Chapter II: Introduction

Out of China has come this stately game with the lure of Oriental mysticism to whet jaded appetites and with possibilities for study that challenge the keenest intelligence.

There is a mysticism about the Oriental and his mode of life that challenges the imagination and induces a curiosity hard to decipher. The dress of the Chinese, their strange customs, their difficult language, and their apparently impenetrable mask-like faces appeal to the fancy and throw a veil of mystery around even the commonplace.

The origin of this game is lost in the mist of centuries past. There is, though, an oral tradition to the effect that it was originated in the Court of the King of Wu, now known as Ning-Po, during the year of 472 B.C. to entertain his consort and her court ladies and to help them while away the time which lay heavily on their hands. This was about the time of Confucius. It is, however, known to have been the Royal game, restricted to the use of Emperors and their friends of the Mandarin class for two thousand years. To them it was known as Pe-Ling (pronounced Bah-Ling) taking its name from the "bird of a hundred intelligences," the lark-like creature sacred in the Chinese faith which now may be seen reproduced on most Chinese tapestries and embroideries. The penalty paid by one of any other class for playing Pe-Ling at that time, was the loss of his head. Later--no one knows just when--the privilege of playing this wonder game was extended to the merchant or middle classes--and when, some 70 years ago--a social uprising threatened, one of the concessions granted to calm the unrest was the universal privilege of playing this game. In this way was caused the confusion of names for the game which exists even to-day in China; for, with the abolishing of Pe-Ling, each province applied their own name and pronunciation to the game, with the result that now we have from twelve to eighteen different names, by which the game is known. A few of these are Ma-Cheuk, Mah-Jong, Mah-Juck, Mah-Diao and Mah-Jongg.

Pung Chow is made to withstand the climatic conditions which soon destroy the article imported under the name of Mah-Jongg and the other corruptions of Mah-Diao, and it is the true and original Chinese game translated by the addition of numerals just enough to be readily understood and not enough to spoil the artistry of the tiles. The addition of numerals has been overdone in the marking of many of the cheaper imported sets, and give the appearance of having had numerals sprinkled on them regardless of where they may land and permitted to stay.

The fundamentals of this game are simple and require only practice to master. The science of Pung Chow must in the greater part be studied out by the individual player and one may spend the rest of his life in attaining to past mastery in its thousand-fold intricacies.

SUMMARY OF THE GAME

Before going thoroughly into the details of the playing of the game, it is better to give a general view of the play and its object.

Pung Chow is played by thoroughly shuffling all of the tiles face down in the middle of the table, and forming them in a double-tiered, hollow square, called the wall. This wall is then broken at some point determined by the dice and each player draws an original hand of 13 tiles. This leaves about two-thirds of the wall intact, and the rest of the play is devoted to drawing and discarding from this remainder of the wall; each player improving and matching his own individual hand until having arranged it into four sets and a pair, some player wins. A set is three of a kind, four of a kind or three in a sequence. Every set has a scoring value, and the players add their scores and settle after every hand. A player may win with a score as low as 22 points or scores may run to 380,928 points. These possibilities will unfold as the following pages on the details of the play are read.

DESCRIPTION OF TILES

The game is played with 136 tiles, which are divided into four distinct and separate suits. These four suits are called the _Bamboo_, _Dot_, _Character_ and _Honor Suits_.

The first three of these suits score equally and are arranged in the same manner, that is, there are 36 tiles in each, numbering from one to nine, and there are four tiles of each numeral.

The fourth suit, known as the honor suit, is divided into three parts: the _Dragons_, the _Winds_ and the _Mandarins_. Of the _Dragons_, there are four apiece of three different kinds, the Red, Green and White Dragons. The _Winds_ are North, South, East and West with four tiles alike for each. The _Mandarins_ (also called _Seasons_, and _Flowers_), are 8 in number, and as they are only used in limit hands, will be discussed later.

From Illustration No. 2 a player will see that there are four of every different tile in the set, and that there are 34 different tiles.

PROCEDURE OF PLAY

A. EAST WIND.

Position of the players for the first game is determined by a throw of the dice; all players throw once, the one throwing the highest number becoming first _East Wind_. In the event of a tie, players tieing throw again. The player sitting opposite _East Wind_ will be known as _West Wind_, to the right of _East Wind_ as _South Wind_, and the left of _East Wind_, as _North Wind_. The dice need only be thrown to determine _East Wind_ for the first game of an evening's play, for if the player representing _East Wind_ wins, or if the game is a draw, he remains _East Wind_. If he loses, the player to his right becomes _East Wind_, he in turn becoming _North Wind_.

_East Wind_ is sometimes called _Banker_, for he must pay double stakes when he loses, and wins double stakes when he wins.

West
+-----------+
| |
| |
North | | South
| |
| |
+-----------+
East

B. BUILDING AND BREAKING THE WALL.

Before building the wall the tiles must all be turned face down on the table and thoroughly shuffled. Then each player proceeds to build one side of the wall by taking 34 of the tiles at random, and arranging them side by side in a row 17 tiles long and 2 tiers high.

Each player then moves his side of the wall forward, the four sides forming a hollow square. This represents a Chinese wall or fort common in the protection of cities.

To find the point at which the wall is to be broken, _East Wind_ always throws the dice. The number thrown will indicate the player who is to break the wall. The player is found by _East Wind_ counting around the table to the right, starting with himself as "one," until he reaches the number thrown which will designate the player to break the wall.

W
3-7-11
+-----------+
| |
N | | S
4-8-12 | | 2-6-10
| |
+-----------+
E
5-9

In this illustration, if _East Wind_ threw a "7," starting with himself as one, _South_ would be 2, _West_ 3, _North_ 4, _East_ 5, _South_ 6, and _West_ 7, designating _West_ as the player to break the wall.

The player who has been designated to break the wall then throws the dice to determine the exact tile at which he shall break the wall, adding this throw to _East Wind_. This sum will indicate the tile at which the wall is to be broken, the player to break the wall counting the sum off from the right end of his own side, i.e., if 14 is the sum of the two throws, the wall will be broken by lifting out the 14th tile from the right with the one under it and placing both on the top of the wall to the right of where it was broken. These two are called loose tiles and they mark the end of the wall.

C. DRAWING THE ORIGINAL HAND:

Each player then draws the 13 tiles which go to make up his original hand. _East Wind_ starts the drawing by taking the first four tiles (2 blocks of 2 each) at the beginning of the wall, the player on his right the next four and so on around the table three times which will give each player 12 tiles. Then one tile apiece is drawn in regular order giving every player 13 tiles, except _East Wind_ who draws an extra tile as he must make the first discard.

D. PLAYING THE HAND:

Each player then takes his original hand and arranges it to suit his own convenience. It is advised, however, that he arrange it in suits in order to see at a glance, the value of any one tile to his hand in the drawing and discarding of which the rest of the game consists.

When the hands have been arranged, _East Wind_ starts the play by discarding any tile in his hand, face up in the center of the table. It is because of this first discard that he drew an extra tile. The play then goes to the right, it becoming the turn of _South Wind_ to draw the next tile in the wall and discard any one he may choose. _West Wind_ then draws and discards and so on around the table, constantly in a counter-clockwise direction.

The players during this drawing and discarding are gradually improving their hands, and matching them into four sets and an extra tile, a set being _three of a kind_, _four of a kind_, or _three in a sequence_.

Examples of
Three of a kind Four of a kind Three in sequence ]

When a player accomplishes this, he must only match the extra tile forming a _pair_ and thus, completing his hand, having four complete sets and a pair. He announces "_Mah-Jongg_" wins, the game is over, the scores are settled and the wall built up for the next game.

As completing a hand entirely by draw from the wall would be a difficult task, the players are permitted to make use of any discard, _as it is discarded_, provided they have the required tiles already in their hand as explained below in "_Chow_" and "_Pung_."

E. TO CHOW:

A player having two tiles in his hand which, together with the tile just discarded by the player before him (to his left), would form a sequence or run of three, may by announcing "_Chow_" pick up the discard, add it to the two in his hand, and place the three in sequence face up on the table to the right of his hand. This appropriating the discard serves as the player's draw and he must then discard and the play goes on in the usual manner.

For example: If one has a 5-6 of _character_ and the player preceding him discards either a 4 or a 7 of _character_, he may "_Chow_" the tile, and discard; or ignore it and draw from the wall and discard, in hopes of building a better hand, as often will be found advisable.

The main point to be remembered in "_Chowing_" is that a player may "_Chow_" _only in his regular turn_, i.e., he may "_Chow_" only tiles discarded by the player to his left and then _only when he has the other two tiles in his hand_ to form the sequence. Sequences can only be built up in sets of three.

F. TO PUNG:

A player may also appropriate another player's discard to fill a set of three of a kind or four of a kind by announcing "_Pung_." In order to do this, the player must have _a pair_, or _three of a kind in his hand_ to match with the discard, thus completing three or four of a kind, which he places, as in the case of a "_Chow_," to the right of his hand, face up on the table. For example: A player having a pair or three fives of the character suit, may _pung_ when another player discards a five character, expose his set and discard, the play going on in the regular direction from him.

It is not necessary for it to be the player's turn to draw in order to "_Pung_" as it is in the case of a "_Chow_." A player having a pair similar to a tile discarded, may announce "_Pung_" and appropriate the tile, _regardless of who discarded it and of whose turn it is to draw_. Also after a player "_Pungs_" and discards, the play goes on from him to the right. It can be seen that due to _punging_ one or even two players are liable to lose their turn.

There are a few rules applying to the "_Chow_" and "_Pung_." They are as follows:

1. All tiles must be "_punged_" or "_chowed_" _as they are discarded_; for a tile discarded by a player and allowed to remain in discard until the next player discards, becomes "dead" and _cannot be_ touched during the rest of the game.

2. It has been stated that one cannot "_pung_" unless it makes up three or four of a kind. This is true with one exception. In the case: when a tile will complete a player's hand allowing him to "_Mah-Jongg_," the tile may be punged. Example: A player with four sets and an odd tile may _pung_ a tile which matches his odd one. The rule is that "_a player may at any time 'Pung' a discard which will complete his hand and allow him to Mah-Jongg_."

3. The denomination and suit of each tile must be announced as it is discarded, a player discarding a 3 of _character_, announcing _3 character_, to prevent confusion of a player who may be studying his hand. This is more of a courtesy of the game, than a rule.

4. A "_Pung_" has precedence over a "_Chow_" and if one player can pung the same discard that another player can chow, the former has the right to appropriate the tile.

5. If a player can pung a discard which will complete his _hand_ and another player can pung the same discard to complete a _set_, the former has the right to take the discard.

6. If two players pung the same tile to complete their hands, the precedence is given to the player claiming the tile nearest to the discarder in a counter-clockwise direction around the table.

FOUR OF A KIND:

Before speaking of "_four of a kind_," it is better to give the reason for exposing a set made up of a pair and a punged discard, and make clear at the same time, what is to be done when three of a kind are completed by draw.

A set made up of a pair and a punged discard must be "exposed" by setting it out face up, on the table to the right of the players' tiles, first, to show to the other players that he had the required pair, which gave him the right to appropriate the discard, and secondly, to separate the set from those completed entirely by draw from the wall. Sets completed by help of an appropriated (punged) discard, have only one-half the scoring value of exactly the same sets, completed by draw from the wall and kept in the hand.

Thus there are many advantages in drawing the third tile to complete a set of three of a kind when compared to "punging" the same, for in the former case, the set has twice as much scoring value, they are kept concealed in the hand and the opponents can only guess as to how nearly complete a concealed hand may be. A concealed set is counted as one of the four sets required to win, just as an exposed set would be, and a player having a set of three of a kind concealed has very good chances of filling it and thus forming four of a kind which counts a great deal higher.

A player may complete a set of four of a kind either by draw from the wall or "punging" an opponent's discard, if he has three of a kind _already in his hand_. In _either_ case he must place the completed set on the table to the right of his tiles; all four face up if he "punged" the fourth, the two end tiles face down if he has "drawn" the fourth.

The player must immediately draw a "_loose tile_" (one of the two tiles on top of, and marking the end of the wall). Usually the one farthest from the end is taken, the one on the end moved up, and replaced by a tile from the end of the wall itself.

The "_loose tile_" was drawn because every time a player completes a set of four of a kind, he causes the rest of his hand to be one tile short. This must be made up every time four of a kind is filled by an extra tile drawn from the "_loose_" tiles.

_In any set which a player may have exposed on the table there must not be more than_ (1) _punged tile_.

A player having three of a kind in his hand may _pung_ the fourth when it is discarded or having three of a kind on the table and drawing the fourth may add it to his 3 exposed tiles. The rule, however, bars him from appropriating some one else's discard to make a fourth for an exposed set of three of a kind because in order to appropriate this discard he would have to pung it. This he has not the privilege of doing, because he already must have one "_punged_" tile in his exposed set or it wouldn't be exposed.

MAH-JONGG OR MAH-DIAO

As has been mentioned before when a player has matched his hand into four (4) sets and by a draw or a pung has mated the final pair he wins and announces "_Mah-Jongg_" or "_Mah-Diao_" (Dee-O), either being correct and in common usage, the latter being the most logical because of its English translation "mating the pair." A player must at all times during the game have thirteen (13) tiles, his draw every round momentarily giving him fourteen (14), his discard leaving him the thirteen (13). Then for every four of a kind that he fills he should have an extra tile in his hand on account of the extra loose tile draw.

Thus one is able at any time during the game to check his hand and ascertain whether or not he has the correct number of tiles in it. If he has not sets of four of a kind he should have thirteen tiles in his hand. If he _has_ one set of four of a kind he should have fourteen tiles in his hand, two sets of four of kind 15 tiles, and so on.

If, at any time during the game, a player has an incorrect number of tiles in his hand, it becomes "dead." He must continue drawing and discarding, but when the scores are settled his score does not count and therefore he must pay all players. His only chance lies in endeavoring to prevent the other players from completing their hands, by holding the tiles which he believes they need and thus causing a draw game.

SETTLING THE SCORES

When the first player to complete his hand calls "_Mah-Jongg_" the game is ended, and all players expose their hands and count up their scores. The winner of the game collects full value of his score from each of the other players and throwing his hand into the discard is thru for that game.

The remaining three players then settle among themselves the _difference_ of their scores, the high hand of the three collecting the difference between his score and each of the remaining two players. Then throwing his hand into the discard, leaves the remaining two to settle their scores, the highest hand of which collects the difference.

It must be remembered here that East Wind (or banker) pays or collects double, if he loses or wins.

Scores are most conveniently settled by the use of the counters which are furnished with the sets. These are spotted to denote different denominations and at the end of every hand the actual scores or differences in scores are settled between players by the exchange of these counters. There are several styles of counter sets. The one in most common usage contains counters valued as follows:

Points

1 Gold dot 1,000

5 Black dots 500

1 Black dot 100

10 Red dots 10

2 Red dots 2

SUGGESTIONS FOR CAREFUL PLAYING OF HANDS

In a game of this nature where every hand is different from the preceding one and so much depends on the draw, it is very hard to lay down any specific rules of how it should be played. There are, however, a few points which would help if kept in mind during the play. A player should study his original hand and after the first few draws and discards form a general plan of what he is going to try and fill in his hand and decide on how high a score he will have a good chance of making. This will be decided by:

1. The condition of his own hand.

2. The discards of the other three players.

If he has an exceptionally strong hand in any one suit he will play for that suit regardless of the other players. If he has a well-divided hand, by watching the other players' discards, he will be able to form a fairly good opinion of what they are doing with their hand.

After judging his hand, visualizing the sort of hand that he is to try to fill, he should use his own judgment in drawing and discarding, constantly watching his own hand for opportunities and his opponents' discards for disclosures, and upon the slightest suspicion that one of these opponents is nearing the completion of his hand, should immediately forego any thoughts of a higher hand himself and seek to complete his own hand as quickly as possible.

Summing this up; a player should plan and play to win at all times with as high a hand as possible, then as the wall grows shorter and the probability of one of the opponents completing his hand grows larger, the player should reconsider, and

1. If he has at that stage an exceptionally good hand which will win back for him from the other two players that which he loses to the winner, should go on improving his hand and take the chance of another player winning.

2. If he has just an ordinarily good hand he should stop playing to improve his hand and start to complete it as quickly as possible, i.e., form sequences and mix suits, in order to win before the other players and save himself.

3. If his hand has not improved at all or very little since the beginning of the game and he has small chance of completing his hand in any way before some other player does, his only plan is to hold the tiles which he thinks would help the other players and discard only those which he is sure they will not pung. These tiles can be ascertained by carefully searching the discards in the center of the table and the sets already exposed by the other players. By playing this way he may be able to cause the game to be a draw.

There are a few other points which are taken up in the last four layouts in Part I.

USE OF THE MANDARINS

(Flowers and Seasons)

The _Mandarins_, also called _Flowers_ and _Seasons_, are eight in number, two for each of the four winds. They may be eliminated from the set and are not usually used in the play, as they add a large element of chance into the game.

If they are used, each side of the wall is increased by two tiles, making each side a double tiered row of 18 tiles side by side.

Then, if a player draws one of his own _wind mandarins_, he exposes it on the table and draws a "loose tile," the _mandarin_ of his own wind permitting him to double his score once. If then he draws the other _mandarin_ of his own wind he repeats the above process and may double his total score again. Where "_Seasons_ and _Flowers_" are used instead of _mandarins_ the numbers on them, 1, 2, 3 and 4, represent _East, South, West and North winds_ respectively. The red numbers are the "_Seasons_" and the green numbers are the "_Flowers_." They are used exactly as are the _mandarins_, i.e., One's own "_Season_" will double the value of his hand, as _will_ his own "_Flower_." Both of them will double the value twice.

SCORE CARD

It will be seen at a glance that the scoring values are divided into three parts. First, the bonus scores which only the winner can use; secondly, the combination scores which all four players can use; finally the doubling honors which all four players may use, so it is that in settling the scores the winner starts at the top with twenty (20) points for "_Mah-Jongg_" or for winning and goes down the list scoring ten points, if he has no sequence in his hand and so on thru the bonus scores, adding to these whatever scores he obtains from combinations in his hand or on the table and doubling the sum as many times as he has doubling honors.

In the bonus scores for the winning hand only there are six items:

1. "_Mah-Jongg_" which gives 20 points for winning the hand.

2. _No sequence in hand or on table._ This is a bonus of 10 points given to a player if he wins without use of sequences.

3. _Drawing the winning piece._ This is a bonus of 2 points given to the winning player if he _draws_ the tile which completes his hand from the wall. Of course _punging_ the winning tile will forfeit this bonus.

4. _Filling the only place to win._ This is a bonus of 2 points given to a player who fills the only possible place to win, i.e., winning by matching the pair or drawing the middle tile of a sequence.

5. _Winning on a draw from a loose tile._ This of course is a bonus of ten points given to the winning player if any of his loose tile draws have been fortunate enough to complete his hand.

6. _No other score than "Mah-Jongg" in hand or on table._ This is a bonus of ten points given to the winning player having only 20 points for "_Mah-Jongg_" as his score, and is a hand made up of four sequences and a pair in which there is no score, a sequence having no scoring value whatsoever. Of course even drawing the winning piece will forfeit this bonus as can easily be seen.

In the combination scores exposed sets are those on the table; face up to the right of the player, concealed sets are those which are in his hand at the time of winning. As will be seen by the score card, concealed sets having been made up by the player without the assistance of a pung or chow score twice as much as the same set would if it were on the table. This together with the fact that sets of ones, nines, winds or dragons score twice as much as sets of twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens and eights should be helpful in memorizing the score which is essential to the careful playing of each hand.

As for the doubling honors, each set or combination doubles the total score once, and if there are five _doubling honors_ in a hand, the total score should be doubled five times--for example: a player goes _Mah-Jongg_ or _Mah-Diao_ having 32 points in bonus scores, 18 in combination scores, making his total score 50. Then if he has five _doubling honors_ his final score is 1,600 points, i.e., 50-100-200-400-800-1,600.

EXAMPLE OF HANDS AND HOW THEY ARE SCORED

For Mah-Jongg 20
For Three 2 Dots 2
----
22 Total Score
No double honors: 22 Final Score

In this hand the player punged the 2 dot which completed his hand, 20 for _Mah-Jongg_ as the only bonus score he has because: 1. He has sequences. 2. He did not draw the winning piece. 3. He did not fill the only place to win. 4. He has other score than _Mah-Jongg_. 5. He did not win on a loose tile draw. In combination value, he has only two points for the set of three 2 dots, the sets of sequences helping complete the hand, but scoring nothing. There are no doubling honors in the hand so the final score is 22. This is the lowest winning hand that can be scored.

Winner chowed the 1 character to complete hand. Score is

Mah-Jongg 20
----
No other scores on hand or on table 10
----
30 Total Score
No combination scores or doubling
honors 30 Final Score

Mah-Jongg--20 20
No sequences--10 10
Filling only place to win--2 2
Drawing wins p.--2 2
----
34
3 ones concealed 8
3 threes concealed 4
3 fives exposed 2
3 fours exposed 2
----
50 Total Score
No doubling honors: 50 Final Score

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Drawing winning piece 2
----
32
3 sixes (concealed) 4
3 twos (exposed) 2
3 dragons (exposed) 4
3 threes (exposed) 2
----
44 Total Score
Double once for red dragons 88 Final Score

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Drawing winning piece 2
Filling only place to win 2
----
34
3 twos (exposed) 2
3 nines (exposed) 4
3 ones (exposed) 4
3 dragons (exposed) 4
----
48 Total Score
Double once for green dragons 96
Double once for all one suit except
winds or dragons 192 Final Score

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Drawing winning piece 2
Filling only place to win 2
----
34
4 nines (concealed) 32
3 sevens (exposed) 2
3 fours (concealed) 4
3 ones (concealed) 8
----
80 Total Score
Double three times for 160
All one suit 320
640 Total Score

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
----
30
4 dragons (concealed) 32
4 winds (exposed) 16
3 dragons (exposed) 4
3 dragons (concealed) 8
----
90 Total Score
Double three times for all 180
One suit (honor) 360
720
Double once for red dragons 1440
Double once for white dragons 2880
Double once for green dragons 5760 Total Score

If this hand is held by the East Wind he may double again for having a set of his own wind, making his score 11,520, and being East Wind, he collects double from each player when he wins, making his total 23,040 from each of the other three players or 69,120 in all.

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
----
30
3 dragons (exposed) 4
3 fours (exposed) 2
3 eights (exposed) 2
3 dragons (concealed) 8
----
46 Total Score
Double once for white dragons 92
Double once for green dragons 184 Final Score

If player is East Wind, he collects double, or 368 from each player. If any other wind, he collects 368 from East Wind and 184 from the other two players.

Mah-Jongg 20
No other score in hand or on table 10
----
30 Total Score
Double three times for all 60
One suit 120
240 Final Score

Note: In this hand the player did not even fill the only place to win as a 6 character would have won also.

If player is East Wind, he collects 480 from each of the other three players. If any other wind, he collects 480 from East Wind and 240 from the other two players.

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Winning on loose tile draw 10
Drawing winning piece 2
Filling only place to win 2
----
44
4 nines (exposed) 16
4 ones (concealed) 32
4 dragons (exposed) 16
4 dragons (exposed) 16
----
124 Total Score
Double once for red dragons 248
Double once for green dragons 496 Final Score

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Drawing winning piece 2
----
32
3 winds (concealed) 8
3 dragons (concealed) 8
3 twos (concealed) 4
3 nines (concealed) 8
----
60 Total Score
Double once for all one suit
except winds or dragons 120
Double once for red dragons 240

Double once for own wind 480 Final Score

This illustration assumes player to be North Wind. This player collects double, or 960, from East Wind and 480 each from South and West Winds.

Mah-Jongg 20
----
20
3 fives (exposed) 2
3 winds (exposed) 4
2 dragons 2
----
28 Total Score
Double once for all one suit except
winds or dragons 56 Final Score

Note: Two points for pair of red dragons. Dragons and own wind are only pairs that score, and they are limited to two points.

PLAYER IS EAST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
----
30
3 winds (exposed) 4
3 ones (exposed) 4
3 fours (exposed) 2
3 dragons (exposed) 8
----
48 Total Score
Double once for all one suit
except winds or dragons 96
Double once for red dragons 192
Double once for own wind 384
Collect double from each player
being east wind and winning 768 Final Score
from each player

PLAYER IS WEST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Draw winning piece 2
----
32
3 winds (concealed) 8
3 winds (concealed) 8
4 winds (concealed) 32
3 winds (exposed) 4
----
84
Double 3 times for all one 168
Suit (honor) 336
672
Double once for own wind 1344

Collects 2688 from East Wind and 1344 apiece from North and South Winds.

PLAYER IS EAST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Only place to win 2
----
32
4 ones (concealed) 32
4 nines (concealed) 32
4 fours (exposed) 8
4 sevens (exposed) 8
----
112 Total Score
Double 3 times for all 224
One suit 448
896
Double once because player is East
wind and won 1792 Final Score
from each player

PLAYER IS EAST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
----
3 fours (concealed) 20
3 dragons (concealed) 4
8
----
32 Total Score
Double 3 times for winning on
Original hand 64
128
256
Double once for red dragons 512
Collects double because is East
wind and won 1024 Final Score
from each player

PLAYER IS SOUTH WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
Drawing winning piece 2
Filling only place to win 2
----
24
3 ones (concealed) 8
3 fours (concealed) 4
4 winds (concealed) 32
2 own wind 2
----
70 Total Score
Double once for all one suit except
winds or dragons 140 Final Score

Collects double, or 280, from East wind; 140 from North and South respectively.

PLAYER IS NORTH WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
----
30
4 ones (concealed) 32
4 nines (exposed) 16
4 nines (concealed) 32
3 dragons (concealed) 8
----
118 Total Score
Double once for green dragons 236 Final Score

Collects double, or 472, from East wind: 236 from West and South winds respectively.

PLAYER IS WEST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
----
20
3 winds (concealed) 8
3 dragons (exposed) 4
----
32
Double once for all one suit except
winds or dragons 64
Double once for white dragons 128
Double once for own wind 256

Collects 512 from East wind, 256 from North and South, respectively.

PLAYER IS EAST WIND

Mah-Jongg 20
No sequence 10
Winning on loose tile draw 10
Drawing winning piece 2
Filling only place to win 2
----
44
4 dragons (concealed) 32
4 dragons (concealed) 32
4 dragons (concealed) 32
4 winds (concealed) 32
----
172 Total Score
Double 3 times for all of one suit
(honor) 344
688
1376
Double once for green dragons 2752
Double once for white dragons 5504
Double once for red dragons 11008
Double once for own wind 22016
Double once because everyone must
pay East wind double when he
wins 44032 Final Score

East wind collects this amount from each of the other three players, making a total of 132,096 points that East may win in one hand. This is the highest hand which is probable. There is a hand composed of sets of 3 of a kind, similar to this, which, if drawn on the original draw, will yield more points than this, but it is highly improbable that the hand will ever actually be drawn by any given player.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCORE SETTLING

In the four layouts following, the illustrations represent all the hands together as they are laid down after one of the players wins. They serve to clear up "settling" of the scores and also bring out important points in the playing of the hands. In each case the score of the four players is given in total and practice in the calculating of scores can be obtained by beginners by scoring these hands and comparing their results with the given scores.

West Wind
400
+-----------+
| |
North Wind | | South Wind
16 | | 64
| |
+-----------+
East Wind
608

West Wind 400

South Wind 64

East Wind 608

North Wind 16]

East Wind "Mah-Jongged" with a total score of 608 points. He collects double this amount from each of the other three winds because he is East Wind, and winning, collects double. This makes 1216 from each player or a total of 3648. He then throws his hand into the discard and the other three players settle, the high hand collecting the difference between his hand and the remaining two. In the illustration, West Wind is the high hand and he collects 336 from South Wind and 484 from North Wind, the difference between his hand and those of South and North Winds, respectively. He then discards his hand and leaves the South and North Winds to settle. They do this by South Wind collecting 48 points from North; both discard their tiles, and the scores are settled. It might be best here to analyze the above layout to see how the play went. East Wind's hand appeared harmless enough because he had most of it concealed, only exposing two sets. On this account, none of the other opponents would hesitate about discarding the eight of bamboo which allowed him to Mah-Jongg. North and South Winds having poor hands themselves might have held the eight of bamboo and not have taken a chance on it "putting him out" if they had been warned how near he was to winning, for West Wind had an exceptionally fine hand with the best part of it concealed and he won back from North and South Winds more than half of his payment to East, the winner.

North and South Winds fell in a conflict of suits, one of the most frequent occurrences of the game and one which spoils a great many otherwise good hands. They were both attempting to complete "all dot" hands and each has two conflicting pairs, namely, 5 and 6 of dots. Either of them to win can only have one pair in their hand, and each was holding the other from any chance of winning.

When two players play for the same suit, it is best for both to give up any idea of obtaining all of one suit, and fill in the hand with one or two sets of winds or dragons. Very often one can get three doubles in this way when it would be impossible to complete a hand of all one suit.

West Wind 2816

South Wind 8

East Wind 4

North Wind 22]

NORTH WIND MAH-JONGGS

North Wind Mah-Jonggs with 22 points as his total score. He collects 22 points apiece from North Wind and South Wind. East, however, must pay him double or 44, being banker and losing. This gives North Wind a total of 88. The other three then settle West Wind with a total of 2816; collects the difference between his hand and East Wind's which is 2814, doubled because he won from East Wind and East Wind must pay double when he loses. This gives West Wind 5628 from East Wind, and just the difference in their hands from South Wind which is 2808. Then South Wind in settling with East Wind collects the difference, 4, double or 8. This layout demonstrates the point that it is not always necessary to Mah-Jongg or win, in order to take in the highest number of points. North Wind "Mah-Jongged" and collected only 88 points, whereas West Wind collected a total of 8,436 points. What evidently took place in this hand goes as follows: West Wind was exceptionally fortunate in the draw and soon had three sets of winds and dragons exposed, or on the table. The other three players seeing in this a dangerous hand, "ran for cover," this consisting of gathering all the sequences possible together, and mixing the suits. By doing this a player can very quickly complete his hand and win, although his score will be low when he does win. However, the one who does "Mah-Jongg," no matter how low his score may be, collects that amount, and escapes any exceptionally high scoring hands which the other players may hold. In this case it was North Wind who won out and avoided paying many points to West Wind by doing so.

West Wind 64

South Wind 10

East Wind 56

North Wind 416]

NORTH WIND MAH-JONGGS

In the above layout, North Wind winning, scores 416; West Wind 64; South Wind 10, and East Wind 56; North Wind then takes 832 from East Wind, and 416 from West and South Winds. West Wind collects 54 from South Wind and 16 from East Wind; East Wind then collects 46 doubled or 92 from South Wind.

In this game both North and West Winds played for all dot hands; North Wind foreseeing this early in the game filled in his hand with winds and dragons, in this way winning out over West Wind; East Wind starting with a pair of green dragons kept them until he had all characters except the pair. Then came the time for him to decide on whether he would discard the pair and try to fill an all character hand, or use the dragons. He decided on the latter because looking at North Wind's exposed tiles he saw that North Wind was dangerously near to winning. He filled his dragons and attempted to win as quickly as possible, almost succeeding and needing only one tile to complete his hand.

West Wind 64

South Wind 48

East Wind 80

North Wind 152]

NORTH WIND MAH-JONGGS

North Wind "Mah-Jongged," collects 304 from East and 152 from West and South respectively. Then--East Wind collects 16 doubled or 32 from West and 32 doubled or 64 from South. West Wind wins 16 from South who is the loser all around. East Wind's difficulty above was that he decided on all bamboo hand at the start of the game without having a sufficient number of pairs in that suit. The result was that by the time that he _drew_ the pairs and was ready to pung discards the other players had already discarded a number of tiles which he needed in his hand. They were then dead. The result of all this can be seen in his hand above; he has still two pairs and a sequence to fill and the particular tiles needed to do this (the 4, 5 and 8 of bamboo) have probably all been discarded early in the game by the other players. The point thus illustrated being: It is not advisable to attempt the completing of a suit which all the other players are discarding unless sufficient pairs are held from the start to withstand their attacks.