whole Mahjong experience..have you really
> been able to end up with hands such as those...They seem like once in a lifetime..if even that...occurences..
> I was just curious.....
> Thanks again for your 'counsel'....
> Oh, yes, ...today..we finished 5 hands...with two wall games....and I smiled, thinking of your "May the Tiles be With You" sign off
> line....so very true...because if they are not......it is very annoying! Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline, you wrote:
p. 175 Under scoring basics....3.b we all felt that the word 'extra' added to confusion and would
> be better omitted
OK, thanks, I'll put that in the list. You're the one who suggested the phrase "patterns within patterns"?
I did check through FAQ's...but didn't find any references to my curiosity about the frequency of
> ever coming up with such hands as referenced in #'s 1 through14....
To most people, it's fairly obvious that the extremely valuable hands are valuable precisely because they're rare. I have never before gotten anybody asking me if they're rare. That's why that question is not in the FAQs. It is not "frequently asked." I do not have any hard statistics, either.
In your whole Mahjong experience..have you really
> been able to end up with hands such as those...They seem like once in a lifetime..
Yes, I have, and I've seen them made, too. Read
http://www.sloperama.com/copenhagen/copenhagen3.htm
and
http://www.sloperama.com/Chengdu/chengdu3.htm
and
http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/column325.htm
and
http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/column188j.htm
and
http://www.sloperama.com/WCMJ/shibuya.htm
.
I'm surprised you haven't already looked around here on this site and found those. Short version: when you play a lot, you're bound to see the big hands once in a while.
May the tiles be with you. And they're bound to be, eventually.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 15, 2010
Can a player declare herself dead? (Frequently Asked Question 19AC)
>From: amy f
>Sent: Wed, December 15, 2010 3:09:07 PM
>Subject: maj question
>A person puts a second set of characters up on the wall. it becomes apparent that this is not a playable hand (doesn't exist or should be closed). Is the person who made this error supposed to stop playing on discovering the problem? should she declare the problem and inform the other players or pretend it doesn't exist and keep on playing? Also, what do you do with the person's tiles if their hand is dead and the rest keep playing?
>We have been discussing this at great length.
>Thank you for your help.
Hello Amy, you wrote:
A person puts a second set of characters
up on the wall.
You must mean on the rack. Nobody puts their exposures on the wall -- how could everybody play through the wall if people are putting things on it?
Is the person who made this error supposed to stop playing on discovering the problem? should she declare the problem and inform the other players
You have asked Frequently Asked Question #19AC.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19.
Also, what do you do with the person's tiles if their hand is dead and the rest keep playing?
That too is answered in the FAQs. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
We have been discussing this at great length.
Your group is badly in need of a rulebook. See FAQ 3.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 15, 2010
My hand was dead but they didn't notice
>From: Michele H
>Sent: Tue, December 14, 2010 9:36:39 PM
>Subject: American MJ Question
>I've read three abridged rule books and the Q&A from this site and can't find this exact dilemma. Today I picked up a discard while playing a concealed hand. I notice immediately but no one else noticed. There was no other hand I could play based on the tiles I exposed. So, I had a dead hand. I kept playing and even went ahead and picked up another tile for a second exposure. Now, I didn't win, but I was only a flower away from having Mah-Jongg. What should I have done 1.) after I realized I was playing a dead hand (from what I read I should have continue playing but should I have played the rest of the hand as concealed, i.e. not picked up another discard) and 2.) if I had pulled a tile to Mah-Jongg?
>Thanks for any clarification you can provide!
>Michele
Hello Michele,
Your question is not about the "rules." Your question is not "what MUST I do when I know my hand is dead but nobody else knows" -- it cannot be -- because the rules do not dictate actions, they only prohibit misdeeds. The rules only say that you should not call yourself dead. Your question has to be "what would be BEST for me to do in such a case?" In other words, this is a question of strategy. Not rules. If you were not looking in strategy chapters, you were looking in the wrong place. And that's why you didn't find what you were looking for. (Not that you would find this in a strategy chapter either, since it's really a very basic and simple decision.)
after I realized I was playing a dead hand ... should I have played the rest of the hand as concealed, i.e. not picked up another discard)
That would be smart, wouldn't it? Because if you make another exposure, don't you think the other players are likely to call you dead? Or do you see an advantage in being called dead? (If they call you dead, you can step away from the table and use the restroom or refresh your drink -- so it's not inconceivable that it can sometimes be desirable to be called dead.)
What should I have done ... if I had pulled a tile to Mah-Jongg?
Depends. Do you want to be called dead, or not? Once you know the answer to that question, you know your answer. This is really a very simple decision on your part. Most experts advise against being declared dead, but that advice doesn't account for you and your momentary situation and feelings.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 15, 2010
Change of heart
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:26:45 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Playing according to NMJL rules. Is there ever a time when you can call a discard, display your tiles on the flat rack without picking up discard (but that display is where your discard was suppose to go), decide you didn't want the discard and then put your displayed tiles back on the sloping rack, and not take the discard? Isn't the player dead if she does this? The above situation was discussed at our last game.
>My groups (A - 8 players & B - 13 players) are experienced players with the exception of one fairly new player in the A group. Several in B group have played more than 15 years and play at least 2 times a week. They play very defensively and know quickly what hand another player is trying to make when she exposes whereas the A group is more concerned with winning their hand rather than preventing another player from making mah jongg. Three of us in the A group also play in the B group. Thanks for answering all my questions. Lynn P.
Hi Lynn,
I call these the "change of heart" rules, but people usually say "I changed my mind." Especially players of American mah jongg, or so it seems. So there are official rulings from the NMJL on this. They're in my book, and they're in FAQ 19AM. "Change of heart rules" sounds better than "I changed my mind rules."
Given that you have multiple-table groups, you really need fairly strict rules (those easygoing, lackadaisical "aw give the poor girl a break" rules that I suggested previously do not apply to the setting you have described).
Is there ever a time when you can call a discard, display your tiles on the flat rack without picking up discard (but that display is where your discard was suppose to go), decide you didn't want the discard and then put your displayed tiles back on the sloping rack, and not take the discard?
No. Look in the book. Look at the FAQ.
Isn't the player dead if she does this?
She must be told that she cannot do that. That she must complete the exposure and try to play the hand. If she refuses, then you have no choice but to call her dead. But if she refused to complete the exposure, then she's unlikely to comply with the death declaration. And a player who refuses to comply with the rules cannot be allowed to play with the group.
As you can see from the above, your group needs to have a judge, or a panel of authorities to enforce the rules. You are the logical choice from my perspective, but you may need some deputies as well. And you need group support for your authority.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 14, 2010
"Teaser" tile
>From: Kaela M
>Sent: Mon, December 13, 2010 11:28:55 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A - What rule variation uses the teaser tile?
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I learned the American NMJL rules essentially, however, there is one additional twist where after all the tiles are dealt, a teaser tile is placed on the rack and when it is your turn, the tile on the rack is to go into your hand, then you discard and place a new tile from the wall but it is not yours until it is your turn. Thus a "teaser". Also, if a discard is picked up, then it throws the number of tiles on the racks off and there is an exchange; if the person who picked up is across from the person who discarded then, players trades the teaser tile from the person across from them; if to the right, trade left and so on. Does that make sense? It's a fun twist to the game but I am curious if that's officially a rule some where?
>Thanks,
>Kaela
>p.s. I'm sorry if you answered this somewhere. I scanned the q&a as best as I could and didn't notice anything around this subject.
Hello Kaela,
You will not find the word "teaser" anywhere in this Q&A and you will not find it in the FAQs. But you will find a discussion of the "future tile" and "picking ahead" (I assume this is what you're talking about) in FAQ 19R, and you should also read FAQ 14 and the back of your National Mah Jongg League card (rule number 1).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 13, 2010
A day fraught with mishaps, part 3
From: "Lynn P
Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2010 23:28:19 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: "Day of Mishaps part 2": Your answer is as follows:
We're talking about a nice, friendly game. A game played by a bunch of ladies who I assume are all beginners and who are still learning the game, and who need to be cut some slack until they learn better. A game where all the ladies want to play together in a harmonious environment every week. A game where ladies aren't frivolously saying "I want that, here are my tiles, no I changed my mind, let me have a do-over and put them back" all the time. Read FAQ 9.
>FYI: I do agree with you about beginners being cut some slack but these ladies have been playing for many years and are NOT beginners. They should all know all the tiles.
>Got all the Q & A in order except this one:"Since player 3 really didn't change her mind in calling the tile (6 crak) but called a misnamed tile and exposed it (6 crak) with her other tiles (9 craks) which did not match the called tile, you are saying she can put the called tile (6 crak) back on the table and then put her exposed tiles (9 craks) back on her sloping rack and continue playing even though other players have seen her tiles. ( But you were assuming she was a beginner and she is not. What about an experienced player?)
> I've read all the places you mentioned and do not see anything about an exposure with a miscalled tile. On p. 98 of "RD&WW" first paragraph it does refer to a bad exposure like mixing flowers and One Bam. Player must remove inappropriate tile(s) from exposure prior to discarding a tile. Would this apply in the above situation? Thus player 3 would have to leave three 9 craks exposed which would change her hand or if she had a joker she could use it to replace the miscalled 6 crak. Some players have discussed the above and feel that any caller of a discard should be sure of the tile she calls (listen to its name and also look at it) before exposing her other tiles in the set. Thanks for your patience in answering all my questions and giving your expert advice. And to think I wasn't even playing in this group but I am the player who has your wonderful book "RD&WW". Lynn P.
Hi Lynn,
I guess the main point I'm trying to make is that, although there are official "rules" from a governing body, the reality of the game and the reality of human personalities also come into play. How strictly the rules should be adhered to can vary; the circumstances can dictate how the situation should be judged. The wishes of the group can be taken into consideration, unless it's a tournament situation with an impartial judge. Just about every group uses some slight variation from the official rules (as discussed in the book on page 118, and in FAQ 14).
I gather that this is some sort of larger group environment -- maybe a social center, a ladies' club, a senior center (if you've told me before, I'm sorry for having forgotten) -- where a number of ladies gather to play mah jongg at different tables, without an impartial (non-playing) judge involved. Which means that there isn't just one group of four or five players. Which means that there is no "prize" involved (only "pride," ego, and competitiveness). Which means that sometimes stronger-willed players have sway over weaker-willed or novice players -- sometimes there are patterns of misbehavior or bad habits. I really don't have a clear picture of the environment here. And I'm trying to tell you that that, too, can factor into how a situation ought to be judged. You wrote today:
But you were assuming she was a beginner and she is not. What about an experienced player?)
Given what I wrote above, then yes. Call her dead. She should have looked first.
But as I said last time, the misnamer cannot be called dead for misnaming her discard when the spoken tile name was not wanted for mahjong. The only death we should be discussing here is the misnamer's (the second death in your original story was inappropriate, which is why I talked about the Red Queen).
Player must remove inappropriate tile(s) from exposure prior to discarding a tile. Would this apply in the above situation? Thus player 3 would have to leave three 9 craks exposed which would change her hand
Well, there's a problem there. The discard was 6C, and she's put up three 9C's. You can't just put up tiles from your hand that are inappropriate to the situation. If somebody discards Red and you say "I want that," and put up some Wests, then go "oops, I thought you said West," you're dead and you cannot recover. You can't put the Wests back in the hand and miraculously produce some Reds that you didn't have in the first place.
At least, that's how I interpret the NMJL rule. Rule 113 suggests that she can put SOME tiles back on the sloping front of the rack -- and this possibly conflicting rule potentially opens a loophole. Can a player say "okay, I'm committed to making an exposure but I don't want to go dead," and take back all the 9C's, and put up jokers in their place? I don't honestly know for sure, but I don't think she can. I think rule 113 refers to a situation in which the tiles put up from the rack actually match the discard. You referred to "p. 98 of "RD&WW" first paragraph" -- I think this rule rightly only applies to a situation in which a discarder said (for instance) "flower" and the player who called it puts up some flowers and a 1B. She is, apparently, permitted to put the 1B back, but is committed to making a flower exposure nonetheless.
or if she had a joker she could use it to replace the miscalled 6 crak.
Okay, hold on a second. I'm still struggling to understand what the word "miscalled" means. (I totally grok the word "misnamed" but the word "miscalled" is ambiguous due to numerous possible meanings.) I have to look back to your original question:
Player 1 discarded a 6 crak but called it a 9 crak. Player 3 called for it thinking it was a 9 crak. She exposed her hand putting in the 6 crak and then realized it was not the 9 crak she needed.
See, you even used the word "called" to mean two entirely different things in that sentence. But OK, so the discard was 6C, and Player 3 put up three 9C's. You're suggesting she could leave the 9C's up, and put a joker in place of the 6C?
No, that is definitely not OK. Now she's exposed a set from her hand without even using the discard at all. What happens to the 6C? Put it back on the discard floor? You can't just go and expose tiles from your hand.
Some players have discussed the above and feel that any caller of a discard should be sure of the tile she calls (listen to its name and also look at it) before exposing her other tiles in the set.
There! Then the group has already arrived at the right answer. Anytime the rules seem unclear or contradictory on a particular point, and you're not in a judged tournament situation, just discuss with the group.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
12/12/2010
don't know much about it origin or age
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:50:15 -0800 (PST)
>From: Mr clarence t
>Subject: I have a Majohn game
>I have a game similar to the one in the picture. My dad had it in the closet for at least 40 years I don't know much about it, since I wasn't allowed to touch it when I was a kid. Still don't know much about it origin or age. My dad came home with it along with two pachinco games which have disappeared over the years I would like to know what they are made of I thought it was so impressive how they could do dovetail in such small work. I wonder if someone might have any info they could share with me. I will send pics my camera wasn't to clear but I got one pic of the dovetail side. Thanks for your time Clarence T
Hi Mr. T, you asked:
don't know much about it origin
I don't either, not for sure, anyway. Somewhere in Asia, probably China or Taiwan or Hong Kong (based on the writing visible on the box). Is your set just like that one -- same box, same printed materials? Because there could be clues there.
or age.
All I can say is "at least 40 years" (since you've had it that long), and probably not much older than 50 years. Probably made in the 1960s.
I would like to know what they are made of
The tiles in the photo are plastic. See Frequently Asked Question #7c3. (Scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found in the FAQs. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question.
I wonder if someone might have any info they could share with me.
If you have more questions, please check the FAQs (including FAQ 7p).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 10, 2010
A day fraught with mishaps, part 2
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 8:15 PM
>
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Back again: Not the "Red Queen",
>[BULLETIN BOARD TEXT DELETED]
> (so even though player 3, who took the discarded tile, since she only heard its name and not looked at the tile, is NOT called dead even though she exposed an illegal set -erroneous exposure-since she had not discarded a tile to complete her play? What about 97a?)
>[BULLETIN BOARD TEXT DELETED]
>(Even though the player who called the wrong name of the discarded tile, the "miscaller", caused player 3 to take the wrong tile she can NOT be called dead? 98d, 98e and 95c concern calling mah jongg and player 3 didn't call mah jongg.)
>[BULLETIN BOARD TEXT DELETED]
>(I didn't think you could play alone but it was not at my table.)
>[BULLETIN BOARD TEXT DELETED]
>( By "miscaller" I mean player A who called the tile by its wrong name. Rules 98d, 98e, & 95c refer to calling mah jongg not for exposure. See 97a "A player who calls a tile for exposure, then changes her mind, may do so without penalty, provided that the caller did NOT EXPOSE tiles from her hand which player 3 did." That is the way we have been playing by following this rule-put the called tile on the top rack and then if it makes a set player puts up the rest of the exposure.) This is supposed to be a friendly game but we want to play by the rules - see above 97a "if you expose tiles" what is the "penalty" if you change your mind ? Thanks for bearing with me, Lynn P.
Hi Lynn,
Your email copied my entire response from before, and I had to remove those excerpts in order to make your email more easily readable by others:
so even though player 3... took the discarded tile, since she only heard its name and not looked at the tile, [she] is NOT called dead even though she exposed an illegal set -erroneous exposure-since she had not discarded a tile to complete her play?
By a strict interpretation of the rule, you can call her dead if you want. But consider:
Is this a serious, high-pressure, big-prize tournament, played by experienced players? If so, then yes, she should definitely be called dead. But if it isn't, then why not be nice and cut her some slack? The NMJL recently revealed that there is a difference between so-called "friendly" games and tournament games. This isn't in the book, because I heard of this ruling since the book was released. But you can find this in the errata file (which can be downloaded on my RDWW page).
What about 97a?
Rule 97a is a "Change Of Heart" rule. A lot of players of American-style mah jongg tend to say "I want that" and then expose tiles from the hand, then while reaching for or taking the claimed discard say, "no, I guess I don't want that." The NMJL has said that you can't go doing that willy-nilly all the time (or even just once, which is a very effective way of discouraging repeat occurrences). This situation is not the same thing as a non-fatal error that cascades out of a minor misnaming.
Even though [the discarder spoke] the wrong name of the discarded tile, [causing] player 3 to take the wrong tile[,] she can NOT be called dead?
That is correct. She did not "cause" player 3 to expose tiles from player 3's hand. She made a minor error that is usually easily correctable. This is all explained in FAQ 19, and in the book. A misnamer is not rightly declared dead unless her error results in the ruination of the hand (due to another player wanting the tile of the name spoken by the misnamer, FOR MAH JONGG). Please look again at FAQ 19AY and rule 95c.
98d, 98e and 95c concern calling mah jongg and player 3 didn't call mah jongg.)
OK, you did read rule 95c, and you see that this "dead misnamer" rule does not apply to the case you are asking about (yet you did ask when a misnamer should be declared dead). Now read FAQ 19AY and rule 95b.
See 97a "A player who calls a tile for exposure, then changes her mind, may do so without penalty
Yes, but we aren't talking about a player who "changes her mind." We're talking about a nice, friendly game. A game played by a bunch of ladies who I assume are all beginners and who are still learning the game, and who need to be cut some slack until they learn better. A game where all the ladies want to play together in a harmonious environment every week. A game where ladies aren't frivolously saying "I want that, here are my tiles, no I changed my mind, let me have a do-over and put them back" all the time. Read FAQ 9.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 10, 2010
A day fraught with mishaps
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:41:05 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Playing according to NMJL rules: 1. Player 1 discarded a 6 crak but called it a 9 crak. Player 3 called for it thinking it was a 9 crak. She exposed her hand putting in the 6 crak and then realized it was not the 9 crak she needed. She was called dead because she exposed her hand, based on p. 97-"Erroneous call exposure"; p. 62 # 97 b & c ; & p. 63 101 e in "RD&WW". 2. The miscaller was called dead, I can't find reason but think it has something to do with her miscalling of tile caused another player to commit grave error. The other 2 players continued playing. 3. Player 2 called a tile and exposed hand but hand was concealed so she was called dead, p. 63, 101 d "RD & WW" leaving Player 4 who insisted she could play alone. She did pick the tile she needed for MJ and other players paid her double. How should the above problems been handled? I said play should stop after Player 2 exposed her concealed hand. Some players said the miscaller should not be called dead. Please tell me where to find reason if miscaller should be called dead. 4. Also at another table one of the players racked and looked at her tiles as the dealer was passing them out. Is it a rule or only etiquette that all players should wait until all the tiles are passed out? Quite a day today and those jokers were NOT with me at all!!! Thanks, Lynn P.
Hi Lynn,
Well, let's see if I can make something of that wall of text:
Player 3 called for it thinking it was a 9 crak. She exposed her hand putting in the 6 crak and then realized it was not the 9 crak she needed. She was called dead... based on p. 97-"Erroneous call exposure"; p. 62 # 97 b & c ; & p. 63 101 e in "RD&WW".
I think that in a "friendly" game (a game that is not played in a high-stakes or strict judged setting, like a tournament), when one player's error arises out of another player's error and is noticed right away, the caller (the player who took the misnamed discard for exposure) should be permitted to undo her mistake. Yes, she should have looked at the tile before exposing tiles from her hand, but she did notice the discarder's mistake right away, before making her own discard. Rules 97b, 97c, and 101e refer to a caller's mistake, not to a discarder's mistake.
The miscaller was called dead, I can't find reason but think it has something to do with her miscalling of tile caused another player to commit grave error.
Wow, you're playing with the Red Queen! "Off with her head! And off with that one's head too!" This is plain wrong. The erroneous exposer shouldn't have been called dead, and the misnamer shouldn't have been called dead.
Following your story, now just 2 are playing...
Player 2 called a tile and exposed hand but hand was concealed so she was called dead, p. 63, 101 d "RD & WW" leaving Player 4 who insisted she could play alone.
This is a regular comedy of errors! The Red Queen plays mah jongg alone, after having beheaded all the others. When three players are dead, the fourth player does not continue playing. In some circumstances, she would collect payment from someone. But in this case, the whole thing has gone kaflooey and the hand should be thrown in.
Please tell me where to find reason if miscaller should be called dead.
You'll have to define "miscaller" for me. I'm all confused now. To me, "calling" a tile means to claim it for discard. But you might mean the person who misnamed the discard. See rules 98d, 98e, and 95c.
Also at another table one of the players racked and looked at her tiles as the dealer was passing them out. Is it a rule or only etiquette that all players should wait until all the tiles are passed out?
It's not a rule. "Etiquette" says to do what the other players do. If they all look while dealing, fine then, look while the deal is in progress. If they all wait, then wait. The main reason why it's smart to wait is in case there's a misdeal. An error in the deal could necessitate a reshuffle if somebody has looked at tiles that aren't rightly hers.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 10, 2010
Two questions
From: Alice R
Subject: two questions
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 21:16:24 -0500
>Hello
>I am a fairly new player and am enjoying the game.... good friends have put up with my learning curve and recently announced that I am a "player!" I have two questions
>1. I have your book but am unclear about exchanging a tile from a dead hand - and the others in the group don't seem to agree. If I hand goes dead and there is a joker on an exposure that was put out before the hand went dead, can I exchange the tile? If the exposure that "kills" the hand contains a joker (and the hand is called dead when that exposure is put out), can I exchange the tile from that exposure?
>2. Is there a section on your website where people talk about strategies. I was unable to find it , and I would like to pick up some tips beyond the basics.
>Thanks
>Alice R
Hi Alice, you asked:
If I hand goes dead and there is a joker on an exposure that was put out before the hand went dead, can I exchange the tile?
Yes.
the others in the group don't seem to agree.
Since you already showed them rule 87 in my book and they won't take MY word for it, you will have to write a letter to the National Mah Jongg League, get their definitive answer in writing, and show that to the others in your group. See also FAQ 19P (FAQ links are above left).
Is there a section on your website where people talk about strategies. I was unable to find it
The strategy FAQ is FAQ 8. The FAQ links are above left. But the FAQ probably has less than the book does. Also you should check out my "weekly" strategy column (purple banner above).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 9, 2010
MCR
>From: Bob K
>Sent: Thu, December 9, 2010 11:12:21 AM
>Subject: 2 MahJong questions
>1. A question regarding the "Greater Honors and Knitted Tiles" hand #56 in A Guide to MahJong (Chinese / Official International Rules):
> Is there a minimum # of tiles required for each of the three suits?
> The example shows 3 characters, 2 bamboos and 2 dots but would 3 characters, 3 bamboos and 1 dot be acceptable?
>2. It appears that there is more than one hand in which you MJ with 13 tiles (having to discard 1 tile) versus the routine 14 tiles (no tile discarded).
> Examples: Little Three Dragons (hand #71) and Thirteen Orphans (hand #81).
> Is this correct?
>thanks in advance
Hi Bob, you wrote:
Is there a minimum # of tiles required for each of the three suits?
Yes. There's an exact number of suit tiles required: seven. You cannot have fewer than seven suit tiles since you have to have one each of seven unique honors, and you have to have fourteen tiles in all. You can have any combination of the three suits (any seven of the nine possible numbers of a knitted straight) 3, 1, 3 or 3, 2, 2, whatever.
It appears that there is more than one hand in which you MJ with 13 tiles (having to discard 1 tile) versus the routine 14 tiles (no tile discarded).
Then something's badly written. You must always have 14 tiles to go mahjong. Little Three Dragons must have six other tiles in addition to the two dragon pungs and dragon pair. Thirteen Orphans must have a duplicate of any tile in the hand.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
December 9, 2010
Insight on its age and composition?
From: Sandofski
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 18:36:32 EST
Subject: Mah-Jongg set age question
>Found a set today. I was wondering if you could give me some insight on its age, and composition of tiles, based only on these pictures.
>Thanks,
>Sandy,
>Cincinnati, OH
>Here's the checklist
>1. Write a factual detailed list of all the contents of your set. Describe all the contents, listing all dice, chips, racks, etc. If you do not know what to call the pieces, see our FAQ 7d.
>My set has 5 racks
>152 tiles, no extras. 2 green dice.
>2. If the set contains any paper materials, like an instruction booklet or scoring card, write the title, author's name (if any), and date (if any) of those materials.
>No paper materials
>3. What are the tiles made of? (See our FAQ 7c.)
>Not sure
>4. Describe what you know about when the set was made or purchased, if you know. Describe the history of the set to the best of your knowledge. See our FAQ 11 before you make any unsupportable claims (such as "this set is over a hundred years old!" or "this set is from the Qing Dynasty!"); the knowledgeable collectors can see through claims that are ignorant of the actual history of the game.
>Bought it through a company helping someone sell the stuff in their house that they were moving out of. No additional information about the set.
>5. What are the dimensions of the tiles? Use either inches or metric (one or the other, not both - doesn't matter which; just be precise). Height, width, depth. If the tiles are bone & bamboo, give thickness of the bone portion. (Same goes for ivory & bamboo tiles.)
>1 1/8” tall. 7/8” wide, 1/2” deep
> 6. How many tiles are there in the set? Your best bet is to lay out the tiles on a table in 4 rows of identical tiles (as is done in our FAQ 7a), then you can just multiply and arrive at the number. And take a picture while you're at it. Tell potential buyers or appraisers an exact breakdown (you can't just say "all the tiles" or "it's complete" or "148 tiles" or "156 tiles" - you have to break it down. How many flowers, how many jokers, and are the basic 136 - suits, winds, dragons - all present?).
>There are the basic 1-9 of craks, bams and dots (108 total)
>16 winds
>4 green dragons, 4 red dragons and 4 soaps
>8 jokers
>8 flowers (no seasons)
>7. What kind of container does the set come in? If it's wood, is it one of those flat boxes with a sliding top, or is it one of those squarish boxes with drawers, and if so how many drawers? Does the container have any clear signs of age?
>An "alligator" leather blue case.
>8. Which kind of craks are in this set -- the older kind or the later kind? Take a picture to provide to the appraiser.
>Later type craks
>9. Provide a picture of the One Bams. These tiles can sometimes tell a lot about which part of China the set came from.
>(see pic)
>10. Provide a picture of the dragons too. These tiles can sometimes tell a lot about which era of mah-jongg history the set came from.
>(see pic)
> 11. And provide a picture of the flowers/seasons. These tiles are sometimes exotic and can provide information about the age of a set. And you need to tell me how many flowers/seasons there are. Note: You can just call them all "flowers," I don't care how many of them are "seasons" vs. "flowers" (seasons = flowers - they're the same thing, functionally. I just need a number). This is especially important for American-style sets, since the NMJL required differing amounts of flowers and jokers for a number of years.
>(see pic)
>12. How many jokers (if any) does the set have? Are the jokers manufactured, with the design carved or embossed into the surface - or are they stickered? If there are stickers, do they appear old and worn, are they coming detached? If the set has jokers, and if the jokers are manufactured/carved/embossed (not stickered), then count how many natural (not stickered, and not nail-polished) jokers the set contains (and how many flowers it contains).
>8 jokers, carved (see pic)
>case and racks.jpg
>case closed.jpg
>tiles.jpg
Hello Sandy, you asked:
I was wondering if you could give me some insight on its age
It is less than 40 years old. Read FAQ 19S, FAQ 11H, and Column 311 -- you can access everything via the links above left.
and composition of tiles
Plastic. Read FAQ 7c and FAQ 7c3.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Pearl Harbor Day, 2010
Estimate request, part 2
>From: "Michael Stanwick"
>Subject: estimate request
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 11:40:47 -0000
>Hi Tom.Hope you are well.
>I have a some observations to add to your otherwise excellent valuation.
>Matt needs to get rid of the 3 extra blanks that he has identified as being foreign to the tile set.
>The box material, IMO, is not rosewood but more like either teak or padauk. The absence of dark banding through the grain suggests teak.
>The tile engravings are of a higher quality than your common ‘bog-standard’ set. You can tell this from the finer quality of the engravings – the patterns are very uniform and the 3 suits patterns are in the more ornate style. So instead of simple circles within circles we have flowers inside the circles. The bams are not simple rods but are more ornate and the cracks are shown with the formal character for wan. These are all features that point to an above average quality set. The MJ Sales Co. catalogue also makes this distinction between simple and ornate engravings and priced their sets accordingly.
>The tile faces appear to be very clean. I don’t think the separation of the tiles is a fatal feature although I do not know to what degree the separation is at. It is quite a common feature to a lot of sets I have seen (and own) where tiles have been kept in dry hot conditions – hence why the manufacturers used large dovetail joints. Chinese sets used in China do not have large dovetails due to their hot but relatively humid conditions. Also, their were gaps between the bone a bamboo components anyway due to the manufacturing process and these gaps were filled with a mixture of glue and ground bone or bamboo to make a filler paste. Very, very high quality sets did not suffer this problem however.
>The 2odd dice do not appear to be original and should be discarded.
>IMO I do not think the absence of a manual is fatal either. I think it is possible that many sets were imported that did not come with manuals. I don’t think we know one way or the other. Indeed, as you say, Babcock sets were sold with the little red book included. But other manufacturers may not have included booklets.
>I also thought that Babcock – through the MJ Sales Co., – put a label on the boxes to identify the set as a Babcock set?
>In this country (UK) this type of set would be marked up by a dealer for about Ł250 - Ł450. Indeed, I know of a very similar set valued at an online shop for Ł435.
>I think that online set is very overpriced and I would estimate a value of around $250 for Matts set. But, I don’t know what the US market is like at the moment, so your value range for Matt’s set might be more apt.
>Regards
>Michael Stanwick
Hi Michael,
Glad you offered your take on this set. Yes, looking again I see that the tiles are of higher quality than the "standard." I think it is possible that Matt might be able to get $250 for it, if he was a good and patient salesman. I thought about suggesting that he remove those extra pieces from the set, but it's just as easy for the buyer to do that. I've seen a variety of Babcock boxes. They aren't always labeled on the outside. But you're right that it might not be a Babcock. No way to be sure that I know of. But as I always say, I'm not the expert on manufacturers.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Pearl Harbor Day, 2010
Oopsie in column 475
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 12:12:11 -0800 (PST)
>From: Priscilla Yocom
>Subject: American Mah Jongg - Error Column 475 - #10
>Tom
>Answer for #10 should be 3C, not 1Crak.
>I started playing this year. I love your website and I appreciate that you share all your knowledge with others.
>I'm going to my first tournament in Santa Rosa, Dec 13, 2010!!!
>I have your book! It's great.
>Today I found Activision Shanghai Second Dynesty for $34.99 on half.com. Yea!!!
>I'm pretty computer literate, so I'm confident I can program to current card on either my PC or Mac.
>Thank you again for your helpful website. Hope to meet you in person someday.
>Priscilla Yocom
You're quite right, Priscilla. Fixed, thanx 2U. And thanks for sharing all that other news too.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Pearl Harbor Day, 2010
Something I read makes me doubt what I thought before
>From: "weeziejen
>Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 6:27:30 AM
>Subject: Claiming a Joker
>Probably a dumb question, but after reading the rules on claiming a joker and making exposures, I wanted clarify a couple of things. I always thought that If I needed one tile for MJ, I could, after picking from the wall, take someone's jocker and call MJ. Is that true? Can I exchange my own joker for MJ?
>LouJen
Hello Lou, you wrote:
I always thought that If I needed one tile for MJ, I could, after picking from the wall, take someone's jocker and call MJ.
You "always thought" this, implying that something you read made you doubt this. Was it something on my site that confused you? Please please please, tell me what you read that made you doubt this!
Can I exchange my own joker for MJ?
Read FAQ 19M and FAQ 19AN.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Pearl Harbor Day, 2010
I only see 2 rectangles, part 3
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 19:09:02 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Hi again. Gee I got so involved explaining my hand and play in last week's mah jongg game that I forgot to ask the question. Would it have been better to try to pick/call the 1 N and 1 S that I needed for a jokerless hand since there were 11/2 walls left or did I make the correct play? (use the self picked jokers to call mah jongg). I checked your book (RD&WW) and found appendix 3, p. 221-223, about mah jongg games online/offline. . Guess I'll have to wait until January to try NMJL online game but will check out the matching games mentioned and the sites you sent me. Always can use some practice. Thanks for showing me your name in Chinese and Japanese in your previous response. Enjoy the week. Lynn P.
Hi, Lynn.
First off, "better" is subjective. Secondly, I'm not clairvoyant -- I can't see into the alternate universe where you did some other thing and how that turned out. But for the fun of it, let's see. You had:
You picked that 2nd joker and wondered if you ought to discard the jokers to go for jokerless, you say? In other words, the same hand but just without jokers? I can tell you, I don't know any player of American mah jongg who would let "greed" make her do such a thing. When your hand is mah jongg, say "mah jongg" and take the money! May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 6, 2010
I only see 2 rectangles, part 2
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Mon, December 6, 2010 6:29:18 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: 1. In your response to my last email about seeing rectangles instead of Chinese symbols, I did see the symbols this time but under your name I still see the rectangles. I've always wondered why you would put them (rectangles) under your name but now I realize you are displaying something in Chinese. What do they really look like and what do they mean? How did you make them show up as Chinese symbols rather than the rectangles in the first part of your email or can I somehow set my computer email to receive them?
>2. I also have a question. While playing mah jongg (NMJL card) last week, after the dealing, Charleston, and first couple of picks from the wall I had in my rack: 2 F, 2E, 2W, 3N, and 3S so played the 1st one under WINDS -DRAGONS. The only winds discarded throughout the first half of the game were the other 2 E & W. I picked a joker so needed either another joker, N or S for MJ with 11/2 walls left to play. I did pick the 2nd joker but was debating whether I should discard it and wait for the N & S so I could get a jokerless hand or maybe even a self picked N & S plus jokerless hand. I decided to call MJ with the 2 jokers which gave me self picked MJ since "a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush". The N & S were in the last 8 tiles so I guess I made the right choice since someone else could have called MJ by the time I picked those tiles.
>3. I checked out the NMJL online game but they want $30 year to play and some other stipulations and you can only try it out for free during the month of Jan. Have to see if there any free online MJ games. Again thanks for help. Happy Holidays!! Lynn P.
Hi Lynn, you wrote:
now I realize you are displaying something in Chinese. What do they really look like and what do they mean?
They look like this:
The top line says "Tom Sloper" in Japanese.
The bottom line says "Tom Sloper" in Chinese.
How did you make them show up as Chinese symbols rather than the rectangles in the first part of your email
I took a screenshot, made images of them, and put the images on the website.
can I somehow set my computer email to receive them?
Yes. I will NOT try to teach you how to do that in full detail. You probably don't have to download all the utilities I have on my computer for Asian language support. You might be able to do it in your browser's View settings, or you might have to download some Asian language support utilities from Microsoft. (If you had a Mac computer, you wouldn't be asking this.)
I also have a question.
And what is your question?
I checked out the NMJL online game
Did you look at FAQ 5? You have one other option: Mahjong time. As far as I know, those two are the ONLY online games that support American-style play.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 6, 2010
Estimate request
>Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 17:10:24 -0500
>Subject: mah-jongg estimate request
>From: Matthew B
>Tom i appreciate your time and offer to evaluate sets upon request. I have done my best to fill out the checklist and have attached it as a word doc. i have also provided smaller pics for you to look at. i am going to post the set on ebay soon but was hoping not to get ripped off. I am fairly certain after reading your website that there is nothing special here but i figured it would be better to get a second opinion. any insight in to potential origin, value and age would be helpful. i appreciate your time and feel free to post this on the public site.
>thanks
>Matt
>Attachment: estimate.doc
>If you want to find out how much your set is worth, you have to do some homework. The first step is to use the following checklist. Checklist provided with answers in Red.
>1. Write a factual detailed list of all the contents of your set. Describe all the contents, listing all dice, chips, racks, etc.
>Tiles
>The set has 148 tiles.
>Flowers: 8
>Dragons: 16 – 8 are marked with red and green symbols. 8 are blank white.
>Craks: Have more modern writing on them with both numbers and Chinese characters.
>Bams and Dot tiles all have English numbers on them 1-9.
>There are also 3 smaller blank white tiles. My guess is these did not come with the set. They are much thinner than the other tiles.
>Sticks
>36 – 1 spot sticks
>8 – 5 spot sticks
>40 – 2 spot sticks
>36 – 10 spot sticks
>Wind Indicators
>Four wind discs and a cylindrical container
> Dice
>4 Tiny bone dice in a little wooden box with sliding top. One side of the die marked "1" has no paint -- it's instead just an indentation. And the "4" is red.
> 2 slightly larger dice
> Racks
>N/A
>Case
> Rosewood case with drawers and sliding front.
>2. IMPORTANT: Describe the condition of all the components of the set. Describe the condition of the case, the paper materials, and of course the tiles.
>Appraisers use specific language to grade or describe the condition of collectibles.
>VERY GOOD - Item has a few defects that any normal person would notice upon close examination. All defects must be noted.
>or
>FINE or EXCELLENT - Item has only very minor defects which only a purist or expert would notice or care about. These defects must be described in detail.
>I would say this set would fall between the 2 descriptions above. The only defects I can see are:
>• 2 small cracks in the back of the box
>• 1 tray handle broken off
>• Some minor separation on some of the tiles between the bone and bamboo. All the tiles are together and only a few have some cracking.
>3. What are the tiles made of ?
>I believe these are bone and bamboo.
>4. Describe what you know about when the set was made or purchased, if you know.
>I am not 100% certain when or where the set was purchased. It has been handed down to my grandmother from a generation before her. She is 82. She believes it was purchased in China by her aunt that was visiting there in the 20s but I am not sure that is true.
>5. What are the dimensions of the tiles? Use either inches or metric (one or the other, not both - doesn't matter which; just be precise). Height, width, depth. If the tiles are bone & bamboo, give thickness of the bone portion. (Same goes for ivory & bamboo tiles.)
>Height = 1 and 1/8 inches
>Width = 13/16ths Inch
>Depth = 7/16ths inch (bone and bamboo)
>Depth = Ľ inch (bone only)
>6. How many tiles are there in the set?
>The set has 148 tiles.
>Flowers: 8
>Dragons: 16 – 8 are marked with red and green symbols. 8 are blank white.
>Craks: Have more modern writing on them with both numbers and Chinese characters.
>Bams and Dot tiles all have English numbers on them 1-9.
>There are also 3 smaller blank white tiles. My guess is these did not come with the set. They are much thinner than the other tiles.
>7. What other pieces (besides tiles) are included with the set?
>4 Wind markers (N,E,S,W) and a cylindrical container
>A wooden dice box with 4 small dice. The dice have red 4s and a blank concave side. The box has made in china stamped on it.
>2 slightly larger dice but not standard size. They also appear to be bone.
>8. What kind of container does the set come in?
>The container appears to be rosewood. It has 4 drawers that are in good condition. The bottom has a little more depth and the handle is broken. The front slides up and off.
>9. What condition is the container in?
>The box has 2 small cracks in the back and one tray handle broken. No other issues that I have noticed.
>10. Does the set have any paper materials -- a manual, a label, anything at all?
>There are 2 labels in the box that says “oak”. Honestly I think my grandmother stuck it in there at some point. They look like old stickers
>11. Which kind of craks are in this set -- the older kind or the later kind? Take a picture to provide to the appraiser.
>I believe they are the more modern looking craks. A picture is provided: Tiles - Craks-1-9.JPG
>12. Provide a picture of the One Bams .
>One bam picture was provided. Tiles - 1 Bam Close .JPG
>13. Provide a picture of the dragons too.
>Dragon picture provided: Tiles - NSEW-Dragons-Flowers.JPG
>14. And provide a picture of the flowers /seasons.
>Flower pictures provided: Flowers-green-close.JPG and Flowers-red-close.JPG
>15. How many jokers (if any) does the set have?
>I do not believe there are any jokers in the set.
Hello Matt,
Nicely done. You did your homework! (^_^) Your set is a "bog standard" Babcock-style set. So it all comes down to completeness, condition, and points of uniqueness.
Completeness - It's complete with one exception: game instructions are not included. We would know it was a Babcock set if it had a Little Red Book in it. Too bad. This is a negative.
Condition - You gave two conditions, VERY GOOD or FINE / EXCELLENT. You weren't sure which one fit, and suggested this is between the two. In my opinion, the separating tiles and the missing drawer pull bring it down to the lower of the two conditions. Other than that, everything else indeed looks fine/excellent.
Points of uniqueness - The craks are red and green (rather than the usual red and blue or red and black). This is a plus.
Value - A standard Babcock-style set in excellent condition usually sells for between $100 and $200. We have to subtract for the missing booklet, the broken drawer pull, and the separating tiles. We have to add for the green craks. The overall result, in my opinion, is that the set would easily sell in the $100-$150 range -- it might sell for a bit more, if you manage to hold out for a buyer who wants it for the green craks.
Happy holidays!
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 5, 2010
I only see 2 rectangles
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 21:08:45 -0500
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Referring to Susan's rant of 12/2 I have 2 questions. 1. She refers to 6 and 9 craks and in your answer I see 2 rectangles not the tiles mentioned. (Please see Q & A below.) Did you show the specific tiles and my email not pick up the picture? 2. What do you mean by "level up your game"? Miscalling a tile has happened in my mah jongg group but because of my reading and sharing information in your book "The Red Dragon & The West Wind", the players know about the "window of opportunity". We also don't "pick & rack" which helps during the game.
>My last question refers to a player who informed you of her starting a blog. I checked it out and she mentioned playing mah jongg online. Do you recommend any particular free site for playing mj online? Thanks for all your help. Lynn P.
I see you state "The person calling should have been looking as well as listening" BUT...the 6 and 9 cracks look very alike.
I disagree.
六 looks very different from 九. If you're only looking at the little tiny eensy-weensy Arabic numeral in the corner of the tile, you need to level up your game.
Hi Lynn,
Sorry about that. I still have a lot to learn about how the Web works. I thought Unicode was visible to anyone, even if their web browser wasn't set up to view Asian characters. Even in your email, I was able to see the big Chinese 6 and 9, since you copied my text in its entirety, including the Unicode that looked like rectangles to you. Here's what it should have looked like:
You also asked:
What do you mean by "level up your game"? Miscalling a tile has happened in my mah jongg group but because of my reading and sharing information in your book "The Red Dragon & The West Wind", the players know about the "window of opportunity".
You apparently don't need to level up YOUR game, then! (^_^)
Do you recommend any particular free site for playing mj online?
No, I don't. I have those sites listed in FAQ 5, but which one (of the two or three that support American mah jongg) that you'd prefer is likely to be a matter of personal choice. If you learn of any that are not listed in FAQ 5, it'd be great if you let me know about it.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 4, 2010
Untoward events
>Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:57:42 +0000 (GMT)
>From: smillscohen
>Subject: questions
>I am writing to ask clarification of the material I read on your website in regards to 2 events that occurred at my weekly (house) game. (1) A player unintentionally took a blind pass on the second left. Play continued. Should we have called that player dead? stopped play and started over? (2) A player put down a tile and before she said its name or let go of it, the player next to her called it for mah jongg. She then said, correctly, that she hadn't named it and she put it back into her hand and threw a different tile. MJ was won by a third player. Since it was on the table and the player next to the discarder needed it for mah jongg, would MJ trump the calling rule in this instance?
>Thank you so much for your help-
>Sara
Hi Sara, you wrote:
A player unintentionally took a blind pass on the second left. Play continued. Should we have called that player dead? stopped play and started over?
If it was a tournament, she'd be dead. But if your group wants to fix the problem rather than remove a player, try to figure out if the tile can be taken back. If that's not possible, then go ahead and do whatever the group thinks best.
A player put down a tile and before she said its name or let go of it, the player next to her called it for mah jongg.
Well. Technically, the tile was "down" and therefore already fair game. Read the "down" rule and the Window of Opportunity rule in FAQ 19.
She then said, correctly, that she hadn't named it and she put it back into her hand
I assume "she" is the discarder. This is ridiculous. She cannot take the tile back. It was "down." Read the Change of Heart rules in FAQ 19.
Since it was on the table and the player next to the discarder needed it for mah jongg, would MJ trump the calling rule in this instance?
I don't understand what point you're trying to make about "the calling rule." I think I've answered the question, though. You (apparently) know where the FAQs are.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 4, 2010
It takes All Types to make a village, part 3
>Subject: All Types definition
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 14:20:07 -0500 (EST)
>...(I don't have your book in front of me at the moment (at the library)...but
> I think it was a matter of word placement...... "(including pairs) OF SUITS, etc... "
> made it seem that playing more than one pair of suit tiles might be possible in an All Types.....when not.
> Re -your book....we'll continue our mini-promotion of it...Since you are a writer...(with a sense of humor)..I
>could easily imagine some MahJong related stories for...NY Times., Miami Herald .etc...Your adventure visiting
>the Mahjong Museum was great reading...and you have some photos already......... j
Hi Jacqueline,
OK, I've noted your concerns for possible future editions. And thanks for the newspaper idea, and the compliment!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 4, 2010
It takes All Types to make a village, part 2
>Subject: ..'grammatically speaking
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 22:47:38 -0500 (EST)
>Thank you for replying...I did understand rule 23; your sentence for All Types is just a bit conceptually blurry;
>Since 'All Types' can never have more than one pair....why is there "including pairS" in that definition??
>Only Seven Pairs should be allowed to use the plural of that word....
> P.S. Yellow Mountain Imports:
> "Two of the best Web sites on Mahjong knowledge and lore are:
> ...sloperama.com...
> .....mahjongmuseum.com..... "
> (Perhaps you should send them a free book..since they do not have you listed under their recommended Reading and Resources
> book list....only Amy Lo's and Christina Cavallaro/Anita Luu's)............J
Hi Jacqueline, you wrote:
I did understand rule 23; your sentence for All Types is just a bit conceptually blurry;
>Since 'All Types' can never have more than one pair....why is there "including pairS" in that definition??
>Only Seven Pairs should be allowed to use the plural of that word....
Here are two hands that qualify as All Types:
If you could suggest wording that more adequately expresses what needs to be expressed and covers these disparate hands, I'll gladly adapt it for future editions of the book.
(Perhaps you should send them a free book
I gave them one before. Do you think I need to send them another? Or maybe I should hire you to do my P.R. for me. I could go commission basis only (percentage of provable increase in my income).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
It takes All Types to make a village
>Subject: Question on 'All Types'
>From: jjaclen@
>Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 18:23:21 -0500 (EST)
>Hi Tom...We played our 4 hand game this week (2 1/2 hours...so slow, but intense and enjoyable, though a 'wall-game'
> I was looking through your point descriptions again.
> Under #52 - All Types....you wrote: "Hand contains sets (Including Pairs) of each suit"...Would the following hand
> be allowed:
> 22 bams 4,5,6 dots 88 characters pung of red dragons kong of east wind
> (I'm asking because, apart from the Seven Pairs hand...I've never used just a couple of 'pairs sets' of a suit - along with
>pungs and kongs of honors.
> It makes the All Types hand a lot freer if - two or even three 'suit pairs' can be mixed along with a greater number
>of honor combinations...
> Thanks...Jacqueline
> P.S. I purchased a completely Chinese Mahjong set from Yellow Mountain Imports (Alhambra)...and the enclosed
> brochure referenced your web-site.....
Hi Jacqueline, you wrote:
Under #52 - All Types....you wrote: "Hand contains sets (Including Pairs) of each suit"...Would the following hand
> be allowed:
> 22 bams 4,5,6 dots 88 characters pung of red dragons kong of east wind
Well, let's see. There are bams, there are dots, there are craks, there are dragons, and there are winds. That is indeed all 5 types, BUT... you seem to have forgotten rule 23, and rules 47 and 48. You should re-read those.
(I'm asking because, apart from the Seven Pairs hand...I've never used just a couple of 'pairs sets' of a suit - along with
>pungs and kongs of honors.
Right. Well, the ONLY type of hand that can have more than one pair is a Seven Pairs hand. You can have four sets and a pair, or seven pairs, or a special-structure hand, as per rule 23.
P.S. I purchased a completely Chinese Mahjong set from Yellow Mountain Imports (Alhambra)...and the enclosed
> brochure referenced your web-site.....
Cool! (^_^) Thanks for letting me know.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
The Japanese tiles I bought from you
>
>Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:14:04 -0600
>From: Kenton C
>Subject: Review of Japanese machine tiles brought from eBay
>Hello, I bought a set of Japanese machine tiles from one of your eBay auctions about a week ago. I'd like to offer this review:
>The tiles arrived very promptly, only a few days after the auction ended and payment was sent. They were very well packaged. The tiles were used, as was described in the auction. It was obvious they had been used in a mahjong parlor, as the engravings were completely filled with soot from cigarette smoke. After a thorough cleaning with dish soap and a toothbrush, the tiles came out looking wonderful, almost like new. These tiles come without any of the accessories you'd get with a store-bought set (such as dice, counting sticks, wind marker, or trays), but if you already have all these other things and just want some extra tiles for some reason, these tiles are great.
>You may use this review however you'd like. Thank you very much, and I may buy from you again soon.
>Kenton C
Thanks, Kenton. Glad you like the tiles. I think I'll add the toothbrush tip to my next auction. (Too lazy to scrub them all myself, heh.)
Have a merry holiday and a happy Year of the Rabbit.
May the tiles be with you (in a different sense of the phrase).
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
Please remove my ad
>From: "hshuman1
>Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 23:36:53 GMT
>Subject: remove ad
>My maj set for sale posting has been sold - please remove the ad - it's was for an enrobed set thanks = sold it on Ebay!
>Harriet Shuman
>____________________________________________________________
>Go Back to School
>Grant Funding May Be Available to Those Who Qualify
Excellent, Harriet. Glad it sold. Thanks for letting me know I can remove the ad. And you've reminded me that I can place my own sets for sale on my own board too. Sheepish to realize, I was only using eBay! But then my sale/trade boards are a legacy from the previous Majexchange owner... Happy holidays, happy Year of the Rabbit (when it comes around).
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
Not a question, just a rant.
>Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 09:52:38 -0800 (PST)
>From: "S. Iandola"
>Subject: American Defense Misnaming
>Tom,
>Hi! Me again. Not a question, just a rant. Reading your two recent columns on misnaming made me think of an unfortunate misnaming in our last game. I see you state "The person calling should have been looking as well as listening" BUT...the 6 and 9 cracks look very alike. More so than the same number dots and bams. A player called 6 C and discarded a 9 C. I heard it, glanced at it, but from my angle didn't see the mistake. The next person took a tile from the pile, and said as she did "that's a 9 C". The problem is that I NEEDED the 9 C and the next player had already looked at her tile, and wanted to keep it!
>My loss, I know. I shrugged it off. After saying loudly, "WHAT?" I secretly felt the urge to smack that player who misnamed, and wish there was some sort of penalty! It sounds petty, but players shouldn't think others around the table aren't annoyed when they do this.
>Sincerely,
>Susan K.
Hello Susan, you wrote:
I see you state "The person calling should have been looking as well as listening" BUT...the 6 and 9 cracks look very alike.
I disagree.
六 looks very different from 九. If you're only looking at the little tiny eensy-weensy Arabic numeral in the corner of the tile, you need to level up your game.
The next person took a tile from the pile, and said as she did "that's a 9 C". The problem is that I NEEDED the 9 C and the next player had already looked at her tile, and wanted to keep it!
If you don't know the Window Of Opportunity rule, you need to level up your game. Read FAQ 19C. The window is not closed yet just because the next player has looked at her picked tile. And read the column again -- you didn't fully understand the misnaming rule. If the next player picks a tile from the wall and belatedly realizes that the current live discard was misnamed, she should stop everything until the misnamer corrects the error. And if you then want the tile, the next player MUST put her tile back on the wall. Even if it's a joker, even if it's a Tuesday, even if the cat is sleeping on your feet.
players shouldn't think others around the table aren't annoyed when they do this.
I never said otherwise. But in most cases (yours included), it's usually easily remedied. You were the author of your own downfall in this case, so you have no right to be miffed at the misnamer's tiny goof. Why doncha have a glass of wine (unless you're an alcoholic) and take a hot candlelit bubblebath.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
We get an awful lot of wall games
>From: Joni R
>Sent: Thu, December 2, 2010 7:35:30 AM
>Subject: Wall or Draw Games
>Hello Tom. We play once a week and get an awful lot of wall games. Sometimes 4 out of 5 games. Wondering if we are doing something right or if we need to adjust our strategies. Thanks much. Joni
Hello Joni,
I think that a high proportion of wall games probably indicates that all of you are playing cautiously -- playing it safe. If you like the comfort of safety, you don't need to adjust anything.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 2, 2010
My mystery tile
>From: Christopher W
>Sent: Wed, December 1, 2010 5:56:59 AM
>Subject: Tile query
>Thank you for your excellent site which has helped me go a long way towards identifying my set. Here is my description:
>Hand-made rosewood (or mahogany) cabinet H 257mm x W 168mm x D 132mm, bound with brass designs, with padlock. See attachments 1 and 2.
>Bakelite tiles (30mm x 21mm x 14.5mm) and hand-carved ivory counting sticks (35 ‘2-spot’, 40 ‘4-spot’, 37 ‘8-spot’ and 7 ‘12-spot’). Wind discs in cylindrical container (‘Mingg’). Set of three bone dice (one missing) in box carved from a single piece of wood, with sliding top. ‘1’ face blank, ‘4’face with red dots. See attachment 3.
>Given to me by an aunt in about 1975. Source unknown.
>According to your information the set is probably 1930s when Bakelite was common and sets typically had eight flower tiles.
>My query is: my set is the basic 144 tiles (sadly one short) (ie, includes 8 flower tiles but no jokers) plus four identical tiles that I cannot identify. Can you help please (see attachment 4)?
>Best wishes,
>Chris W (near Chester in NW England)
Hello Chris,
I don't know why you sent me all that information and those 3 other photos when all you wanted to ask was:
four identical tiles that I cannot identify. Can you help please
That tile is your white dragon. Your extra tiles are four blanks, which is a good thing since you're missing a 2 Dot. You can take a blank to an engraver and have a replacement 2D engraved.
The symbol on the tile is 白 - the symbol for "white." It looks somewhat similar to the Chinese character for "hundred," 百, but they are different characters, "hundred" having an extra stroke. In fact, the Unicode for 白 is 白 and for 百 is 百.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 1, 2010
2 Q's
>From: Peter U
>Sent: Tue, November 30, 2010 10:56:33 AM
>Subject: carrying case
>Would you be able to tell me where I could find a wood 5 draw (tray) to carry my tiles and how many dice are needed to play the mah jongg game.
> Cheers.......................
> Pete
Hello Peter, you asked:
where I could find a wood 5 draw (tray) to carry my tiles
Check out the vendors in FAQ 4a and those who have posted on the Accessories For Sale and Sets For Sale bulletin boards. Contact them all. If they can't help, ask if they have other leads for you. In other words, "use the resources here on this site, and persevere." You can link to the FAQs and bulletin boards above left.
and how many dice are needed to play the mah jongg game.
It depends on which variant you want to play. And I don't think you're asking me the real question. I think you're trying to rescue a set in order to sell it. If you were a player, you'd already know whether you can get by with 2 dice or if your variant wants three. Read FAQ 7d. If you want information about variants, read FAQ 2b, FAQ 3, and FAQ 4b.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 30, 2010
When a call is simultaneous with closing the window.
>From: "weeziejen
>Sent: Tue, November 30, 2010 4:52:11 AM
>Subject: Claiming a Discard
>Hi, Tom,
>I've read the rules and understand them, but I don't think I saw this part of the "window of opportunity" addressed. A tile was discarded. It was then my turn. I picked up a tile, discarded it, and at the exact moment my tile hit the table, a player said "wait" (Not "call") for the previous tile. Should I have taken my tile back? She wasn't sure she needed it since she didn't say "call".
>Thanks,
Hello Jen, you wrote:
a player said "wait" (Not "call")
It does not matter what she said, as long as it was clear that she was staking a claim. She can even say "uh" as long as it's said in a manner calculated to stop the action. Let's not split hairs as to what exactly was said. It's irrelevant to the question:
at the exact moment my tile hit the table, a player said [something. Should her claim be recognized, or is it too late?]
This is an often-encountered problem. As I have said on all previous iterations of this question, "it depends." Mainly, what it depends on is what the picker did just prior to the incident.
Had you paused a moment before picking? Or had you reached and picked very quickly after the prior discard? This is what a reasonable person has to consider when having to decide whether the claimant should expect a break when her call is simultaneous with the closing of the window. You probably read in my previous discussion of the window of opportunity and its related adjunct, "pickandrack," that I always advise that a picker pause a beat before reaching for the wall. Now you see one reason for this advice.
When there's a simultaneous call-and-discard, you can simply poll the table. If there's a majority opinion as to how to respond, you know what to do. If there isn't a majority opinion, consider harmony. Is it more harmonious to put the tile back on the wall? Sometimes it is. Or has the player been starting to irritate everybody by dint of this not being the first time she did that? It might be more conducive to harmony to discourage her from repeatedly doing that.
She wasn't sure she needed it since she didn't say "call".
Then she should be good with letting it go. A mah jongg player must not be so self-centered as to demand that everybody else cater to her whims, her indecision, her need for more time, her compulsion to win at the price of harmony. How many times have you seen people write me and ask how to handle an excessively slow player?
I have frequently been on the verge of saying a discard's name only to have someone call. Then I put the tile back on the wall. Then she says "never mind." Then I pick up the tile and without looking at it (since I already know what it is) put it on the table and say its name. This I have done many times. No biggie.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 30, 2010
Frequently Asked Question #7H
>From: lydia b
>Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 2:07:13 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I have my Mom’s set from the 1950’s how much do you think it is worth? Thank You.
My crystal ball is in the repair shop at the moment, Lydia, so you'll have to give me more information. Read
Frequently Asked Question #7H.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #7H and click it.
Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found in the FAQs. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 29, 2010
Zi-mo puzzle, part 2
Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2010 14:14:14 -0800 (PST)
From: "R.K."
Subject: Re: Zi-Mo Mahjong
>Mr. Sloper,
>I am sorry that there was confusion, however, this is EXACTLY how the puzzle was given to me:
>This is a puzzle based on the exciting game of Mahjong. I learned it a long time ago when I was a kid from my Grandparents. I don't play very often anymore - but I wanted to dedicate this puzzle to my Grandad who lived a long life and was always happy playing chess and mahjong. I can remember when we played back then and he would explain how to play his version and we would leave the points counting to him, somehow he almost always won!
The title of this puzzle is zě-mo ! ( ) which he used to call out when it was his turn to pick up a tile and when he expected to claim the winning hand... (I can still imagine seeing the excitement on his face when he said that!)
>Does this help you...help me?
>Thank you again,
>--Rachel (And no, the hk in my e-mail address has nothing to do with Hong Kong)
Hi Rachel,
No, that story doesn't help me. You're still withholding the puzzle instructions and the name of the puzzle maker. I already told you zi-mo means "pick the winning tile myself," and I can put the puzzle maker's grandpa's use of the phrase in context for you. It's a superstitious act to say zi-mo when picking from the wall. "I hope I pick the winning tile myself." I assure you, it doesn't always work. But sometimes when you say that before picking, you will pick it. Then you're supposed to say it after you picked it. "I picked the winning tile myself" tells the others that they're going to owe you more.
By the way, the puzzle maker's grandpa did not play Chinese Official rules. The puzzle maker does, I guess. Your guesses as to the answer are so far off I still have to wonder what scoring rules you were using. So that's one remaining mystery.
Another mystery is what the missing image is. I assume it's the Chinese characters for zi-mo -- 自摸 (zi4 mo2)?
And the last mystery is why my writing what I wrote before didn't help YOU. Why are you saying it didn't? Did you read it all the way through? You ought to be able to solve the puzzle if you use my information together with the actual MCR scoring -- but each question is going to have multiple answers.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 28, 2010
Zi-mo puzzle
>From: R.K.
>Sent: Sun, November 28, 2010 3:03:58 AM
>Subject: Zi-Mo Mahjong
>Mr. Sloper,
>I located you on the internet, and after a brief search through your website, I found that you teach various styles of Mahjong. I am looking for assistance in a style called "Zi-mo," which I am sure that you have heard of, and quite possibly be a master of, as well.
>I have been given a puzzle, and I wanted to know if I could get your help. I initially solved the puzzle, with what I thought were the right numbers, but I was told that I was wrong. I then took this puzzle to some, of what I believed to be, great Mahjong players, and they came up with the same solution, however, again the puzzle creators have told me that I was wrong with the solution.
>Basically I have been given 15 hands, and I am to score them in the Official Chinese scoring. As I said, I came up with a solution, but I could have possibly done it wrong, or possibly it is to be done the Zi-mo way, which I can not figure out the difference.
>I am writing in hopes that you could look at the 15 hands and tell me where I have gone wrong. I understand that you are a very busy man, and your time is precious, but I would be eternally grateful if you could help me with this.
>I have attached the puzzle in a jpg format, and the answers I got were:
>3,7,3,2,4,7,7,1,2,2,1,7,7,4,7
>Thank you for any and all help you are willing to provide!
>--Rachel
Hello Rachel,
No, I never heard of a variant called "Zi-mo." The Chinese term zi mo means "self-pick," but I never heard of an entire variant in which only self-pick is permitted. However, you say that the instructions for the puzzle are that you are supposed to score the hands according to CO (Chinese Official, also known as MCR for Majiang Competition Rules) scoring. Since the term zi mo means "self-pick," and since the puzzle doesn't include any other information about the method of winning each hand, with no information as to whether the groups are concealed or exposed, perhaps the challenge is to score each hand as if the hand is self-picked.
I find it very mysterious that you were given this puzzle by some inscrutable unknown party who didn't bother explaining any of that to you. And I find it annoying that each hand is scrambled, and the hands not numbered. Here are the hands, numbered and unscrambled:
But what is the puzzle exactly? You say they're supposed to be scored per MCR. But how can anyone do that without having all the information? Each one has multiple possible solutions, depending on a variety of factors:
1. Are the kongs concealed or exposed? What is the round, what is the player's seat? It makes a difference.
2. Which tile is picked? It makes a difference.
3. Is this to be scored as an all chow hand, or as seven pairs? It makes a difference.
4. Which tile is picked, and which way should the hand be scored? What is the round, and what is the player's seat?
5. Is this to be scored as four identical chows? Or as seven pairs?
6. Which tile is picked? It makes a difference.
7. Are the kongs concealed or exposed? It makes a difference.
8. Is this to be scored as an all chow hand, or as seven pairs? It makes a difference.
9. Which tile is picked? It makes a difference.
10. Is the kong concealed or exposed?
11. The tile images used by the puzzle maker are misleading in that those bams are supposed to be all green, not green-and-blue. This hides information from an unsuspecting puzzler. And as with other hands here, which tile is picked makes a big difference in the score.
12. Are the kongs concealed or exposed?
13. Which tile is picked? 2D, Wh, or R? Is it to be seven pairs, or five sets?
14. Which tile is picked?
15. Are the kongs concealed or exposed?
Looking at it this way, I don't see how you came up with any of the scores you did. I have to assume you don't know what Chinese Official scoring is. And I don't know what scoring you used. Your email address (which I do not show publicly here) starts with the letters "hk," so it might be reasonable to guess that you are in, or have been to, Hong Kong, and perhaps you are using Hong Kong fan counts, rather than MCR point counts.
Now that you've read this, you should be able to work out the puzzle. I can't work it out, because you have withheld crucial information from me. I'd like to have the entire puzzle, and I'd love to hear who this inscrutable puzzle maker is.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 28, 2010
ID my set
>From: Hannah M
>Subject: Questions regarding mah-jong game
>Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2010 20:47:05 +0000
>Dear Mr.Sloper,
>I came across your very extensive website while researching a mah-jong game I found in storage recently. I have looked around the site in an effort to find out about the set, namely what material it's made of, and a rough age of it. I have some possible ideas now, but wondered if you would cast your expert eye on my pictures and let me know what you think the answers would be. The tile material seems to be bamboo and bone; I have enclosed a pic to show a slight grain (?) which is visible on all the tiles, but they are so smooth and shiny and show no haversian system that I can see, that I didn't know if it might be a plastic of some sort afterall. Or, I thought it could just be a modern bone/bamboo set, yet to get dirty. I haven't been able to find out if plastic and bamboo tiles exist as a combination. Also, the set has no jokers, which led me to believe (from one section of your site) that it might be old-ish, so all in all I'm a bit confused!
>The set has 144 tiles (8 flowers) (3 x four dragons) as you can see, 88 counting sticks and 4 little dice. There is no room for anything else, so i can only presume this is a complete set (although it is missing instructions). The tiles measure:1" long, 0.75" wide and 0.5" tall. The bone (or not) part is 3/8" (1cm). The flowers seem to be a tiny bit taller that the others.
>Thank you so much for your help. I hope you don't feel I haven't read the FAQs thoroughly enough, because I promise I did!
>Hannah.
Hi Hannah,
Yes, I believe that you did. You asked:
What's it made of?
Plastic and bamboo. The lines you referred to (on the sides) look like sandpaper disc lines or sawcut lines, made during the manufacturing process.
How old is it?
Probably not more than 30-40 years old. I have some sets like this one in my collection. They're made in either Japan or South Korea, for export to the West, and are suitable only for Asian-style variants. The information you saw about jokers refers only to sets made for the American variant, so does not apply.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 27, 2010
My new blog
>Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:05:54 -0500
>Subject: Mahjblog
>From: Linda Fisher
>Hi, Tom.
>To supplement my rules website, I started a blog about mahjongg. Just me ruminating on mahjongg philosophy, etc. Everyone is welcome to add comments, etc. Hope the tiles are treating you well.
>Linda
>Oh, here's the address: http://mahjblog.blogspot.com or I have a link on the rules website, http://sites.google.com/site/mahjrules/home
OK, so we'll be friendly competitors, then. I'm sure your blog will be much better than the one I was informed about last month (that one blogs about mysteries easily solved by reading my book -- so, rather than sharing information, she shares questions and gets responders who give her her answers -- it seems to work for her, so what the hey).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Thanksgiving Day, 2010
Does anyone pay me double?
>Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:23:09 -0800 (PST)
>From: linda h
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>I pick a tile so I now have 14 tiles. The tile is one that can be exchanged for a joker in another players exposed rack. I make the exchange for their joker. I use the joker and go Mah-Jongg.
>No one threw the tile, but I didn't exactly pick the winning tile. I exchanged for it.
>The question: Does anyone pay me double? Thanks for your time.
Linda, you have asked
Frequently Asked Question #19AN, just like donna p who asked this same question on Friday (just below this answer).
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 23, 2010
Win on joker redemption (FAQ 19AN)
>From: donna p
>Sent: Fri, November 19, 2010 10:32:14 AM
>Subject: MahJongg Question
>A player drew a tile from the wall which she then exchanged for a joker in another player's exposure. This joker made MahJongg for her.
>Question regarding payoff:
>1. was this MJ considered a MJ with the tile drawn by the player resulting in the other players paying double - even though the drawn tile did not technically make the MJ, the exchanged joker made the MJ?
>2. considered a regular MJ with all paying single and no one player paying double since no tile was discarded?
>D P
Hello Donna,
You have asked FAQ 19AN. Please scroll up and find the links to the Frequently Asked Questions (look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow, emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Always check the FAQs first before asking a question.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 19, 2010
An untoward event
>From: Judy O
>Sent: Thu, November 18, 2010 5:17:10 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: We were playing last night; we had one and a half walls left when someone discovered that one of the tiles among the exposed tiles was unexposed. As no one had noticed this when the wall we were working on had been brought out, it was supposed that, at some point, it had inadvertently been knocked off the wall ~ and no one was sure if it had just happened or if it had been there for one or more rounds.
>Before anyone had a chance to stop her, a player reached out, turned it over and said, "No problem. Now it is dead."
>I objected, reasoning that as we did not know when it occurred, we should have had three options:
>1. As we did not know when it had happened, and the play might have been effected, all of our hands were dead and the game was over.
>2.Logically, it might just have happened when the last tile was pulled, so we make it the next tile in the wall and proceed with the game.
>3.We leave the tile exposed; if anyone wants to call it, they can. If not, *then* it is dead and we proceed as if nothing h ad happened.
>As it turned out, one of the other players wanted it for Mah Jongg and objected that calling the now exposed tile dead was arbitrary and that Mah Jongg takes precedence. The player who had made the initial snap decision then decided that the player who wanted the tile for Maj Jongg should close her eyes while the tile was buried in the wall. Everyone (except the unhappy player) agreed and this was done. One round later, a different player called Mah Jongg.
>What ought we to have done?
>Judith T. O
Hi Judith,
A very interesting little conundrum. But it's not complicated. Have you read FAQ 9? Here are some excerpts that are applicable. These philosophies cover how to handle conflicting opinions on an untoward event.
Philosophy #2: Resolving conflicts often involves perpetrating an unavoidable unfairness
(or a perceived unfairness) on someone. Seek the smallest unfairness to the smallest
number of players.
Philosophy #3: When ruling on conflicts arising out of someone's error, first determine
who made the error.
Philosophy #4: If you make a mistake, you are the one who should suffer its consequences,
not everybody else at the table. You can ask for, but not demand, a second chance. There
is no rule that says, "mistakes must be forgiven by the other players."
Philosophy #5: How to decide when mistakes may (or must) be taken back:
a. When a player makes a mistake that messes up her own hand, and realizes it immediately (before discarding a tile, thus ending her turn), it is not too late to rectify the error. Do it now!
b. When a player makes a mistake that messes up her own hand, and realizes it after
discarding, then it's too late, and she must live with the mistake.
c. When a player makes a mistake that messes up the game, and it is realized immediately,
the mistake must be rectified on the spot.
d. When a player makes a mistake that messes up the game, and it is not realized immediately (thus cannot be rectified), sometimes it is best for all players to just throw in their hands and start over.
So, in this instance, who made the mistake? Everybody. Everybody did not notice when that face-down tile got among the discards. Everybody was just listening, and not watching the proceedings. A very common error in American mah-jongg, where people vocalize the names of discards.
And which kind of mistake was this, a minor mishap or a major one that messed up the game? Normally it would be a minor one, but in this case one player wanted it for mah-jongg. Mah-jongg trumps everything, meaning it was a major mishap.
And was this mistake realized immediately? No. So, philosophy 5d kicks in. The hand should be thrown in. Philosophy 2 now comes into play. Somebody feels unfairly treated (the player who wanted the tile for mah-jongg). But if she was paid for mah-jongg, who would pay? Everybody, and they would feel unfairly treated. So the smallest unfairness to the smallest number of people means throw the hand in.
These philosophies as stated above are not official League principles -- they're philosophies I have developed over the years, and they don't apply only to American-style mah-jongg. Things happen that are not covered in the official written rules.
If my answer doesn't satisfy, you can check with the NMJL. But you should get it in writing. You should not call on the telephone. You should send your question in writing, in order to get the answer in writing.
So many things could go wrong when asking questions on the phone. So mail the question with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 18, 2010
Just being enthusiastic about the game
>Subject:
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:19:05 -0500 (EST)
>...just being enthusiastic about the game; today was our 6th session, - we finished four rounds - I won two
> Mahjongs (Half Flush and a Pure Straight)....
> I've helped sell 6 copies (and counting) of your book - and feel compelled to increase the number of people
> here playing the Official Chinese version...
> I did have a couple of minor questions, but don't have my book right near........one was the concept of the knitted straights..
> that you may NEVER take a discard for this, even for Mahjong...(seems rather severe)..
> .....(you don't have to respond to this note....I'll write to the 'Webmaster' with my minor questions...
> Thanks for enlightening everyone!! Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
That's very cool that you're having such a good time and spreading the love of mahjong. (^_^) You wrote:
the concept of the knitted straights..
> that you may NEVER take a discard for this, even for Mahjong
But no, that's not correct. It's true that you can't expose a knitted set prior to declaring mahjong, but you certainly can claim a discard to complete a knitted set when that tile completes the hand, giving you mahjong. Take another look at the book, it's in there.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 17, 2010
What are they made of and where can I get replacements?
>From: Vicki D
>Subject: Fwd: missing mahj tiles
>Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:06:11 -0800
>> Can you give me any information regarding these tiles, i.e., what they're made of and how old they might be? Also, do you have any idea where I could get a new 7 dot and 8 jokers? I appreciate your help.
>Vicki
Hello Vicki, you wrote:
what they're made of
The yellow part looks like casein to me. I guess the green is the back? I can't tell from a small photo what kind of plastic they might be. I probably couldn't tell even from a large photo. Read FAQs 7c & 7c3.
how old they might be?
Could be anywhere from the 1930's to the 1960's.
any idea where I could get a new 7 dot and 8 jokers?
See the Tiles For Sale & Tiles Wanted bulletin boards, and read FAQ 7R. You know where the FAQs are.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 17, 2010
She called maj after the last tile had already been played
>From: AddieB
>Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:27:23 -0500 (EST)
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>If you throw and pick and it is the last tile to be played, the girl picks the last tile on the wall and to the right of her the next girl calls Mah jongg is this possible. We have no more tiles left, but the next girl to her right calls mah jongg. I feel if there is no more tiles to pick the game has ended correct? What if two girls to her right has mah jongg when does it end, the game that is?
>Now what if we pick and throw and the same scenerio happens. The girl picks the last tile on the wall, no more left to pick and the girl to her right, two girls to her right, in other words her over, declares mah jongg is this possible. Again, if no more picks are left how can you declare yourself a winner. confused, to when does the game stop and how many more girls around the table can declare themselves a winner.
>thanks, really big discussion in my group.
>Addie B
Hello Addie, you wrote:
If you throw and pick
What? That's backwards! Do you play with a "future tile" or something?
and it is the last tile to be played, the girl picks the last tile on the wall
What? That doesn't make any sense! How can there still be a tile in the wall if the last tile has been played? What kind of rules do you use? I don't think I'm going to be able to help you, if you are not playing by the official National Mah Jongg League rules. Read FAQ 14 (you can link to the FAQs above left) -- when you use non-standard rules, it's up to you to figure out how weird situations should be handled.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 17, 2010
What's the origin of the term "Charleston"? (FAQ 19AG)
>Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:45:30 -0500
>Subject: Definition
>From: Nancy M
>where did the word "charleston" originate in the mahjong game and why is it used instead of "exchange" if the game's origin is chinese, this word just does not fit. thanks for the info
>--
>Nancy M
>in god we trust
Hello Nancy,
This question is answered in Frequently Asked Question #19AG.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 17, 2010
How does stopping the Charleston work? (FAQ 19AG)
>From: Vicki D
>Sent: Tue, November 16, 2010 11:00:20 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Whose responsibility is it to stop the Charleston after the first round? Are we supposed to ask if anyone's stopping it and then wait, or is the person who wants to stop it supposed to tell everyone she's stopping it?
Hello Vicki,
Your questions are answered in
Frequently Asked Question 19AG (look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow, emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it. After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Always check the FAQs first before asking a question. If the question is not satisfactorily answered by the FAQ, please tell me which part of the FAQ needs improvement for the benefit of future readers.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 16, 2010
Seeking 4-blank, white tiles
Subject: Seeking 4-blank, white tiles
From: roseyeden♣netscape.net
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:18:30 -0500 (EST)
Please review my ad for posting:
From: Rae Rae
Email: roseyeden♦netscape.net
Seeking 4-extra tiles
Dimensions: 1 1/4 inch high, x 1 inch wide, x a bit under 3/4 inch thick.
Color: white, blank.
Material: the tiles are made of plastic-composite bought in Hong Kong about 20-yrs ago. I am happy to send you a sample of what I need, to match it.
DSCN0987.JPG
DSCN0988.JPG
DSCN0989.JPG
Rae (or Rose, or Sharon?),
Three problems:
You already have a post on the Tiles Wanted board. I can't tell if this one is a request for four tiles for a different set, or a repeat request for tiles for the same set. In your previous post you said your tiles' dimensions were "1 1/8 x 7/8 x 1/2 in." So it appears that you want to post a second request (that this is not meant to correct the one you posted 5 days ago). But I can't tell, so please clarify. There is a limit on that board to one post per person. Which one do you want?
As it says on the Tiles Wanted board, I do not host photos for you on the Wanted and For Sale boards. You have to read the instructions for the board.
As I said to you when you posted before, you are making it harder on yourself if what you ask for is blank tiles. You appear not to have read the comment under your first post, and you appear not to have read
Frequently Asked Question #7Q.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #7Q and click it.
May the tiles be with you. Literally.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
The Ides of November, 2010
Tournaments in Westchester County?
>Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:21:17 -0500
>From: berbun <berbun1
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Are there any tournaments in Westchester County. I’ve been to one in Rockland. Thank you for your help. Bunny A
Hi Bunny,
I don't know if there are or not. The first thing I would do if I was you is look in
Frequently Asked Question #4a. (Scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #4a and click it.)
There's a section on tournament organizers in there. If you don't find anything there, well, that may be all I have, but you have another thing you can try (besides
Google, of course), and that's FAQ 15. The tips I offer for finding players and teachers can also be useful in finding tournaments in your area -- you can check senior organizations, Jewish community centers, women's clubs... and other ideas I give in there. Good luck!
May the tournament be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 14, 2010
Can you tell me roughly, part 7
>From: Michael S
>Sent: Sun, November 14, 2010 4:50:51 AM
>Subject: Can you tell me roughly, part 6
>Hello Tom. Just back from Kuala Lumpur, New Zealand and Sydney. Modern sets in KL. None of the common poor reproductions, sold sometimes as genuine antiques on ebay. Came as a bit of a surprise.
>I agree with your observations and valuation. The bird is interesting also. It is standing on two legs. I have seen this most commonly in attache style bone and bamboo sets usually dated from the 1930's. I remember reading somewhere that this style of bird (standing on two legs) was indicative of Japanese sets. IIRC, it was in the 1st Edition Japanese MJ Museum book.
>One other thing though. I have noticed quite a few of these b/b sets can have the animals, silver ingot and god of wealth tiles as replacements from another set and hence their bone or bamboo thicknesses will be different from the rest of the set. It might be prudent for your correspondent to check all the thickness are the same for all the tiles.
>Cheers
>Michael
Hi Michael,
Wow, your trip sounds fantastic. Funny you'd mention animal flowers as replacement tiles or late additions to a set. I was just looking at one of my sets yesterday, pondering offering it for sale (coincidentally, also a set with Haversian system), and I noticed that the flower tiles are bigger than all the other tiles. They aren't thicker, though, the bone is the same thickness as the other tiles, the bone matches perfectly (same amount of Haversian streaks, and same color) -- just that the tiles are taller than all the others. Weird.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 14, 2010
Can you tell me roughly, part 6
>From: Dave B
>Sent: Sun, November 14, 2010 4:33:38 AM
>Subject: Re: Mahjong Set Pictures - from Googlemail account.
>Hi Tom,
>Thanks for taking the time to look and provide such a detailed reply.
>The tiles are 17.5mm Wide x 24.5mm High x 11.5mm deep (bamboo 7.5mm thick/bone 4mm thick).
>I think after having a wander around your site, I will try and make the set complete, learn the rules, and see if I can convince friends & family to take up a new hobby !
>If they were a wedding present to my great great grandfather, then it would seem a shame to let them go.
>Regards - Dave.B
Hi Dave,
OK, that sounds like a good plan. Also see Michael Stanwick's comments above.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 14, 2010
EDIT: The dimensions of your tiles correspond with the dimensions of my modern fishbone tiles (smaller than 1920's bone/bamboo tiles, bigger than later smaller bone/bam tiles I've seen). Still could be 1930's.
Can you tell me roughly, part 5
>Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 01:22:03 +0000
>Subject: Mahjong Set Pictures - from Googlemail account.
>From: Dave B
>Hi,
> As requested - piccies sent via googlemail account.
>Regards - Dave.B
OK! That works twice as good. Comments first.
Flaws:
The dice are mismatched.
Some of the sticks are missing.
The tiles show heavy Haversian system, they're possibly dirty as well.
There is no wind indicator; the "thimble" might be a holder for wind discs, which are missing.
There's no paper manual.
As you say, the key is missing.
I can't tell what condition the box is in, or what it smells like. So I'll assume it's not in good condition and it has a funny smell.
The animal flowers indicate that the set is of more modern origin than the generally more desirable 1920's sets. 1930's to 1960's; the size of the tiles would be a clue, but I don't know their dimensions. The 1930's clue in your set might be a genuine age clue (could be 1930's).
Pluses:
The carving error on the 9D tiles is of interest.
Standard 148 tiles (four of the blanks are white dragons); none are missing.
The dice coffin is complete with lid.
The bams are of the less common "leaf" type.
It has the less common "animal flowers."
While it does have some worthy features, then, it also has its minuses. It's a common set, with some undesirable characteristics and some collectible characteristics. It's unlikely to go for much more than US$150, and could go for as little as US$70. And those numbers could be off (it could go for more, it could go for less).
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
Can you tell me roughly, part 4
>Subject: RE: Hi - Quick Question.
>Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:20:27 -0000
>From: "Dave B
>Heh Heh... poxy work email.... it should have attached a zipfile with the jpeg files in it.
>As they say a picture paints a thousand words when it comes to condition, jpegs attached directly to the email this time.
>Interestingly the 9 dot tiles have an un-inked reverse 9 on them as well - I guess this was carved in error !
>Hopefully your mail client will be able to see the attached jpegs !
>Regards - Dave.B
>Attachment: winmail.dat
I tried renaming the dat file to a zip file:
Compressed (zipped) Folders error
The Compressed (zipped) Folder is invalid or corrupted
If I had a Base64 utility, I could try that, but I don't have one. See if you can figure out a way to send it to me. Maybe via a free gmail or Yahoo account rather than your work email...
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
Can you tell me roughly, part 3
>Subject: RE: Hi - Quick Question.
>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 2:47 PM
>From: "Dave B
>Description as requested.
>140 tiles with carved, inked designs, some aged as shown, none broken or chipped.
>8 Blank tiles.
>101 bone counters, varying thicknesses and similar lengths - not machine made !
>Small wood/bamboo box with 4 tiny dice.
>One brass thimble ? Guess it's a dice shaker ?
>Tiles are in 4 well worn material covered trays.
>All the game goes inside one fairly low rent looking hand made box, brass hinges and lock - no key.
>One clue to date ? Found a golden wedding celebration invite card for my great great grandfather under one of the trays, so could have been a present to them, card is dated 8th April 1935.
>I hope this is of use !
>Cheers - Dave.B
>Attachment: winmail.dat
>Subject: RE: Hi - Quick Question.
>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:15:11 -0000
>From: "Dave B
>Hi Tom,
>I've cropped and resized the photo's, feel free to use them in any way, if you require any more specific tile photos please let me know.
> Regards - Dave.B
>Attachment: winmail.dat
I really need to see the photos, Dave, and I'm not going to go get them from an online link. Too much work for me that way. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with a .dat file. And your description of the set is a little short on condition details. "Not broken or chipped" doesn't tell me much. See condition guide in FAQ 7h. Am I telling you roughly enough yet? (^_^)
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
Can you tell me roughly, part 2
Subject: RE: Hi - Quick Question.
Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:11:23 -0000
From: "Dave B
>Hi,
>Thanks for the quick reply.
>I didn't email the photo's as they are about 43mbs worth, that would clog up my outbox and your inbox, hence the link to the perfectly safe image hosting site !
>I can email them to you if you would like to take a more detailed look at the set.
>Warmest Regards - Dave.B
Hi Dave,
I certainly don't need 43 megabytes of photos. Read the instructions in the FAQ, send me the information I need, and send me the minimal number of photos that I need to accompany the information (resized to no bigger than 1024 pixels). Then I'll be happy to tell you what I can.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
Can you tell me roughly what I would expect for it?
>Subject: Hi - Quick Question.
>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 20:04:05 -0000
>Importance: normal
>Priority: normal
>From: "Dave B
>http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/8909044/1/MahJongSet?h=cfde7e
>Hi,
> My grandparents left me this set.
>I've never played the game so would like it to go to someone who can appreciate it.
>Can you tell me roughly what I would expect for it ? Just so I can set a reserve on eBay.
>I know prices must fluctuate, I have no idea at all so any rough guideline would be appreciated.
>Looking at your website I guess its bone and bamboo.
>Warmest Regards - Dave.B
>This message is confidential, so please treat it appropriately and for its intended purpose only. In particular, if it refers to any technical data, terms or prices not generally available or known, such items are "commercially sensitive information" within the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related laws. As it would be prejudicial to ██'s commercial interests if these were disclosed, please refrain from doing so.
>As Internet communications are not secure, please be aware that ██ cannot accept responsibility for its contents. Any views or opinions presented are those of the author only and not of ██. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please accept our apologies and arrange for copies of it to be deleted. For your information, ██ may intercept incoming and outgoing email communications.
>[COMPANY PARTICULARS DELETED]
Hello Dave,
To avail yourself of my free appraisal service, you have to follow my rules. Please read Frequently Asked Question #7h.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #7h and click it.
I don't follow links for you. You have to send the photos directly to me and they will go up here on this board when I give my appraisal. And: "When you email me, I own it." Answers I give are given only in this public forum. Emailing me a question constitutes your implied consent for the question and answer to be given on this bulletin board. Claims of confidentiality are voided in view of this implied consent as publicly and clearly stated.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
What's the official unofficial rule?
>From: Deborah McK
>Sent: Sat, November 13, 2010 6:29:51 AM
>Subject: I need some help please
>Hi Tom,
>I need some help on the "hot wall" table rule.
>I'm getting 2 different explanations. 1. When pushing out the last wall if a person throws the tile that is then called for mahjongg, that person who threw it pays the winner, and also pays the winner for the other 2 players as well.
>2. When pushing out the last wall, no one can call the tile thrown except for mahjongg. (So this means you can't call a tile for an exposure.)
>Do both rules apply?
>I'm not familiar with this table rule. Someone moved in from South Florida and wants to enforce this and I'm apprehensive. I understand that "hot walls" were played many years ago. Not now.
>Thanks for any answers you can share!
>Debbie McK
Hi Debbie, you wrote:
I need some help on the "hot wall" table rule.
I can't help you, Debbie. You're asking me "what is the official unofficial rule," and that's an oxymoron (a self-contradictory term). You need to read Frequently Asked Question #14.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #14 and click it.
I'm getting 2 different explanations.
Of course! That's the deal with unofficial rules. There's no written rule, so people make up their own. Like it says in FAQ 14.
Someone moved in from South Florida and wants to enforce this
She doesn't have the ability to do that without the other players' agreement. Like it says in FAQ 14.
and I'm apprehensive.
Don't be. There are no mah jongg police to arrest you for using unofficial rules.
I understand that "hot walls" were played many years ago. Not now.
You understand wrong (those last two words you said). Lots of people play by all sorts of table rules today. Like it says in FAQ 14.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 13, 2010
Another column oopsie
From: "Elaine Sagman"
Subject: Column # 468 (oopsie?)
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:03:13 -0500
>September 26, 2010
>Column #468
>Dear Mr. Sloper,
>I’m sorry to bother you again…I am home sick today and happily spending my time reviewing your Columns.
>In Column #468, HAND #1, is it possible you meant to say the hot tiles were:
>Hot tiles are 1C 3D 3B FLOWER. (not G?)
>Thank you,
>Elaine Sagman
>Haymarket, VA
Doh! You're right. Fixed.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
11.10.10
A little oopsie in column 471
From: "Elaine Sagman"
Subject: clarification Column #471
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:34:45 -0500
>Dear Mr. Sloper,
>In your column dated October 17, 2010, Column #471, LOOK AT HAND 13~you state:
>12. 13579 has no hand like this, and nothing in Consec. matches either. She's dead.
>13. See what I wrote in regards to #12 above.
>I beg to differ…Your hand #13 above could be second Consec Run hand:
>333 4444 (cracks) 555 6666 (dots)
>I love this hand and play it all the time! J
>I enjoy your website very much! Thank you!!!
>Elaine Sagman
>Haymarket, VA
Oopsie! Thanks, Elaine. It's fixed now.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
11.10.10
Half Flush, part 3
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Mon, November 8, 2010 6:37:08 PM
>Subject: Half Flush configuration
>Thank you for answering....That WAS a coincidence, because I had not looked at your discussion board before asking my question..
> So, ....that configuration gives you a lot of latitude then...I don't know how many...but certainly quite a few
> combinations will fall under that extended limitation.....
> and I would NOT have assumed that it would be OK to only have...as you mentioned to George (?) as few as a pair of suit
> tiles in your hand, in order to consider it a Half Flush combination...
> Hmmmm.....again...thank you for answering.. J
A different question about Half Flush
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Mon, November 8, 2010 2:47:04 PM
>Subject: Half Flush
> Hello T.S. (though not Eliot)..
> Our group played again today (only the 5th time), yet we finished four rounds...It's been a solid, though incremental march
> forward, and all of us find it to be such a richly wonderful game..
> One question on the Half Flush (#50) in your book:
> "'This hand contains 'SOME honors' and suit tiles in one suit."
> I was wondering...can you have TWO honor pungs and 2 suit hands...or, as in your visual example, are you allowed
> only ONE honor suit...and 3 sets of suit tiles? (I hope this is not one of the FAQ's)....(Haven't looked through them all...yet)... Thanks, J
Hi Jacqueline,
Is it a coincidence that somebody else also asked about Half Flush today (below)? Did you read the question Bob K asked, and the answer I gave him? You ask:
'This hand contains 'SOME honors' and suit tiles in one suit."
> I was wondering...can you have TWO honor pungs and 2 suit hands...or, as in your visual example, are you allowed only ONE honor suit...and 3 sets of suit tiles?
I'm assuming when you said "honor suit" you mean to say "honor set." But look, what you're really asking is:
What does "some" mean in this context?
It means "less than all, and more than one." It pretty much means "any." This is not in the FAQs, because nobody ever asked this before.
If you have ANY number of honor tiles, AND you have ANY number of suit tiles in the hand, AND if all your suit tiles belong to just ONE suit (and if your hand is complete), then what you have is a Half Flush hand.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 8, 2010
Is there a minimum number of suit tiles for a Half Flush or Clean hand?
>From: Bob K
>Sent: Mon, November 8, 2010 12:41:45 PM
>Subject: Mahjong Question
>The hand "Half Flush" as described by A Guide To Mahjong (Chinese / Official International Rules) states:
>A hand formed from any of the suits and honors only.
>Q. is a minimum # of tiles in that single suit required?
>thanks
Hi Bob,
There isn't a stated minimum, no. But when you look at it logically, the smallest possible number of suit tiles in a Half Flush ("Clean") hand would be 2. You can't have a single tile, but you could have a pair. Any number of suit tiles in an otherwise honors hand would step the hand down from All Honors to Half Flush.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 8, 2010
When exposing tiles atop the rack
>Date: Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:45:44 -0800
>From: Ellen C
>Subject: Should exposed tiles face toward the person whose rack they are on
> or the other players in the game
>We have recently started playing with some new people. Their convention is to rack exposed tiles so that they face away from the person who exposed them and toward the other players in the game.
>Is there a convention for this?
>--
No, Ellen, there isn't. You can do whatever you think is best, or whatever your group thinks is best.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
11/7, 2010
What if nobody has 3 tiles to pass in the blind pass?
>From: Debbie B
>Sent: Sun, November 7, 2010 5:42:23 AM
>Subject: passing on 1st left and blind pass
> Hi
> We have a question
> When we are on 1st left and ALL 4 players want to
> "steal" a tile to pass, meaning each only has 1 or 2 tiles they want to pass, how do you proceed?
> Does erveryone have to then pass 3 because is it fair to force one person to pass 3 so the others can then "Steal"?
> Or can everyone pass only 2?
> Or can everyone put down the #of tiles they want to pass (being 1 or 2 ) and then East can steal from the 1st left pass , then each person in succession steal so that the last person will get a tile to put into rack at the end of that so everyone still has their 14/13 tiles in rack?
> Please advise we are stck on this,
> Thank you
> Debbie in Columbia,MD..
Hi Debbie,
I have never seen an answer from the NMJL on this one, but as I interpret the rules, tiles must be passed. Consider this crazy thought:
Most likely, there's only one player (or at most two players) who absolutely cannot pass any tiles. SOMEONE has at least one tile she can pass ... the dealer, for instance. If the dealer cannot declare mah-jongg, she is going to have to start the game by discarding a tile. That means she has one tile (at least) that she can pass.
Since there is at least one player who can pass at least one tile, it's possible to satisfy the rule requiring that a Last Right pass take place. It's permissible to Blind Pass on the Last Right, as you know.
The Blind Pass is the loophole that'll get you through this impasse.
Because Blind Passing is permitted on this pass, all that's needed is at least one passable tile. And unless the dealer can declare mah-jongg, there is one. If the dealer can declare mah-jongg, just let her do that and be done with it.
So, in the worst case, then, the dealer passes one tile right and says, "I owe you two more." That player can pass it right and say, "I owe you two more," and so on, until each player has passed the tile right. Then the dealer need only repeat the process twice (saying, instead of "I owe you two more," rather "Now I owe you one more" and "Here's your third tile" on the 2nd and 3rd time, respectively). Now each player has (in effect) passed three tiles to each other player, using the Blind Pass workaround, although in actuality nobody has actually changed her hand. And the requirement that a Last Right be passed has been satisfied (thanks to the Blind Pass loophole).
Or you could just all SAY you did the above, have a good laugh, and signal the dealer to discard. It amounts to the same thing anyway. Think about it!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 7, 2010
Thanks again
Subject:
From: jjaclen
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2010 01:56:18 -0400 (EDT)
>Thanks again for the info....quite enjoyed your Tianyi Pavilion travelogue; Lodewijk Van Berchem; the bronze MahJong set; ;
> the 'origami' map hat; the woman painting calligraphy on the sidewalk......it was very lovely, and so wonderful to
> laugh at the many amusing adventures/misadventures of your trip...
> .....our group will continue on....learning,learning...j
Checking out other rule books
>Subject: tallies
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2010 23:00:14 -0400 (EDT)
> To Tom Sloper...
>...In checking out 'Rules of MahJong from Masters G. (Chinese and British versions)...there is this statement:
> "The overall aim of the game is to amass a greater score than one's opponents and it should be remembered
> that it is possible to do this over a series of rounds without ever calling Mah Jong."
> I thought the only person allowed to tally points was the one who 'went out' with Mah Jong..not the other players????
> This site also mentions having 14 tiles allotted to a Kong Box (?)....
> I have not checked out any other rules, other than those stated by you in your book......Where should I
> 'place' the above facts... (variations of the game??....outdated material??)..
> Under their scoring system ..(perhaps the British variation?).... they speak of EACH players score being doubled
> for a) Player's own wind b) prevailing wind c) Pung or Kong of Dragons
> "Finally, there are some additional doubles that 'apply to the hand that went Mah Jong only' "
> There's certainly more communally active scoring under this system...but perhaps these are NOT the
> try Chinese Official Mah Jong rule facts......Thanks for clearing this up....
> ...Which additional source material do you suggest that I download from your excellent list?? Thank you ...Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
It's a pleasure to have a human name to call you. (^_^) You wrote:
In checking out 'Rules of MahJong from Masters G. (Chinese and British versions)...there is this statement:
> "The overall aim of the game is to amass a greater score than one's opponents and it should be remembered
> that it is possible to do this over a series of rounds without ever calling Mah Jong."
> I thought the only person allowed to tally points was the one who 'went out' with Mah Jong..not the other players????
Um, yes. But you're talking about Mahjong Competition Rules, and that book is not about Mahjong Competition Rules. You're just going to confuse yourself if you read books about other variants.
perhaps these are NOT the
> try Chinese Official Mah Jong rule facts
Right. Those rules are closer to the Classical Chinese rules. Take a look at FAQ 2b if you want to learn the difference between different variants.
Which additional source material do you suggest that I download from your excellent list??
Only those that are about MCR or "Chinese Official" rules. Look in FAQ 4b, there's a whole section on MCR in there. Also see FAQ 22, and the links at the bottom of that.
By the way, have you looked at the weekly* [cough] column? A number of columns deal with MCR.
*I haven't been religiously keeping up the weekly schedule. Not even sure if I'm going to write one tomorrow. (Probably not.)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 6, 2010
Does compulsory really mean compulsory? - Revisited
>From: "Lynn P
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2010 21:03:47 -0400
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Regarding letter titled: Does "Compulsory" really mean Compulsory? It's not to our liking which was written on 11/4 by S I. In the first Charleston wouldn't it have been better for "confused player" to have passed one of her tiles from a pung or a kong rather than from a pair since she could have used a joker in the pung or kong for mah jongg? Just love your Questions & Answers and weekly column and I have sent them to my mah jongg friends. Our group had a first last Friday when a tile was discarded and both the player between me and the discarder and I called for it for mah jongg. Of course she got it since she was the next person to play!! As my 5 year old grand daughter says, "Too bad!!" And it was for me!! Thanks for all your mah jongg wisdom. Lynn P.
Hi Lynn, you wrote:
wouldn't it have been better for "confused player" to have passed one of her tiles from a pung or a kong rather than from a pair
If she had a pung or kong, yes. That's the thing to do when you have to pass a tile.
since she could have used a joker in the pung or kong for mah jongg?
Well, not only that, but if a player later discards it, you can call it (assuming you're not going for a concealed hand).
Just love your Questions & Answers and weekly column and I have sent them to my mah jongg friends... Thanks for all your mah jongg wisdom.
Thanks for calling it that! (^_~)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 6, 2010
She told me I lost my turn
>From: "Mary Ann
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2010 16:42:19 -0400
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: I am a beginner. Recently, I paused when it was my turn because I was not certain if I wanted to take a discarded tile. Another player told me I lost my turn because I took too long. Is that true and how long is too long?
>Thank you,
>Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann,
She lied her butt off. Look, I have some advice for you:
Don't try so hard to win. Instead, try to keep up. If you have to think a minute, beg the players' forebearance. But don't ever think too long. Time how long others think, and don't exceed the time they take.
Buy a rule book. Make sure it's the right book for whatever kind of mah jongg you play (there are over 40 kinds of mah jongg, you know). Then the next time somebody throws out a weird rule at you, hand her the book and ask her to show you where the rule is written.
Read FAQ 14 -- maybe your group has a "lose your turn" table rule or something. Find out how table rules are supposed to work, and ask your group if they have any other table rules they haven't told you about (ones that are not in the official written rules).
By the way, I see by your email address that you live in Rochester, NY. That's my old home. Ra-cha-cha!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 6, 2010
The latest printing of your book?
>From: verizon
>Sent: Fri, November 5, 2010 12:50:59 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>I want to purchase your book, but would like to know where I can purchase the most recent printing, and if there is a printing with the errors corrected.
>Also, you say (and I believe you) that you are an expert on the classic Chinese game of Mah-jongg. Are you also an expert on the American version? I've been reading your Q & A's on Sloperama, and have found answers to all of my questions about the American Mahjong. You rock!!!
>Thanks for your help.
>Minda M
Hi Minda,
There's only been one printing so far. The errata are available to download from my website (look for the white banner for the book).
I am indeed an expert on the American game. Because I rock. (^_^)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 5, 2010
I don't understand, part 6
>Subject: Fwd: addendum
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 22:44:14 -0400 (EDT)
>...Calculations for the second situation you proposed:
> All chows - 2
> Pure double chow 1
> Short straight (dots) 1
> No Honors 1
> Closed Wait (on the 8 dot) 1 ....... (I don''t know the significance of having only one exposed chow????)
> The third situation:..... Melded Hand...6pts
> plus (Allchows-2; Short Straight-1; No Honors-1; Pure Double Straight-1)
> Fourth Situation (9dot removed and replaced with a 3dot)
> Fully concealed - 4
> All chows-2; Pure Double Chow-1; Short Straight-1; No Honors-1; All Simples - 2
> ....Thanks for the encouragement to work on the sample variations you proposed....j
Hello "jjacl," you wrote:
(I don''t know the significance of having only one exposed chow????)
The significance is: the hand is not Concealed. The hand is not Melded Hand.
Thanks for the encouragement to work on the sample variations you proposed....
You're welcome. Now you can help your group!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 4, 2010
Does "compulsory" really mean "compulsory"? It's not to our liking!
>Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 10:58:42 -0700 (PDT)
>From: "S. I
>Subject: Charlestown question
>Tom,
>Love your column! I have learned a lot from reading your pages.
>I can't believe I'm writing to you (because I thought everything one wanted to know was in the website),
>but something has been bothering me and want to make sure we didn't short change a player.
>We play the first Charleston is compulsary. BUT...what if someone is immediatley 2 tiles away from Mah Jongg after the deal?
>We play with 14 (no future), so the person was dealt 12 tiles that made a hand.
>She asked me right up front "What if I need all my tiles?" I didn't understand EXACTLY what she meant.
>It did not occur to me she was actually looking at "almost Mah Jongg".
>Thinking she was simply unsure which ones to keep (she is our 'regularly confused' player), I told her to pass the ones she could most stand to lose, and hope she got them back.
>So she had to pass one tile she needed to make the hand, and someone else needed and kept it!
>She never got the tile back. It was a pair (I guess she thought she could get one of the other 3, but someone else had them!)
>So she lost and the other person won.
>Confused Player thought it wasn't fair she was FORCED to pass her tile away.
>Did I do something wrong?
>Sincerely,
>Susan K. I
Hi Susan, you wrote:
We play the first Charleston is compulsary. BUT...
Doctor Laura has a saying. "When you say 'but,' you just negate everything that went before it."
Compulsory means "compulsory." You can look it up. It doesn't matter if you don't like the word's meaning, it doesn't matter if you don't like the rule, it doesn't matter if you wish there was an exception. I have often been in Confused Player's position -- not in that I was confused, because I wasn't, but in that I had just 2 tiles to pass but HAD to pass 3. It usually happens to me on the 2nd Across. When you're that close, it's very possible you're going to win. Tell Confused Player to man up.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 4, 2010
I don't understand, part 5
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Wed, November 3, 2010 9:02:32 PM
>Subject: Eureka!:
>Dear Tom.....(We had our (only) 4th game session today.....each week it's gotten faster and more exciting...even though we
> feel that we're scrambling around so much trying to piece together our 'fan' and create a logical hand...really fun..
> Sooooo....then there was your message with your sample hand:....Using your book samples...and NOT (yet) looking at your
> explanation....(trying to figure it out myself)....I came up with the following score:
> 1pt. Pure double chow
> 2pt. All chows
> 1pt. Short straight
> 1pt. No Honors
> 1pt. Single Wait
> 4pt. Fully concealed hand
> (This begins to feel like a recipe!)............Now, I will return to the text beneath your example and check out my
> computations.....at any rate....VERY nice of you to send off that sample hand..
> I feel committed to working on the Chinese version...It seems preposterous that...a handful of Americans, at one given time
> just chose to 'take a sharp left' and change the original version of the game so markedly.....I really don't want to play
> a game with no chows....what a loss!
> Well.....I'll check your explanation now....and again...Thanks so....Very kind of you.....J
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Wed, November 3, 2010 9:26:04 PM
>Subject: addendum
>Hmm.....I had only read #1 under your sample...so now I will work on your #'s 2 through 5 questions and 'report back' tomorrow..
> As to playing without the 8 point minimum - yes, that was very tempting...but already, with only 4 sessions behind us, we feel that
> we are close enough to making that a requirement. Today, after finishing one round - without a MahJong from anyone..we shared and
> discussed each persons' hand...what combinations they were trying for, and how close they were to achieving their goal...three of us
> were only one tile away from making our 8 point Mah Jong...and we were really quite pleased...it's wonderfully challenging..
> ...Your book is really wonderful...I could make one comment (if there's a second edition)....
> Only after I wrote my initial two comments to you, did I begin to realize the very basic concept of finding - patterns within patterns..
> Somehow there was never a statement to that effect: "Look for patterns within patterns"....For the first time I began to
> see that while I was staring at #55 (Outside Hand)..I found the additional points of a) Tile Hog , b) Pung of Terminals, c) one voided suit...
> ...and no one else in my group realized this concept..that one will eventually be tossing so many variables around to
> pull out additional points from a given, set, 14 tile hand...We were just initially trying to repeat the hands that were in the fan section..
> as though to copy the pattern. and not realizing that mentally we were supposed to make connections between these various
> combinations....that's just the most obvious and basic thought....but, it wasn't spelled out as such, and we 'didn't get it initially....
> (just a comment.......)
Hi jj, if I may call you by your first name...
I could make one comment (if there's a second edition)....
> Only after I wrote my initial two comments to you, did I begin to realize the very basic concept of finding - patterns within patterns..
"Patterns within patterns." Hmm! Nice turn of phrase. I have often said to my students just, "look for the patterns."
I suppose what I should also do is what I did with you here: give example hands, and give the reader "exercises" to work out what "patterns within patterns" can be found. Good idea.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 3, 2010
Find Players Post, Reply
>From: Stuart B
>To: Shelly Lefkoe (shelly at lefkoeinstitute.com)
>Cc: [89 email addresses deleted]
>Sent: Wed, November 3, 2010 6:17:39 AM
>Subject: Re: Mah Jong game
>On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 9:38 PM, Shelly Lefkoe (shelly@lefkoeinstitute dot com) wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
>> My name is Shelly Lefkoe and I live in Marin County. There are three of us looking for a fourth to play mah jong. Anyone interested?
>> Please E mail me at Shelly©lefkoeinstitute.com
>> Thanks.
>> Shelly
>Hi . . . I don't really know how I got on this list, but because I did, I want to respond.
>I assume you are playing American Mah-Jongg.
>For the past 8 years, I have been teaching my own modified and simplified version of the original Chinese version of Mah-Jongg at Senior Centers, the local Community College, AA Rec & Ed, AAUW, Osher, etc etc.
>The point is that three can play just as easily as four, and we often have to do that in the various groups I have taught, and am presently teaching.
>Regards . . . Stuart
I hadn't noticed that Shelly's Find Player email was not actually sent to be posted on the Find Players bulletin board but was instead a mass email to 91 people. One point Stuart makes is worth commenting on:
>I assume you are playing American Mah-Jongg.
He had to make that assumption, because Shelly never actually said. She must be one of those people who doesn't realize that a lot of people in North America play other variants besides the NMJL game. It's very hard to come up with numbers, as I discussed in FAQ 23. We have an approximate number of NMJL members, from the NMJL in interviews, but we don't have numbers on players of other variants. One clue I use is the emails I get. The vast majority of emails I get are from players of American-style mah-jongg. That might mean that most people who play mah-jongg here play American, or it might mean that more players of American mah-jongg are confused about the rules (due to the lower volume of books on that variant). Very difficult to arrive at figures about mah-jongg demographics...
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 3, 2010
I don't understand, part 4
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Tue, November 2, 2010 11:09:21 AM
>Subject:
>Tom....thank you for your efforts...I certainly appreciate the kindness of your responses.. (since you are continuously
> inundated with questions....)...We'll continue on....j
Wait, don't go away! I just wrote
this example hand for you:
How would you score this hand if it was made concealed, by self-pick, and the winning tile was 3C (the three crak)? Go through the low-scoring fan and add any that apply, as long as they can be applied without running afoul of the exclusionary rules on page 194 (jjaclen, you should also read FAQ 22 - click the FAQ 22 link above left).
Now score the hand as if one of the 234B chows was exposed, and you won the hand on a discarded 8D. How many points do you come up with, and how do you arrive at that number?
Now score the same hand as if all four chows were exposed, and you won the hand on a discarded 3C.
How many points would the hand be worth if it was concealed, by self-pick, you didn't have 9D but won on 3D, and three 3Ds were already visible on the table in the discards or in exposures? Use your own mahjong tiles to make this hand, take the 9D out, put a 3D in instead. Add up the fan. What score do you get then?
Can you think of other ways the hand might win? Can you swap out one chow for a pung and still make 8 points?
A thought: jjaclen, if your group is not enjoying Mahjong Competition Rules because of the 8-point minimum requirement, you can play without the minimum. Just make any valid mahjong hand, until you all get the hang of things, then when everyone's ready, apply the 8-point minimum.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
November 2, 2010
I don't understand, part 3
>From: "jjaclen
>Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 7:50:37 PM
>Subject: 8 point All simples hand
>OK..Tom......
> Could you please share the combinations for an 8 point All Simples hand? I've come up with #51 (in your book)...6 pts.. plus a normal
> chow... would give you your 8 points
> #53 (6 points)..if you combine this with the all simples concept, you'd get another 2 points for your 8
> .....Is there another more detailed break-down on ways to get your basic 8 points together....
> At this point, I wouldn't mind reading a more 'lengthy explanation' of combinations...
> Our group has only played 3 times with none of us having any experience other than reading your book ....
> We want to stick with the Chinese version..but seem in need of understanding more fan combinations/possibilities in
> getting the basic 8 points needed...it seems so difficult...
> (Are there any other print outs of (?) a 'hundred' different fan combinations to give you your basic 8 points!! "Help"!!! j
Hi jjaclen, you wrote:
Could you please share the combinations for an 8 point All Simples hand?
I can't give you all of them, "jjaclen." Mahjong has a huge number of possible combinations. It's late (early morning, then late mahjong night) but I'll give you one. Combine All Simples with Mixed Double Chow and All Chows and Short Straight, made by self-pick. How many points is that? I'm so tired...
I've come up with #51 (in your book)...6 pts.. plus a normal
> chow... would give you your 8 points
> #53 (6 points)
Could you do me a favor and use fan names please? I don't have the numbers memorized, and the names are instantly recognizable. But yes, add a 6-point fan to a 2-point fan and you have your 8 points.
.Is there another more detailed break-down on ways to get your basic 8 points together....
> At this point, I wouldn't mind reading a more 'lengthy explanation' of combinations...
There are other books and websites, some of those have additional combinations. But what you're supposed to do is get the concept from a couple examples, then figure out your own, based on the rules of MCR.
We want to stick with the Chinese version..
This is only one of several Chinese versions.
but seem in need of understanding more fan combinations/possibilities in
> getting the basic 8 points needed...it seems so difficult...
Don't say that! If you say "it's difficult," you just put up a wall. Take it slow. Sit down with your friends and the tiles, start building combinations. "What if we added a Short Straight, then won on the Last Tile, which was a Closed or Single Wait, how many points would that be?" You need to work it out a little slower. Understanding doesn't always come in a blinding flash until you've done a little digging.
I really have to go to bed now. I can post some more stuff tomorrow. Check out my Links pages -- FAQ 4b -- and find other sites that list MCR (Chinese Official) rules, see what examples they provide. I'm sorry my explanations didn't hack it for you, but I have to get some sleep right now. Gotta get up early tomorrow, go vote!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
11/01/10
Can someone win on the last discard?
>From: lorene r
>Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 5:42:17 PM
>Subject: Taking last discard from last wall for Mah-jongg.
>When we were playing American mah-jongg last week, the last tile was
>taken from the last wall and discarded. I believe the wall is now dead
>and the game is over. However, one of our players said, I'll take that
>and promptly announced , Mah-jongg. Was this a valid and acceptable
>mah-jongg?
>Thank you. Jim
Hi Jim, you wrote:
the last tile was
>taken from the last wall and discarded. I believe the wall is now dead
>and the game is over.
And it would have been, but for what happened next...
one of our players said, I'll take that
>and promptly announced , Mah-jongg. Was this a valid and acceptable
>mah-jongg?
Why not? Where did you ever see a rule that says "every discard is valid for claiming except the last one"? (Hint: you never saw such a rule anywhere, because it doesn't exist.) It's a very lucky thing to win on the very last discard. Some variants even award extra points for that (but not American).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
11/01/10
When a player goes dead
>From: Judith/Tom
>Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 3:48:30 AM
>Subject: questions
>1. Player 1 calls a tile
>2. player 1 exposes a kong
>3. player 2 declares her dead...correctly (she was playing a closed hand)
>question: does player 1 have to return the picked up tile to the table? (so another player can pick it up)
>question: if there is a joker in the kong, is it playable?
>question: if there was a joker displayed in a previously exposed kong, is that playable?
>Thank you, just got your book....
Hello Judith or Tom, your Q's:
does player 1 have to return the picked up tile to the table? (so another player can pick it up)
No. When a player is declared dead upon exposing an illegal set per rules 97.b. or c., the taken tile remains in the hand, unless another player can use it for mah-jongg. But if another player had wanted it for mah-jongg, her claim for the tile would have taken precedence over Player 1's claim for exposure anyway.
if there is a joker in the kong, is it playable?
In my book, see rule 106, page 64. Here on my website, see FAQ 19P.
if there was a joker displayed in a previously exposed kong, is that playable?
In my book, see rule 107, page 64. Here on my site, see FAQ 19P.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 1, 2010
I don't understand, part 2
>From: Chris S
>Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 5:03:52 AM
>Subject: jjaclen's Fan question
>Hi Tom,
>You answered jjaclen's question about low-point fan images in your book.
>I'm sure you were just in a Halloween candy-induced buzz, but you know that flower's don't count towards your minimum 8 points to go out in MCR; they only count after you go out.
>Chris
Thanks, Chris.
Kind of you to attribute the error to sugar, but the fact is it's been too long since I played MCR, and I had simply forgotten. Because I don't want to promulgate the error, I'm going to have to edit the reply I wrote to jjaclen.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 1, 2010
I don't understand the images
>Subject: Fan
>From: jjaclen
>Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:14:05 -0400 (EDT)
>...Hello (and thank you for explaining the following:)
> We are just beginning to learn the Chinese form (and have your book)....
> If one needs 8 points to declare Mah-Jongg..... what is the point of showing such hands in the scoring section, as
> #63...or #68, which only give you 2 points for a very specific combination of tiles, and with which you wouldn't be able to
> declare Mah-Jongg?
> I do understand, as in #51 ...by adding another normal chow..the mixed shifted chows (6 points) would rev up another 2 points
> to produce a hand of all chows and give you 8 points..
> I just don't understand these complete hand images..very specific in content..that only equal 2 points...How are you
> supposed to reach your 8 needed points with those specific examples (#'s 63 and #69) in Tom's book of
> 'Chinese official fan'... page 188-189...... Thank you.....
Hello jjaclen,
I'm glad you have my book, and I'm sorry this aspect of the book is lacking. You asked:
How are you supposed to reach your 8 needed points with those specific examples (#'s 63 and #69)
You aren't, necessarily. My philosophy in creating those images was to present you with only the information you needed to understand the concept of those particular fan. I think it's bad to overload readers with too much information at a time, so I didn't try to make those hand examples into full 8-point hands since then they would have needed lengthy explanations.
The #63 illustration is only meant to show exactly what an All Chows hand looks like -- not necessarily to show an 8-point All Chows hand. I'm sorry if that is confusing!
The #68 illustration is only meant to show an All Simples hand -- not necessarily to show an 8-point All Simples hand.
Besides, some fan that are possible to get can't be illustrated easily. Like Self-Drawn, or Single Wait, Edge Wait, Closed Wait. [Edit]It's also possible [/edit] to win on the Last Tile (Case Tile), or make it as a Melded Hand.
Again, I'm sorry I didn't make this more clear in the book. Enjoy mahjong!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Halloween Night, 2010
Frequently Asked Question 19AY
>From: ellen m
>Sent: Fri, October 29, 2010 5:29:09 AM
>Subject: Question re: discard in Mah Jongg
>Hello Tom,
>Truly appreciate being able to run this by you:
>While discarding, Player A mistakenly says "Flower" while putting down a Wind. Player B calls for it, before seeing that the tile is a Wind. Player A immediately restores the Wind to her rack and puts down the Flower, which Player B then uses for an exposure.
>Is that the correct way to proceed? Or is something else supposed to happen?
>Thank you for your help,
>Ellen M
Hello Ellen,
You have asked
Frequently Asked Question #19AY.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 29, 2010
Where can I get four ivory and bamboo tiles?
>Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:02:09 -0400
>Subject: Tiles For Sale
>From: Jane L
>Tiles For Sale:
>Dimensions:
>Color: Ivory
>Material the tiles are made of: ivory and bamboo
>URL where you can see pictures:
>I need four tiles like this. Please advise
Hello Jane,
I'm sorry but this makes me want to tell a story. It's a story I made up when I got your email.
Imagine I'm the Information Operator, and instead of an email, you called me on your cell phone. I'm "A" and you're "Q" (A for answer, Q for question):
Information. How can I help you?
I'm looking for the store that sells mah-jongg tiles.
No problem. What part of the 'net are you calling from?
I'm at the corner of Sloperama and dotcom.
Really. And you can't see the store?
Well, there are so many buildings here.
Which one are you in front of right now?
Hmmm... it's http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/selltrade.htm
O... kay... and what direction are you facing?
Up. I'm looking at the top of a very tall building.
Okay, then. Lower your gaze and look lower.
Okay.
What do you see?
I see mahjongtiles.com and nationalmahjonggleague.org and charli.org and Pat Mead and...
Right. There you are!
Huh? Where I are?
There's a door in front of you. Walk through it.
I don't see a door. All I see is some underlined text.
Right. Click it.
Which one?
Pick any one to click first. See if the tiles you need are there. If they're not, then click any of the others. Click several of them and see if they have what you need. You can even compare prices!
Doh! You mean I was already at the address when I called you to ask directions?
Yep. Don't feel bad. Happens all the time. By the way, your tiles are bone, not ivory. Read Frequently Asked Questions 7c & 7c2. You can scroll up from here -- look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #7c and click it.
Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about mah-jongg are found here on this website.
Okay, thanks!
You're welcome. Call again anytime.*
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 28, 2010
* The phrase "call again" was given in the spirit of storytelling. Please do not telephone me with mah-jongg questions; email only, please.
My new blog
>Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:45:14 -0400
>Subject: Join the Mah Jongg Lady Blog
>From: Susan Whalley
>To: [90 ADDRESSES DELETED]
>Hello!
>I've started a blog for Mah Jongg lovers, and hope you'll subscribe, add your comments, ideas, insights and funny stories.
>Hope to see you there. Go to www.TheMahJonggLady.com
>Thank you!
>--
>Susan Whalley
>The Mah Jongg Lady
>themahjongglady@gmail.com
>508-833-0631
OK, so we'll be competitors, then. Good luck, and may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Thanks for your site, and may I cite it (part 2)
From: "John S
Subject: Your web site - thank you, thank you, thank you.....
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 2:58
>No problem, I understand. Just FYI, I am listing a 1920 Mah Jongg set from Harrods. My only intention was to tell people to go to your site for excellent information about Mah Jong, not to refer to it in regard to the item I am listing. Sorry I was not clearer in my intent.
>Please post this follow-up so everyone knows what the intent was.
>Best,
>John
OK, John. Thanks for asking, and thanks for your understanding.
Tom Sloper - Game Production & Design
- Sloperama Productions. Services for game developers and publishers; "Making Games Fun, And Getting Them Done." http://www.sloperama.com/business.html
- Faculty, IT Program, University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering http://itp.usc.edu
- Helpful information and answers for game industry hopefuls. http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html
- Information and bulletin boards about the game of mah-jongg. http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq.html
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind" - the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
Thanks for your site, and may I cite it in my eBay listing?
From: "John S
Subject: Your web site - thank you, thank you, thank you.....
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:51:55 -0700
> Sir,
> Over the past few days, while studying a bit to prepare an ebay listing [item number [DELETED] which will go live on Saturday] I was lucky to come across your web site. Thank you for presenting such a massive amount of information in a succinct and manageable way.
> Your presentation and the other links guided me and helped me understand what is important, and this influence can without a doubt be seen in what I have written.
> I would like your permission to refer to your web site in my listing…..no one should miss what you have obviously taken great care to prepare.
> Thank you for your consideration,
> Best regards,
> John
No, I do not grant permission to refer to my website in eBay listings. I have no idea what kind of item you are selling (either some kind of Video Game Industry item or a Mah Jongg item or a Hanafuda / Go-Stop item, I cannot view it since it hasn't gone live yet). Either way, please do not refer to my website in any way in your listing.
This response will be posted at http://www.sloperama.com/advice/bulletinbd.htm and http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd.htm since I don't know which part of my site you're referring to.
Tom Sloper - Game Production & Design
- Sloperama Productions. Services for game developers and publishers; "Making Games Fun, And Getting Them Done." http://www.sloperama.com/business.html
- Faculty, IT Program, University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering http://itp.usc.edu
- Helpful information and answers for game industry hopefuls. http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html
- Information and bulletin boards about the game of mah-jongg. http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq.html
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind" - the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
hI MIKE
From: "Maria G
Subject:
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:08:40 -0400
>hI MIKE:
>Here goes another question for you. I am new at the americam mah jongg game and I would like to purchase the rules and regulations book. also would like to get the F A Q 19 book that you mention oftern in your answers, Could you please let me know how to get them.
>Could you also let me know who may declare a player dead , and what are the advantages of doing so. Also if a player has the tile necessary for another player's mah jongg, can he declare him dead without consulting with the rest of the players? Am I clear?
>Thank you
>Maria G
Hello JoAnne*! You asked:
I would like to purchase the rules and regulations book.
If you mean the official NMJL rulebook, "Mah Jongg Made Easy," go to FAQ 3 and read the information there. You can get to the
Frequently Asked Questions by scrolling up and looking
for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Then click the FAQ 3 link and read.
But if you mean my book, "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," click here or click the banner ad at the top of this page. I don't have any books for sale here.
also would like to get the F A Q 19 book that you mention oftern in your answers, Could you please let me know how to get them.
To get to Frequently Asked Question #19, please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
Could you also let me know who may declare a player dead
After you've found the location of FAQ 19, read FAQ 19AA.
and what are the advantages of doing so.
You increase your chances of winning, by increasing the number of picks you get from the wall. Also you decrease your competition if she is playing defensively.
Also if a player has the tile necessary for another player's mah jongg, can he declare him dead without consulting with the rest of the players?
No. Read FAQ 19AA. The death challenge must be based on exposures and discards visible to all players, not based on tiles concealed in the challenger's hand.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 2, 2010
*If my name is Mike, then who knows what your name is, Maria? (^_^) If it's not JoAnne, maybe it's Gertrude! - Tom said, tongue-in-cheekily.
How do you do a Charleston with three people? (FAQ 13a)
>From: Sandra (paulnicholas)
>Sent: Fri, October 22, 2010 8:56:15 AM
>Subject: MJ
>When you are playing with three people. do you draw tiles from the fourth wall from the left and deposit them to the right or vice versa.
You have asked Frequently Asked Question #13a.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ).
Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 22, 2010
New Wall Street Journal video about growth in popularity of American mah jongg
> Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:21:08 -0700 (PDT)
>From: donovan.gail
>Subject: Mah-Jongg A-Go-Go
>WSJ.com
>Sponsored
>by
> * Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified.
>nice mah jongg video!
> Click the following to access the sent link:
>Mah-Jongg A-Go-Go* This article will be available to non-subscribers of the Online Journal for up to seven days after it is e-mailed.
>The ancient game of Mah-jongg gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and 60s. Now it's making a comeback. WSJ's Lucette Lagnado reports.
> SAVE THIS link FORWARD THIS link
>Get your EMAIL THIS Browser Button and use it to email content from any Web site. Click here for more information.
> *This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
>http://online.wsj.com/video/mah-jongg-a-go-go/A50CBD5B-11C7-45D2-A841-3A5A7E0D47D8.html
Thanks, Gail. I had read the WSJ Page One article already when Maj Exchange Sponsor "Where The Winds Blow" posted a link in an Accessories For Sale post today. But I hadn't clicked the video link to see the movie. Here are both links (just in case the emailed link above expires a week from now):
Written article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703631704575552683266650568.html
?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_2.
Movie -- 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.
Jennifer Raznik is wrong about the age of her great-grandmother's set, of course. Certainly Bakelite sets containing at least 152 tiles do not date back to the 1920's, which anyone would know if she studied my FAQs. And the players at Jennifer's table haven't figured out that if they bend back the hinge folds of the NMJL cards, the cards will lie flat. The cards only have to last one year, so we shouldn't worry about bending their hinge folds. Guess I ought to move to New York so I could spread the knowledge there, as I do here in Los Angeles...
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
10/20/2010
Unstated question about joker redemption
>Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:13:12 -0500 (CDT)
>From: Marie F
>Subject: Replaceing a Joker
Hello Marie,
I don't know what you want to know about joker redemption, but the answer is most likely in
Frequently Asked Question #19.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
10/20/2010
Blind pass
>From: Sandra
>Sent: Wed, October 20, 2010 5:15:29 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>How many tiles can you take in the blind pass?
Any number from 0 to 3, inclusive.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
10/20/2010
LOL
>From: "Lauri
>Subject: Mah Jongg
>Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:32:22 -0400
>Just stumbled upon your Mah Jongg site, and it was terrific. Had to say thank you – it had me laughing out loud!
Aw, shucks. (^_^)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
10/20/2010
Was I dead? Are travel sets worth it? Is the rulebook worth it?
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Tue, October 19, 2010 8:03:13 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:While playing American mah jongg I called a green dragon and exposed 2 green dragons and a joker beside the already exposed set of 2 four craks and a joker as I was planning to make last one in LIKE NUMBERS. I had 2 white dragons (soaps), 3 four dots, 1 red dragon, 1 four bam and thought I was dead but nobody noticed. I kept playing and called 1 four dot so exposed 4 four dots and discarded a soap. Eventually my 2 jokers were redeemed and we had a wall game. 1. Was there any advantage to the other players in not calling me dead since 2 admitted they knew I was dead. 2. Could I have rescued (is that the correct word?) this hand? I figured someone would call me dead after the 2 jokers were redeemed but they just let "dead" me keep playing! 3. I've been looking at travel mah jongg sets online. Are they worth buying to use as an extra set or if one day I decide to teach friends in NE since I live in FL?
>I called NMJL telephone number since the site given online didn't work for information about buying their official rule book. Lady said, "Send a check for $9.95." and hung up before I could say another word!! Someone said it is only 36 pages. Thanks again. Lynn P.
Hi Lynn, you wrote:
thought I was dead
You were.
Was there any advantage to the other players in not calling me dead
Most people don't like taking the risk of being wrong. The official penalty is the value of the cheapest hand on the card (25 cents) but many people unofficially use a death penalty for that. Also, lots of players think it's "not nice" to call somebody dead, and some players get mad if you call them dead.
Could I have rescued (is that the correct word?) this hand?
No, you were really dead. If the hand can be rescued, then that means you are not dead. Since no hand on the 2010 card uses pungs of dragons and a number in a different suit, there is no rescuing or resuscitating possible, and therefore you are dead.
travel mah jongg sets online. Are they worth buying
Worth is subjective. Only you can decide worth for you. Flat tiles and small tiles make less of an impression on new players, but if you need a set that's light or small, then that's what you need.
I called NMJL telephone number since the site given online didn't work for information about buying their official rule book.
What kind of information do you need?
$9.95." ... Someone said it is only 36 pages.
What's your point? The price is the price. The page count is the page count. But as I said before, worth is subjective -- I recommend that every group have a copy of the official rules (and of my book too, of course), but if your worth yardstick says it's not worth it, then that's that. For you.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 19, 2010
The current column
>From: Linda F
>Sent: Tue, October 19, 2010 8:42:54 AM
>Subject: Mistake in Oct 17 column
>Tom:
>#8 could be the 2nd in the 369 which calls for three 3's and three 6's of a different suit.
>Linda F
Hi Linda,
It could, if those exposures were threes and sixes. But they're threes and fours. Do keep reading, and please do let me know whenever you spot an oops!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 19, 2010
Re: erroneous mahj call, part 3
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Sat, October 16, 2010 6:15:38 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: re: Erroneous mah jongg call part 2:
>I wrote; Other players agree (player is not dead so I said she must leave her tiles exposed.
>You answered, "Sorry, I'm totally lost now. If she is declared to be not dead (an incredibly generous declaration by the other players), then she should put all tiles back on the sloping front of the rack (except for any exposures she had already made prior to the withdrawn mah-jongg call)." I asked "(Why? We have already seen them.)" You answered: "Because NMJL official rules p. 16,3b says so."
>But in my question #2 "Should she return the tiles?" (what happens to dead tiles when person is declared dead?), you also quoted NMJL official rules p. 16, 3b.
>How can this rule apply to both dead tiles and not dead tiles? BTW I cannot access this rule online since it is copyrighted. Thanks, Lynn P.
Hi Lynn, you wrote:
You answered, "... If she is declared to be not dead ..., then she should put all tiles back on the sloping front of the rack (except for any exposures she had already made prior to the withdrawn mah-jongg call)." I asked "(Why? We have already seen them.)" You answered: "Because NMJL official rules p. 16,3b says so."
>But in my question #2 "Should she return the tiles?" (what happens to dead tiles when person is declared dead?), you also quoted NMJL official rules p. 16, 3b.
>How can this rule apply to both dead tiles and not dead tiles?
If she's dead, the rules say she should put her tiles out of sight on the sloping front of her rack, and she stops playing. You have my book, so you already know this. You have access to my FAQ 19, so you already know this.
If she's not dead, then she shouldn't leave illegal exposures atop the rack (she has to put them back on the sloping front of the rack) because she's going to continue playing. How could she continue playing with illegal exposures atop the rack? Note that the rules say she rightly ought to be dead -- it's your group (not the official rules) who decided that her death should be rescinded and she should be allowed to continue playing.
BTW I cannot access this rule online since it is copyrighted.
No, that's not why you can't access the rule online. The reason you can't access rule 3b from page 16 is because the NMJL rulebook isn't online. You have to buy a printed copy -- and I recommend you do. Even though I've also cited the rule in my book, the way you asked the question indicated to me that my book might not be authoritative enough (since my book was not written under the official auspices of the League). But now I'm coming to see that perhaps the question was instead due to a perceived inconsistency.
I hope any confusion is now cleared up.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 16, 2010
Frequently Asked Question 19AM
>From: Janet D
>Sent: Sat, October 16, 2010 2:21:47 PM
>Subject: AMJ Question
>Is the following true?
>When a discard is called and placed on your rack you may change your mind and return it to the table provided you have not displayed any of the exposure from your hand. Once you expose tiles from your hand you must keep the discarded tile.
>Please confirm or clarify.
>Thank you,
>Janet D
I already had, before you even asked, Janet. This is FAQ 19AM.
Please scroll up and find the links to the Frequently Asked Questions (look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow, emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19. Always check the FAQs first before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 16, 2010
Can I use exposed tiles to redeem jokers?
>From: "tmb9991
>Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 6:30:36 PM
>Subject: question
>Question: I have (3) 7 Cracks exposed on my rack.....an opponent has a 7 Crack and 3 jokers exposed...can I take the 7 Cracks I have on my rack and exchange them for the jokers on her rack???? Can't find the rule anywhere.
>I had this situation come up for the first time and did not know how to respond.
Hello tmb,
Why would you even want to do that? What possible advantage would there be? You'd be making somebody else jokerless, and that's never a good idea. But no, you can't do that.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 15, 2010
Re: erroneous mahj call, part 2
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 5:15:57 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Hello Lynn, you wrote:
>Player calls discard, says mah-jongg,
>Just to make sure I'm following correctly here: the player hears and sees a discard and says (in essence) "I want that discard for mah-jongg." (Yes, that's correct.)
>
>exposes all tiles except last four, says she doesn't have mah-jongg, starts to put exposed tiles back on her slanted rack. I call her dead.
>Correct. If she made an erroneous call for mah-jongg and exposed tiles from her hand, she is indeed dead, and you were correct to say so. (Thanks)
>
>She says she is not dead because she can still pick up the needed tile for mah-jongg.
>What? You mean she was wrong when she said "no I don't have mah-jongg"? If she was wrong when she said, "no I don't have mah-jongg," then why would she say it? If she was NOT wrong when she said "no I don't have mah-jongg right now," then she was dead, and you were correct for calling her dead. (That's right she's dead, dead-exposed almost all her tiles but can't make MJ))
>
>Other players agree so I said she must leave her tiles exposed.
>Sorry, I'm totally lost now. If she is declared to be not dead (an incredibly generous declaration by the other players), then she should put all tiles back on the sloping front of the rack (except for any exposures she had already made prior to the withdrawn mah-jongg call). (Why? We have already seen them.)
>
>She does pick up needed tile, calls mah-jongg self-picked
>I'm still lost. You might mean either of these two things:
>She took the discard (the same one she had said she could, and then couldn't, win on), picked it up, and said mah-jongg -- OR -- (No)
>Later (the next time it was her turn) she drew a tile from the wall and declared mah-jongg on that tile. (Yes)
>
>I still say she was dead and should have stopped playing because she exposed more tiles than was necessay. She should have only exposed the set which included the tile she called.
>I'm so confused. You mean when she said mah-jongg the first time, she was able to use the called discard to complete a set? (Yes she put the discard, joker and another tile to make a set on the rack with her other tiles except for the last 4).
>
>Am I right or wrong? (I found another answer you gave me that said: Lifting the called discard is not a fatal error. Putting the called discard atop your rack might be a fatal error, if you are playing in a tournament, but if you are playing in a friendly home game, it might not. But exposing tiles from your hand not needed to take the discard IS a fatal error. PLAYER IS DEAD!!! SHE EXPOSED TILES OTHER THAN THOSE NEEDED TO TAKE THE DISCARD!!! ) I am not yelling I just copied your message to me. Thanks, Lynn
Hi Lynn, you wrote:
Why? We have already seen them.
Because that is the official rule. Because the National Mah Jongg League says she should. See rule 3(b), page 16, of the official rulebook. Why is that reason not good enough?
Yes she put the discard, joker and another tile to make a set on the rack with her other tiles except for the last 4
If all she did was expose the one set, and no other tiles, there's no problem (she's not dead, assuming it's not a hand marked C on the card). I already told you that you were correct in calling her dead if she exposed more tiles than she needed to.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
The Ides of October, 2010
Re: erroneous mahj call
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 2:20:53 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Playing American mah-jongg: Player calls discard, says mah-jongg, exposes all tiles except last four, says she doesn't have mah-jongg, starts to put exposed tiles back on her slanted rack. I call her dead. She says she is not dead because she can still pick up the needed tile for mah-jongg. Other players agree so I said she must leave her tiles exposed. She does pick up needed tile, calls mah-jongg self-picked and we have to pay her double. I still say she was dead and should have stopped playing because she exposed more tiles than was necessay. She should have only exposed the set which included the tile she called. Am I right or wrong? Thanks for answering. Lynn P.
Hello Lynn, you wrote:
Player calls discard, says mah-jongg,
Just to make sure I'm following correctly here: the player hears and sees a discard and says (in essence) "I want that discard for mah-jongg."
exposes all tiles except last four, says she doesn't have mah-jongg, starts to put exposed tiles back on her slanted rack. I call her dead.
Correct. If she made an erroneous call for mah-jongg and exposed tiles from her hand, she is indeed dead, and you were correct to say so.
She says she is not dead because she can still pick up the needed tile for mah-jongg.
What? You mean she was wrong when she said "no I don't have mah-jongg"? If she was wrong when she said, "no I don't have mah-jongg," then why would she say it? If she was NOT wrong when she said "no I don't have mah-jongg right now," then she was dead, and you were correct for calling her dead.
Other players agree so I said she must leave her tiles exposed.
Sorry, I'm totally lost now. If she is declared to be not dead (an incredibly generous declaration by the other players), then she should put all tiles back on the sloping front of the rack (except for any exposures she had already made prior to the withdrawn mah-jongg call).
She does pick up needed tile, calls mah-jongg self-picked
I'm still lost. You might mean either of these two things:
She took the discard (the same one she had said she could, and then couldn't, win on), picked it up, and said mah-jongg -- OR --
Later (the next time it was her turn) she drew a tile from the wall and declared mah-jongg on that tile.
I still say she was dead and should have stopped playing because she exposed more tiles than was necessay. She should have only exposed the set which included the tile she called.
I'm so confused. You mean when she said mah-jongg the first time, she was able to use the called discard to complete a set?
Am I right or wrong?
I think you're right, but I'm not sure, since I could have gotten confused by your description of what transpired.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
The Ides of October, 2010
Why should she return the tiles?
>From: Lynn P
>Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 2:41:07 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Playing American mah-jongg: This has been a tough mah-jongg day as you can see by my next question. I didn't include 2 questions in one email. Here is number 2. Player called for a discard on a concealed hand and exposed it. She is dead. According to "RD&WW" p. 98, Erroneous Maj Exposure, Without Further Errors it says that player returns her exposed tiles to the sloping front of her rack. This happened today and player refused to return her tiles to sloping rack and asked why that was necessary since the other players had already seen her tiles. Why should she return them to the sloping rack? Thanks again. Lynn P.
Hello Lynn, you wrote:
Player called for a discard on a concealed hand and exposed it. She is dead.
I don't follow. It's okay to expose a completed concealed hand (how else can everybody else see that you made mah-jongg?). Or are you saying she made a single exposure that showed that the hand was one that was supposed to remain concealed (like a pung of E or W for instance)?
Why should she return them to the sloping [front part of the] rack?
Because the National Mah Jongg League says she should. See rule 3(b), page 16, of the official rulebook. If that reason isn't good enough, and she wants to know the League's justification of the rule, then I'd like to know why in baseball it's "three strikes you're out" and not some other number.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
The Ides of October, 2010
I heard a rumor! Take rash, ignorant, hasty action! Spread the word! - follow-up
Dear readers,
This is a follow-up to the email from Shirley Hollister (AKA Shirley Nussbaum). You may recall it:
>Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 14:38:52 -0700 (PDT)
>Subject: ACTOR GETS SICK IN MAH JONGG PLAY/NO REPLACEMENT/CANCEL YOUR TICKETS/POST
Well, you can scroll down and read it. Today a reader wrote me and said:
The play was great. It was funny and sad at the same time. That is why the writer calls it a "dramedy" From what I understand, they were sold out for the whole run. The lead actor was sick at first but that was taken care of and the actors I saw were just fine.
I think you would have enjoyed it.
Just thought some of you might like to know.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 14, 2010
Your latest column
>To: tomster
>Cc: Raena S
>From: Raena s
>Subject: column
#470
>Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:12:13 +0000 (GMT)
>Hey Tom,
>Your answers to numbers 4 and 5 should be reversed...no?
>:)
>Raena
>To: tomster
>Cc: Raena S
>From: Raena s
>Subject: column
470
>Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 4:15 PM
>actually, I take that back no. 5 is dead....no?
>Raena
Hi Raena,
Actually, what I intended was to show two ways of having quints of twos and threes, first one wrong and then one correct. But I had the picture wrong (it showed the right one and then the wrong one), and what I said as regards to the wrong one was incorrect. Both the picture and the text are now correct, thanks to you!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 13, 2010
Praise and a complaint and a Find Players post
>From: Juna Berry Madrone
>Subject: Find Players/Teachers
>Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:38:14 -0700
>[FIND PLAYERS POST DELETED -- IT'S ON THE FIND PLAYERS BB]
>P.S.
>Thanks for posting this, Tom. I'm a super fan and I love your sense of humor. Mah Jong is a consuming interest. Improving my game is a constant. I'm mildly disturbed, though. Where are the banners announcing the 2010 or 2011 International Mah Jong tournaments? I live in a remote wilderness area and hope to sometimes compete in larger arenas. I listed Humboldt County instead of my town because it's so tiny. Babes in the woods here.
>Juna Berry Madrone
Hi Juna,
I wish folks would not send me multi-purpose emails. I like Find Players posts to be totally separate from discussion board posts. It's so easy when I get a Find Player post to just pop it on the Find Players board, and when I get a comment or question needing a reply then I write a reply and post the thread on the Q&A BB. When both are combined in one email, then I have to give it special treatment, which makes me grumpy. But enough about me. You wrote:
I'm a super fan and I love your sense of humor.
Thanks! I love your appreciation of my sense of humor!
I'm mildly disturbed, though. Where are the banners announcing the 2010 or 2011 International Mah Jong tournaments?
I hadn't seen it as part of what I ought to be doing, going out and looking for tournaments and then laboriously creating banner graphics for every upcoming one. If somebody paid me to do that, then I'd be delighted to help that way. In the past, I have created banner graphics to attract eyeballs to my photos of just-completed tournaments that I participated in and took photos of. Sorry my offerings don't go far enough for you, but I just don't see going that extra mile without the site bringing in more money than it does. If you want to know about upcoming tournaments using MCR rules internationally, then I suggest you frequent the MahjongNews website for that. (I recommend you do that in any case; it's a great site, I visit it daily myself.)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 13, 2010
Our unique South African Charleston may not be so unique and may not be limited to South Africa
>Dear Mr.Sloper,
>You asked how many of our School used the extended Charleston.
>We are all beginners except for our "teacher" and there are 8 of us.
>The lady with the knowledge learned in Accra ,Ghana but has played the same system in Gaberone,Botswana and in Barbados.
>We also have one suit only "Goulash" so similar to the India /Mumbai rules.
>It seems that there are many variations on a theme but if this is generally applied throughout the old British Empire it could go into FAQ 2b.
>Yours aye
>Bill P
Thanks so much for the information, Bill! (^_^)
Yours aye back to you, and may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 13, 2010
Quel âge il est et combien est-il la peine?
>From: BOUBLIL
>Sent: Tue, October 12, 2010 9:49:58 AM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>bonjour,
>je suis français, j'ai trouvé un ancien jeu de mahjong au grenier , il semble complet , il est marqué "galerie lafayette ", les pièces sont en bois ( celà ne semble pas du bambou ) et le dessus est en os à mon avis, mais ils sont tous décollés , les pièces sont de 25mmx 16mmx 3mm, elles ne sont pas d'équerre, celà semble être très artisanal et ancien , les angles des pièces en sont déformés et quelquefois bombés,
>le coffret et en bois revêtu de papier sombre et comprenant 5 étagères
>pourriez vous me conseiller pour
>1er : reformer les pions en os et les recoller
>2em : me dire à peu près de quand date ce jeu et quelle serait sa valeur
>merci à vous tous
>vous pouvez me répondre en américain, je comprend mais je ne l'écris pas très bien
>encore merci
>jacques ( normandie , france )
>
>Google Translate
>French to English translation
>I am French, I found an ancient game of mahjong in the attic, it seems complete, it is marked "Galeries Lafayette", the pieces are made of wood (this will not appear on bamboo) and is the top bone in my opinion but they are loose, the parts are 25mmx 16mmx 3mm, they are not square, it seems to be very old and craft, the angles of the parts are distorted and sometimes curved,
>the cabinet and wood coated paper and dark with 5 shelves
could you advise me to
1st: reforming the pieces of bone and reattach
2em: tell me about how old this game and what is its value
>thank you all
you can answer me in American, I understand but I do not write very well
Bonjour, Jacques. Vous avez écrit :
could you advise me to
1st: reforming the pieces of bone and reattach
I am not sure if FAQ 7o (that's seven oh, not seventy) has any tips on that. I think you would need to talk to an antique restorer, and it could get very expensive. (If you were a do-it-yourselfer, you wouldn't have asked me how to do it.) You can get to FAQ 7o above. Please scroll up and find the links to the Frequently Asked Questions (look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow, emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ).
how old this game
You would have to give me more information, and photos. Read FAQ 7g.
and what is its value
You would have to give me more information, and photos. Read FAQ 7h.
À bientôt
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 12, 2010
Mystery tiles symbolism
>From: Bill P
>Sent: Tue, October 12, 2010 4:59:50 AM
>Subject: Emailing: Mystery Tiles
>Dear Mr.Sloper,
>I attach a picture of two tiles which may be of interest to your readers.
>
>I have researched the symbolism of these two tiles and discovered, in "Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives" the spider is described as one of the Chinese "Five Poisons" used in traditional medicine to cure a variety of ailments .In some societies such images are made in black silk and attached to children during the" first five days of the fifth month to ward off pernicious influences"
>As the spider is used symbolically for protection I feel that the image is a positive one unlike in western society.
>
>The parrot,if that is what is represented, is looked upon as a symbol ,warning women to be faithful to their husbands.This follows a Chinese legend that a talking parrot reported the actions of a faithless wife to her pearl merchant husband,The wife's intrigues had almost bankrupted the unfortunate husband.
>
>As most of your female readers are busy playing Mah Jongg any thought that this refers to any of them is purely coincidental.
>If any of your contributors can add,contradict or otherwise comment on this I would love to hear from them.
>Yours sincerely,
>Bill P
>Úmhlanga Rocks,Durban,South Africa
>The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
>Mah jong sets 2010 building works 063
>Note: To protect against computer viruses, e-mail programs may prevent sending or receiving certain types of file attachments. Check your e-mail security settings to determine how attachments are handled.
Hi Bill,
Or it could just be "bird eats spider." (^_^) Hadn't seen those two tiles before! Cheers.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 12, 2010
Our unique South African Charleston
>From: Bill P
>Sent: Tue, October 12, 2010 3:36:31 AM
>Subject: FAQ
>Dear Mr.Sloper,
>I am a member of a school which plays Classical -Western British Empire rules .
>One element of the game is an extension of the "Charleston" when in a "Goulash" round.
>
>After the Charleston, East decides to either hold the resultant tiles or may choose to "go into the wall'. To do so once ,requires all players to discard three tiles and take three from the opposite wall i.e. not their own wall.
>
>East may then decide to "go into the wall " again and calls "twice more" this involves taking a further two lots of three tiles from the wall after discarding from those held.The tiles are examined after each of the three separate exchanges and players discard either the new tiles or from those already held.
>The discarded tiles are then used to rebuild the wall.
>
>This may be a unique Rule to our School but I wondered if anyone else recognises this move and can allocate to one of the Rule sets in FAQ 2b.
>Bill P
>Umhlanga Rocks,
>South Africa
Hi Bill,
That practice is very much like the way many players of American/NMJL choose to conduct a 3-player Charleston. Just curious: how many people in your "school" who use that maneuver?
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 12, 2010
Technical support me
>From: Oolya
>Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 19:06:08 EDT
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>hi tom
>can the mahjongg essential game that you designed be downloaded to window 7?
>i was able to get it on xp and vista but I am stumped..
>elaine r
Hello Elaine, you have asked
Frequently Asked Question #24.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 6, 2010
My mystery tiles, part 3
>Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 19:19:46 +0200
>Subject: Re: Mystery Tiles
>From: Hanan B
>Dear Edwin,
>Thank you very very much for the information sent.
>In all the tile pictures I found in the internet I never saw a picture of a mounted person. Although I found the letters Tom mentioned in his reply, I ran further to look for more pictures and indeed did not read all the remarks written, as Tom noticed.
>I tried to look also for similarities between the writing on my tiles with writings on other flower tiles, but not finding it I thought I'm just too alien to Chinese. But now with your kind answer it's not similarity I see but indeed identity!
>I wish here to thank Tom again, for hosting this wonderful come-together for all us info-seekers all the others who know so much and so willing to share.
>I'll come soon to see and read, and then hope to come back when I get some playing experience with new questions.
>May the seasons bring all of you good flowers,
>On tiles and elsewhere,
>Hanan
Does "tapping" count?
>From: "Chilliepepper"
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 13:06:14 -0400
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
> Is tapping the top of rack good enough to stop a play or do you have to place it in the rack? Some tap on top & then hold tile while making a decision. is the tile that was discarded still in play if only a TAP on top was done?
>Judy
Hello Chillie but Spicy Judy,
You have asked Frequently Asked Question #19AD.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19.
You should also read FAQ 14 -- if everybody in your group wants to use a "tapping" table rule, nobody's gonna stop you. Please always check the FAQs first, before asking a question. Thanks!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 6, 2010
My mystery tiles, part 2
>From: Edwin Phua
>Sent: Tue, October 5, 2010 11:35:54 PM
>Subject: Re: Mystery tiles
>Dear Tom,
>Hanan’s first set of flowers are the characters from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. They are respectively: the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (or Tang Sanzang) riding his white horse; and his disciples Zhu Bajie (Pig), Sun Wukong (Monkey), and Sha Wujing (Friar Sandy). The Chinese characters are 僧唐取经 sēng táng qǔ jīng (僧唐取經 in traditional characters), which refers to Xuanzang’s pilgrimage to India (the ‘West’) and quest to bring back sutras to China.
>Interestingly, the more typical order of the phrase is 唐僧取经 rather than 僧唐取经.
>Best regards,
>Edwin
Excellent! Thank you, Edwin. I hope Hanan comes back to get the info.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 6, 2010
We played in New Zealand
>From: "nomilam中aol.com"
>Sent: Tue, October 5, 2010 6:39:33 AM
>Subject: A post for your "Looking for Players" Board
>Hi Tom,
>First of all, thanks for the great website. I am thrilled to have stumbled upon it! I learned a lot just reading through it and have bookmarked it to go back for more when I have the time.
>I'll bet you get all kids of Mahjong stories when you are the webmaster of a mahjong site, but how is this one: Our family just returned from a year abroad on the rural west coast of New Zealand and are now residing in Roanoke, VA. While we were there, my 13 year old daughter and I learned to play Mah Jong (from your description, a Anglo-American version, with cards--but with Chinese/Japanese sets: no jokers but two sets of "flowers". Flowers were used only for scoring, but we did do a "goulash" at the start of each game.) I guess this would make sense for a tiny nation, originally British, but located in the South Pacific. Anyway, this group of about two dozen Kiwi ladies (all in their 80's) welcomed us in, taught us the game, then proceeded to play as cut-throat of a game as we ever experienced! Max Robertson's rule book) We were quickly hooked and played with them the entire time we were living in NZ. Now, having returned to the US, we are finding it impossible to find players --of any kind! I looked back through your message board for all of 2010 and was unable to find and posts for players in the Roanoke, VA area. Would it be possible to post the following:
>
>Looking for Players in Roanoke, VA
>I Play: A version of Anglo-American mah jong
>I own two complete sets of 152 tiles, boards, counting sticks etc. I would be willing to teach anyone who has an interest but we'd need four players. I can play during the week, preferably in the late morning or early evening.
>Contact: Noelle at Nomilam
aol.com
>
>Please feel free to edit as necessary. And thanks again for such a great site!
>Noelle Milam
Hi Noelle, you wrote:
Would it be possible to post the following:
It's posted.
I Play: A version of Anglo-American mah jong
I call that variant "British/Western." See FAQ 2b.
Please feel free to edit as necessary.
I rarely edit.
And thanks again for such a great site!
My pleasure. Thanks for sharing.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 5, 2010
My mystery tiles
>From: Hanan B
>Sent: Mon, October 4, 2010 2:06:57 AM
>Subject: Mystery Tiles
>Dear Mr. Sloper,
>First of all many, MANY, thanks for your wonderful website so heavily loaded with wonderful & useful information. I'm so glad I found it after long searches in the internet.
>As to my question:
>During a trip for my employer to the rural zone of Jiangsu in eatern China I was presented with this nice set of Mah-Jongg.
>I can positively identify the standard 108 tiles and also the 28 tile of dragons and winds.
>But then there are the ones shown in the attached photo:
>Thanks to your website I now can identify the Jokers (bottom) and the "flowers" (Rich man, Gold pot, Fisherman and Fish) in the center. However, there still remain the top characters:
>The first man is obviously a well-to-do character if he can afford a horse, or maybe a high official, if not the Emperor himself ?
>The second character with his exposed belly seems to be a farmer holding a rake behind his back ?
>The third character I don't know how to describe. Maybe a philosopher holding a long scroll ?
>The last one looks to me like a warrior. Maybe because of his heavy clothes ?
>But what do they represent ? The seasons ?
>I show also two blank (spare ?) tiles. The one shows the face and the other the back but both in slanted position to show the "sandwich" structure: Back and face are some hard plastic and the pink filling is probably polyester, judging from the terrible strong smell it has been emitting in our balcony for over ten years !
>Thanking you in advance,
>Hanan B
>Jerusalem
Shalom Hanan, you wrote:
Thanks to your website I now can identify the Jokers (bottom) and the "flowers" (Rich man, Gold pot, Fisherman and Fish) in the center. However, there still remain the top characters
So you seem to have found FAQ 7e, the Mystery Tiles article. But you seem to have stopped reading it about halfway through. Did you see the letters at the bottom, like the one From: "cynthia gallagher" (chiquitaroad)
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 10:46 AM and the one with Johni and Lori, from early September 2008? Or the link at the bottom to Jesper Harder's site which has a discussion about the Chinese writing on mahjong tiles? That part of the FAQ suggests ways you can obtain your own answers to your questions.
The first man is obviously a well-to-do character if he can afford a horse, or maybe a high official, if not the Emperor himself ?
>The second character with his exposed belly seems to be a farmer holding a rake behind his back ?
>The third character I don't know how to describe. Maybe a philosopher holding a long scroll ?
>The last one looks to me like a warrior. Maybe because of his heavy clothes ?
I don't know, Hanan. You can do some reading about Chinese personages and legends, if you are driven to do so.
But what do they represent ? The seasons ?
Your tiles do not have season names on them. Chinese players surely say "hwa" ("flower") when using these tiles during play (in other words, these are what I call "flower tiles" -- and flower tiles and season tiles are pretty much synonymous).
I show also two blank (spare ?) tiles... to show the "sandwich" structure
Okay...
the pink filling is probably polyester, judging from the terrible strong smell it has been emitting in our balcony for over ten years !
Stinky plastic tiles should have become considerably less stinky in all that time. I have some tips about plastic stink in FAQ 7o (seven oh, not seventy).
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 4, 2010
Looking for an association or federation in Tel Aviv
>Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2010 14:23:30 -0700
>From: Facebook
>Subject: Paula L sent you a message on Facebook...
>Paula sent you a message.
>Subject: Looking for Mah Jong player in Tel Aviv, Israel
>Hi Tom, do you know of Chinese Mah Jong players in Israel? Have met some who play the American MJ but I would like to join any players who play the Chinese one in Tel Aviv. Have been unable to locate any serious association or federation there. Help pls. Tks - Paula L
Hi Paula,
If I have anything from players or associations in Israel, they would be in FAQ 5 (Frequently Asked Question #5, scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ), or in the Find Players bulletin board (also above left). I don't keep any secret hidden information out of the FAQs and BBs. So if you don't find anything there, then it would be because I don't got anything. Do check both.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 3, 2010
Can you explain what Pritchard wrote?
>From: Elizabeth U
>Sent: Sun, October 3, 2010 3:27:38 AM
>Subject: Question re: Chinese International Rules
>Hi Tom.
>Can you explain this comment from D.B. Pritchard's 'The New Mahjong", p.26, regarding the Chinese International competition rules.
>"A minor point in the new game is that a player may claim a completed chow or pung and discard the unwanted tile. For example, a player holding 4-5-6 in a suit may claim a chow on a discard of any tile of the same suit between a 3 and a 7 and then discard the redundant tile. Similarly, a player holding a pung may claim the fourth tile and discard one of the set rather than claiming a kong."
>In another Pritchard book from 'Teach yourself' series, 'Mahjong', p.106, Pritchard writes "A player may claim an already-completed chow or pung and discard the remaining portion of it, for example holding a 3,4,5 of bamboos he or she may claim a 2,3,4,5 or 6 and discard the remaining tile."
>It SOUNDS like he is saying that you can change a melded (exposed) chow! I can understand if you want to change 3-4-5 to 2-3-4 or 4-5-6 but how can you pick up another 3 or 4 or 5 and 'discard the remaining portion'? How could you have an exposed '3-3-4'?
>Can you tell me what Pritchard is talking about?
>Thank you,
>Elizabeth in Warsaw, Poland
Witam, Elizabeth. You wrote:
It SOUNDS like he is saying that you can change a melded (exposed) chow!
It does sound like that, but he isn't. When he says "an already-completed chow or pung," he's referring to a chow or pung concealed within the hand.
I can understand if you want to change 3-4-5 to 2-3-4 or 4-5-6 but how can you pick up another 3 or 4 or 5 and 'discard the remaining portion'? How could you have an exposed '3-3-4'?
That isn't what he's saying. If you have a 3-4-5 in the hand and somebody discards a 5, you are allowed to claim it, meld the 3-4-5, and discard your old 5. He's not saying it's a good idea -- just that it's not forbidden.
There is one hand that hints at a reason why someone would want to do this. It's "Melded Hand," fan no. 53 (Pritchard lists it as "6/5 Exposed hand"), a hand with all exposed/melded sets.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 3, 2010
Calling oneself dead
>Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2010 08:06:07 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Sandi D
>Subject: question about dead hand
>Hello, We have received different answers when calling National Mahjongg in New York City.
> The question is: under what circumstances can you declare your own hand dead?
> Followup question is: Is it a poor decision to declare your own hand dead? Thanks sandiodin
>Regards from Sandi.....www.sandidahlpaintings.com
Hi Sandi, I'm going to answer your question first, then I want to reply to your opening statement.
under what circumstances can you declare your own hand dead?
According to the NMJL official rules, you are never supposed to.
This is stated in their official rulebook and they always say it in the yearly bulletin too.
Note that they don't state that as a "rule" exactly. Besides, it's unenforceable anyway. Read Frequently Asked Question #19AC.
Please scroll up and look for the blue and yellow flashing arrow (emblazoned "READ 1ST," like this ). Find the link to FAQ #19 (it's marked with a red, white, and blue flashing arrow, emblazoned "AMERICAN," like this ) and click it.
After you've landed at the FAQ 19 page, please bookmark it so you can easily return to it anytime you have a mah-jongg question. Answers to all of the most frequently-asked questions about American (NMJL) mah-jongg are found in FAQ 19.
Is it a poor decision to declare your own hand dead?
The NMJL reasons that it is, because if you are able to play, you are able to exert some modicum of control over whether or not somebody wins. Continuing to play, you are taking 25% of the tiles, and you can throw 100% defensively. Emotionally, sometimes I find myself just disgusted with some blunder I made or with my stinky luck, and would prefer to step away from the table for a minute. But I can't think of a good logical reason for declaring my own hand dead.
Then there's the problem of proof. You can't just declare yourself dead based on your own knowledge -- the proof of your deadship has to be visible to everyone at the table. In other words, you have to have their corroboration and agreement that you are indeed dead, before your self-death pronouncement can go into effect.
We have received different answers when calling National Mahjongg in New York City.
Firstly, you should not call on the telephone. I've said this time and time again. You should send your question in writing, in order to get the answer in writing.
So many things could go wrong when asking questions on the phone.
You might word the question poorly.
The person on the other end of the phone might misunderstand the question, even if you don't misstate it.
She might word the answer poorly.
You might misunderstand the answer, even if she doesn't misstate it.
If another person in your mah jongg group makes the call, when she reports back to the rest of you she might misstate what she hears, either intentionally or unintentionally. Or someone in your group could misunderstand what the caller reports.
If you get the NMJL's answer in writing, though, then you stand the best chance of having the definitive answer. So mail the question with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
October 2, 2010
Passing flowers during the Charleston
>from: harold k
>sent: fri, october 1, 2010 10:17:16 am
>subject: question
>are there any rules about passing flowers during the charleston?
Hi Harold,
Have you ever read the back of the National Mah Jongg card? I don't have mine with me at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it's on there.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
October 1, 2010
P.S. (Added after I got home from work) - Yep, it's on there, all right. RTC, Harold (Read The Card).
Color key
Blue = an FAQ, a question that's been asked frequently.
Purple = an angry email from a disgruntled reader.
Green = a happy email from a grateful reader.
Red = a technical support question about a computer game.
Orange = a weird or off-topic email.
Black = none of the above. Regular question or comment.
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looks very different from 
. If you're only looking at the little tiny eensy-weensy Arabic numeral in the corner of the tile, you need to level up your game.