More Sloperama
NMJL Rules (FAQ 19)
Full-screen

FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2025* National Mah Jongg League card

Quick jump to the card section of interest

2025
2468
Any Like Numbers
Quints
Consecutive Run
13579
Winds-Dragons
369
Singles & Pairs


2025


FFFF 2025 222 222 (Any 3 Suits, Like Pungs 2s or 5s)
(2025 #1)


222 0000 222 5555 (Any 2 Suits)
(2025 #2)


2025 222 555 DDDD (Any 3 Suits)
(2025 #3)


2468


FF 2222 + 4444 = 6666 -or- FF 2222 + 6666 = 8888 (Any 3 Suits)
(2468 #2)


FFFF 2468 222 222 (Any 3 Suits, Like Pungs Any Even No.)
(2468 #4)


222 4444 666 22 22 (Any 3 Suits, Pairs 8s Only)
(2468 #6)


ANY LIKE NUMBERS


FF 1111 D 1111 D 11 (Any 3 Suits)
(Any Like Numbers #1)


FFFF 11 111 111 11 (Any 3 Suits, Pairs Must Be Same Suit)
(Any Like Numbers #2)


QUINTS


As yet, no questions have been asked about any of the Quints hands.


CONSECUTIVE RUN


Question that gets asked a lot:


11 222 3333 444 55 -or- 55 66 777 888 9999 (Any 1 Suit, These Nos. Only)
(Consecutive Run #1)


FFFF 1111 22 3333 -or- FFFF 1111 22 3333 (Any 1 or 3 Suits, Any 3 Consec. Nos.)
(Consecutive Run #3)


FFF 123 4444 5555 (Any 3 Suits, Any 5 Consec. Nos.)
(Consecutive Run #4)


111 222 3333 DD DD (Any 3 Suits, Any 3 Consec. Nos. w Opp. Dragons)
(Consecutive Run #6)


112345 1111 1111 (Any 5 Consec. Nos., Pair Any No. In Run, Kongs Match Pair)
(Consecutive Run #7)


13579


FFFF 1111 + 9999 = 10 (Any 2 Suits, These Nos. Only)
(13579 #4)


111 333 5555 DD DD - or - 5555 777 9999 DD DD (Any 3 Suits)
(13579 #6)

    My card shows the hand in all one color, but it says in parens that there are 3 suits, so I'm confused.
    There was a printing error on some of the cards mailed out by the League in March. The League promises to mail out corrected cards "in a few weeks." In the meantime, you can mark the card to match the above (111 333 5555 in green, and the first dragon pair in red - and 555 777 9999 in green, and the first dragon pair in red).

    It says any 3 suits with opposing dragons. The numbers are all the same color, dragons different. Is this another error on the large card, or am I not reading properly? Should it be any 1 suit with opposing dragons?
    I suppose different people interpret words in different ways because English is such a complex language. It's a 3-suit hand. The numbers are one suit. The dragons are the other 2 suits. Red dragon goes with craks, green dragon goes with bams, and soaps go with dots. You could think of them as rubies, jade, and pearls.


WINDS - DRAGONS


FF 123 DD DDD DDDD (Any 3 Consec. Nos. in Any 1 Suit, Any 3 Dragons)
(Winds-Dragons #2)


FFFF DDD NEWS DDD (Any 2 Suits)
(Winds-Dragons #4)

    Can I use a joker in a NEWS since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
    No. This is explained below (search for "Did You Know" or click link).

    I have a different question about NEWS...
    That question, also, is answered below.


(Winds-Dragons #5 & #6)

    In reference to Lines 5 and 6 on the 2025 card under Winds & Dragons, is it only the Winds as printed for each line? For example, may I use East and West with Like Odd Numbers on line 5; and likewise, may I use North and South on line 6 with Like Even Numbers?
    No, you may not. You have to use the winds indicated. North and South go with Odd numbers. East and West go with Even numbers. East = Even. That's the tradition on the NMJL card.


NN EE WWW SSS DDDD (Kong Any Dragon)
(Winds-Dragons #8)

    it says Kong Any Dragon... I'm assuming it must be all like Dragons, but when I first read it, I wondered if it was a mix of dragons. Am I just making things up again?
    A kong is four IDENTICAL tiles. Never a mix.


369


33 66 99 3333 3333 (Any 3 Suits, Like Kongs 3, 6, or 9)
(369 #5)

    What does "like kongs 3, 6, or 9" mean?
    It means that your two foursomes (kongs) don't have to be threes. You could use two kongs of sixes instead (or two kongs of nines).

      33 66 99 3333 3333
      33 66 99 6666 6666
      33 66 99 9999 9999

    So can I have, for instance, a kong of sixes and a kong of nines? Or, say, a kong of threes and a kong of nines?
    No. The use of similar numbers 3333 3333 indicates that they are intended to be like numbers. And then there's the parenthetical, where it says "like kongs."


SINGLES & PAIRS


FF 11 22 11 22 11 22 (Any 3 Suits, Any 2 Consec. Nos.)
(S&P #4)

    Can I make this with numbers other than 1 and 2? Like for instance 88 99 88 99 88 99?
    Sure. The parenthetical says "any".

    Can it be 22 33 55 66 44 55?
    No. Wherever you see ones in that hand, you must use the same number (all "ones" must be the same number, any number from 1 to 8). Wherever you see twos in that hand, you must use your first number plus one (it can only be a number from 2 to 9). You will have 3 pairs (3 suits) of one number, and 3 pairs of the next sequential number.

    Then how about 12 12 12 12 12 12?
    Well... That's pretty much the same thing it shows on the card (you have two of each number in each suit). But your playing companions might insist you arrange them in proper pairs. (By the way: "12" is not a pair.)

    Can I use zeroes, like for instance: 00 11 00 11 00 11?
    You must be a programmer (only programmers think numerical sequences should begin with zero). The answer is no. Anyway, have you tried? It's impossible, since only soaps can be used for zeroes and you can't use jokers in Singles & Pairs.


11 33 55 77 99 11 11 (Any Like Odd Prs. In Opposite 2 Suits)
(S&P #5)


FF 2025 2025 2025 (Any 3 Suits)
(S&P #6)

    Can I use a joker in A "2025"?
    NO! "2025" is four singles. See "Did You Know?", below.

    If I make this hand without jokers, can I earn double?
    No. It's clearly impossible to use jokers, so there's no bonus. The points are already built into the hand's score.


DID YOU KNOW?


2025 and NEWS are not kongs! (That means no jokers, and no exposure prior to mah-jongg.)
This principle also applies to "2468" in
2468 hand #4 (a grouping of four singles) and the single-number runs in Consec. #4, Consec. #7, and Winds-Dragons #2, and any other single-tile groupings on the card... such as 13579 #5 and 369 #4.
Jokers may only be used in groups of 3 or more Like tiles, and only groups of 3 or more Like tiles (pungs, kongs, quints, sextets) may be exposed prior to mah-jongg.

    Can I use a joker in a 2025 since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
    No. 2025 is not a kong. A kong is four like tiles. 2025 is not four like tiles, so you are not allowed to use jokers. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card. Look for the word "NEVER" (in ALL CAPS, bold).

    If a 2025 is not a kong, why aren't there spaces between the digits?
    Don't you think it looks more natural without the spaces? Accept that a 2025 is not a kong, and move on.

    Can I claim a discarded tile to expose a 2025?
    Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19-E (click here).

    Can I use a joker in a NEWS since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
    No. NEWS is not a kong, same as a 2025 is not a kong (as explained below). NEWS is four single tiles. Not a kong.

    If a NEWS is not a kong, why aren't there spaces between the digits?
    Don't you think it looks more natural without the spaces? Accept that a NEWS is not a kong, and move on.

    Can I claim a discarded tile to expose a NEWS?
    Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19-E (click here).

    What about 123 (as in Consec #6)?
    That's not a pung. A pung is 3 like tiles. Read FAQ 19-E (click here). 123 is three singles; jokers cannot be used (and this grouping can only be exposed at the time of mah-jongg declaration).


Didn't find what you were looking for in this FAQ? Check these links...


The official rulebook, and a newsletter. Every table should have the official 2023 revised rulebook.
Every year, the League issues rule clarifications in its newsletter. Every person who buys the card
directly from the League receives a subscription to the newsletter, which is mailed every January.


Copyright 2024 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved. The contents of this page and this website, including and not limited to text, graphics, and photos, may not be reproduced or published without written permission of the author. This site is not associated with the National Mah Jongg League.