What is the standard size of Mahjong tiles?
Tiles are standard size 32. Tiles measure 1.26"H x 1"W x 0.63"D (3.2cm x 2.4cm x 1.6cm). Case and accessories not included. Item US-CT011- Complete set of professional Chinese Mahjong tiles. 144 tiles + 2 spares.
How many pairs are there in mahjong tiles?
The goal of the game is to get mahjong, which consists of getting all 14 of your tiles into four sets and one pair. A pair is two identical tiles. A set can be either a pung, a chow, or kong. A single tile cannot be used in two sets at once.
How many pieces are there in mahjong set?
How many pieces are in a complete mahjong set? A set of Mahjong tiles will usually differ from place to place. It usually has at least 136 tiles (four copies of each of the Suit and Honor Tiles), most commonly 144 , although sets originating from the United States or Southeast Asia will usually feature more Tiles in the form of flowers or Jokers.
What are Mahjong tiles used for?
Mahjong is played both as a casual game amongst family and friends and as a way to gamble. Mahjong Tiles Have Meaning . To learn how to play, you must first be able to identify and understand each mahjong tile. Each tile set contains 3 simple suits (stones, characters, and bamboos), 2 honor suits (winds and dragons), and 1 optional suit (flowers).
How many tiles are in a mahjong game?
Mahjong sets come with varying amounts of tiles. There are 152 core tiles, however, sets may include extra tiles such as blanks and seasons (to be played as flowers) and extra jokers. Players can establish table rules for whether or not to play with extra tiles.
What is in a full mahjong set?
What is included in a traditional Mahjong set? A traditional set of Mahjong usually includes 144 tiles. The 144 tiles consist of 36 circle tiles in four sets of nine, 36 character tiles in four sets of nine, 36 bamboo tiles in four sets of nine, 16 wind tiles, 12 dragon tiles, four flower tiles, and four season tiles.
How many tiles are in a mahjong row?
A complete mahjong set of 144 tiles includes three suits, called circles, characters, and bamboos.
How many tiles does American mahjong have?
From one crak to nine craks, four tiles of each type, 36 tiles in total. For the convenience of American players, Arabic numbers are usually written on the tiles, stating how many craks it is.
What is the difference between American and Chinese mah jongg?
Traditional Chinese mahjong sets have 144 tiles, while American version is played with eight additional joker tiles and score cards that are published annually by non-profit organizations like National Mahjongg League. The league serves as the arbitrator for everything that relates to the American Mahjongg.
What does mahjong mean in English?
mahjong in British English or mah-jongg (ˌmɑːˈdʒɒŋ ) noun. a game of Chinese origin, usually played by four people, in which tiles bearing various designs are drawn and discarded until one player has an entire hand of winning combinations. Word origin. from Chinese, literally: sparrows.
How do you set up Chinese mahjong?
1:595:44Learn How to Play Chinese Mahjong Step by Step - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlay first each player rolls the dice. The person who rolls the biggest number becomes the dealerMorePlay first each player rolls the dice. The person who rolls the biggest number becomes the dealer shuffle the tiles and create four walls.
Is mahjong Chinese or Japanese?
Mahjong or mah-jongg (English pronunciation: /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ mah-JONG) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century.
What is the bird in mahjong?
The tiles have two through nine sticks on it. The number one tile does not have a bamboo stick on it. Instead, it has a bird sitting on bamboo, so this set is sometimes also called "bird." There 36 bamboo tiles in a set.
Are there jokers in Chinese mahjong?
Four jokers are sometimes used in certain variants of Southeast Asian and Chinese mahjong, including Shanghainese mahjong. American mahjong uses eight jokers.
Is mahjong difficult to learn?
And, although Mah Jongg is a difficult game to learn and master, avid players say, you can excel in the game. "It is not the easiest game, but you can learn it," Link added. "You don't learn it in one sitting. It's something you learn and build on what you learn."
Can you play Chinese mahjong with American Mahjong set?
American mahjong utilizes racks, jokers, "Hands and Rules" score cards and has several distinct gameplay mechanics. Although an American mahjong set can be used to play Chinese Mahjong, the rules that follow are for the American game. Mahjong is always played with four players seated around a table.
How many flowers are in a Mahjong set?
The normal Chinese set has 144 tiles: the dots, bams, craks, winds, dragons, and 8 flowers.
What are the 4 suits in Mahjong?
Each tile set contains 3 simple suits (stones, characters, and bamboos), 2 honor suits (winds and dragons), and 1 optional suit (flowers).
What does F mean in Mahjong?
There are three "dragons": the red dragon (chun), symbolizing the middle or animal order (including humans), the green dragon (fa), symbolizing the lower or plant order of life, the white dragon (pai pan – white tile), symbolizing the higher or spirutual order of beings.
How many flowers are there in an American mahjong set?
There are 8 flower tiles (right), which can depict all kinds of things; some of them might be named for the 4 seasons.
How many tiles are in a Mahjong hand?
A player who can do this claims the tile, then reveals the winning hand of 14 tiles.
How many players are in Mahjong?
See the basic rules for the popular Chinese game mahjong, which apply to most variants. This game is played with four players and a set of tiles.
How many tiles are there in Kong?
Some players also play with a "Kong", which is four of the same tile (like an extended pung). The same rules for claiming a discarded tile apply, but any player completing a kong immediately draws an extra tile before discarding.
How to play Wind Tiles?
Determine a starting dealer. In Chinese tradition, the four wind tiles are shuffled face down and dealt to the players. Players then sit according to their tile and sit clockwise in the order north, west, south, east. East starts as the dealer. Modern players may simply roll the dice to determine the dealer.
How many tiles does a dealer get in a game of chess?
Each player receives 13 til es, with the dealer starting with an extra 14th tile.
How many tiles are there in the game of Dragon?
These are, in turn, divided into four sets of numbers 1 to 9 in each suit. There are also 16 wind tiles and 12 dragon tiles. Many sets also include eight bonus tiles with four flowers and four seasons, but these are not needed in the basic game.
What happens if you don't reveal a Mahjong?
If nobody has revealed a mahjong by the time the wall runs out of tiles, the game is considered a draw and the dealer redeals.
How many characters are in a Chinese tile?
Thus, it is necessary to learn how to read numbers one through nine in Chinese in order to be able to put the tiles in numerical order. There are 36 character tiles in each set.
What is the shape of a stone in Mahjong?
Stones. Stones is one of the Mahjong suits which feature round shapes that represent coins on each tile. The stones suit is also referred to as wheels, circles, or cookies. This suit features a circular shape, and on the face of each tile is a range of one to nine round shapes.
What is the wind in Mahjong?
The winds (the first four tiles on the left) are one of six tile sets in a Mahjong game. Wind is one of two honor suits. These tiles each feature the character for compass directions: north (北, běi ), east (東, dōng ), south (南, nán ), and west (西, xī ).
What does the white board mean in Mahjong?
The white board means freedom from corruption, a miss in archery, or the Confucian virtue of filial piety. There is a total of 12 arrow, or dragon, tiles in each mahjong set. Mack, Lauren. "A Guide to Mahjong Tile Meanings.". ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/explanation-of-mahjong-tiles-687561.
How many suits does Mahjong have?
Mahjong has six suits, including bamboo (also called sticks). Lauren Mack. The bamboo simple suit is also referred to as sticks. These tiles have bamboo sticks which represent the strings (索, sǔo) that ancient copper coins were strung on in sets of 100 (弔, diào) or 1,000 coins (貫, guàn ).
How many bamboo tiles are there in a set?
The number one tile does not have a bamboo stick on it. Instead, it has a bird sitting on bamboo, so this set is sometimes also called "bird." There 36 bamboo tiles in a set.
Where did Mahjong originate?
Updated August 16, 2019. While the origin of mahjong (麻將, ma jiang) is unknown, the fast-paced four-player game is very popular throughout Asia. Mahjong is played both as a casual game amongst family and friends and as a way to gamble.
How many tiles are there in Mahjong?
In all, there are 144 tiles, of which 36 tiles are in the bamboo suit, 36 in the circle suit, 36 in the character suit, 16 wind tiles, 12 dragon tiles, and 8 bonus tiles (4 flowers and 4 seasons). Like many popular games, mahjong has many regional variations.
Where to buy a Mahjong set?
You can easily buy a set online, but if you want to buy a set as a souvenir during your trip. We recommend the following places:
What is Mahjong?
It is known as 麻雀 máquè or 'sparrow game' in some areas in China, which is played with sets of tiles. Four players play the game using numbered tiles, which were made of bamboo or bone in the past, but nowadays they are made of plastic. In all, there are 144 tiles, of which 36 tiles are in the bamboo suit, 36 in the circle suit, 36 in the character suit, 16 wind tiles, 12 dragon tiles, and 8 bonus tiles (4 flowers and 4 seasons). Like many popular games, mahjong has many regional variations. In northern China, there are no flower and season tiles, they just have the 136 tiles. In Sichuan Province, they do not use the wind tiles and dragon tiles, therefore they have only 108 tiles.
When do we play Mahjong?
For gatherings, they usually play mahjong before and after each meal. It is not uncommon to play the whole night during the holidays. As one of the most popular pastimes, many people play it after work or during holidays.
How many tiles are there in a circle?
Circles (also known as Dots) 36 circle tiles in 4 identical sets of 9 tiles with one to nine circles engraved on them. In Chinese, they are the 筒子tǒngzi meaning 'barrel' or 'tube-shaped', named after circular coins (once used in China) with a hole in them. The circles are also known as 'dots'.
When did Mahjong spread?
At the turn of the 20th century, the game spread beyond China's borders which led to variants on the traditional Chinese rules. The expatriate population of Shanghai picked up the game in the cafes that they frequented and brought it back to their home countries. In Japan, mahjong clubs formed in the early part of the century. In the 1920s, the British and Americans, also, started enjoying the game and as a result, the rules evolved.
Where did Mahjong originate?
Another legend suggests that ZhengHe (a Chinese explorer who commanded 7 sails across Asia and Africa in the early 15th century) invented mahjong while attempting to find a way to entertain his crew members during their sailings. According to the legend, this explains why there are so many references to sailing found on the tiles.
How many tiles are there in a set of Asian play?
There are also Flowers. Some sets designed for certain types of Asian play don't even need them, and thus will have only 136 tiles. Other sets typically will have eight Flowers, although the number can vary.
How many suits are there in Mahjong?
In Mahjong there are three suits: Dots, Bams and Craks, all loosely based on money. Each suit has four of each tile going from 1 to 9. There are also two types of Honor tiles: Dragons (Red, Green and White, four of each), and Winds East South West and North, once again, with four of each. There are also Flowers.
Why did Mah Jongg change the number of flowers needed for play?
Through the years, the National Mah Jongg League changed the number of Flowers needed for play (as well as what the Flowers did, because Flowers did serve as jokers or wild tiles for some years). Many people hid Flowers, and the blank tiles that came with the set, under stickers to turn them into Jokers.
What are some examples of leisure sets?
The Chinese Bakelite tiles above are an example of a leisure set. If you did not have the tiles in the right order you would miss the ladies playing tennis against each other, and the pool side action.
What are the tiles in the Ruse of the Empty City?
The tiles just above are from a beloved Chinese story: The Ruse of the Empty City. You will often see this sort of set on bone and bamboo tiles. The two sets of tiles above show two different types of Flower tiles: The top ones show ladies dancing.
Is each tile half a boat?
But because many of us don't necessarily know about the possible links between tiles, we miss things: Each tile is half a boat. If you did not place them in Chinese order, you would not know they are related. The Chinese Bakelite tiles above are an example of a leisure set.
How many tiles are there in Mahjong?
Mahjong has 166 game tiles, 152 of which are used in play. The remaining are spare tiles. The tiles are split into four groups.
How often are Mahjong hands updated?
Players score various hands based on information determined by the National Mahjong League. These are updated annually and should be used as a reference when building hands.
What happens if you call more than one person in Mahjong?
If more than one person calls: The player who calls to complete a Mahjong trumps the player who is just completing a set. If neither are completing a Mahjong, the player whose turn is nearest takes the tile. All tiles in concealed hands must be taken from the wall, unless it is the final tile to declare Mahjong.
How many tiles can you use in a pair of Jokers?
Jokers can be used to replace any tile in a set of 3 to 6 identical tile sets. However, it can not be used in a pair.
How many tiles does Breaking the Wall have?
Breaking the wall passes to the right. Players take turns grabbing four tiles for their hand until each player has 12 tiles. After everyone has 12 tiles, East or the dealer grabs two extra tiles, these tiles come from the first and third tiles of the top row. Then, the other players take a single tile from the end. South grabs the first bottom tile, North grabs the second bottom tile, and West grabs the second top tile.
How much does Mahjong pay in a draw off the wall?
Mahjong from draw off the wall Each player pays winner double the hand’s value.
What is the objective of Mahjong?
The objective of the game is to be the first player to construct a hand that matches one on the score card. If you are successful, declare “Mahjong” to win.
How many tiles are there in Mahjong?
The total number of mahjong tiles in the American mahjong is 152, as shown below.
What flowers are in mahjong tiles?
However, the two groups of normal flowers commonly found in mahjong tiles, i.e. "Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter" and "Plum blossom (梅), Orchid (蘭), Chrysanthemum (菊), Bamboo (竹)" can also be used.
What are Mah Jongg Master Points?
In 2011, Mah Jongg Master Points (MJMP) were established to post an individual's tournament scores. The MJMP website formulates the scores (awarding bonus points to the top 10 winners of an event), and ranking the individual players. There are 10 ranks for players, based on the accumulation of these points.
What is the name of the game with Latin letters and Arabic numerals?
Mahjong tiles with Latin letters and Arabic numerals added for an American audience. American mahjong, also spelled mah jongg, is a variant of the Chinese game mahjong. American mahjong utilizes racks to hold each player's tiles, jokers, and "Hands and Rules" score cards. It has several distinct gameplay mechanics such as "The Charleston", ...
How many tiles are there in Winds?
The four types of winds are: East, South, West and North, four tiles of each type, 16 tiles in total. For the convenience of American players, letters "E" (for East East), "S" (for South South), "W" (for West West) and "N" (for North North) are usually written on the tiles, stating which wind it is.
Where are Mah Jongg tournaments held?
Mah Jongg Madness conducts more than a dozen tournaments a year and an annual NMJL cruise culminates in the National Mah Jongg Convention in Las Vegas every March.
When was Mah Jongg Madness established?
American mah jongg tournament standards and rules were established in 1986, when the National Mah Jongg League and Mah Jongg Madness jointly conducted their first annual Mah Jongg Tournament at Sea. This tradition of championship tournaments at sea continued for over 34 years. Now there are American mah jongg tournaments conducted throughout the United States, and consist of players from America and Canada. Mah Jongg Madness conducts more than a dozen tournaments a year and an annual NMJL cruise culminates in the National Mah Jongg Convention in Las Vegas every March.
Components
Goal
- The goal of the game is to get a mahjong, which consists of getting all 14 of your tiles into four sets and one pair. A pair is two identical tiles. A set can either be a "pung," which is three identical tiles, or a "chow," which is a run of three consecutive numbers in the same suit. A single tile cannot be used in two sets at once.
Setup
- Determine a starting dealer. In Chinese tradition, the four wind tiles are shuffled face down and dealt to the players. Players then sit according to their tile and sit clockwise in the order north, west, south, east. East starts as the dealer. Modern players may simply roll the dice to determine the dealer. All tiles are shuffled together, and the players build a wall of 34 face-down tiles in fro…
Play
- Before your turn, you must give other players a few seconds to claim the most recently discarded tile. The first priority goes to any player who can claim the discarded tile to complete a mahjong. A player who can do this claims the tile, then reveals the winning hand of 14 tiles. Failing that, any player can claim the discarded tile to complete a pung. The player says "pung", and then reveal…
Kong
- Some players also play with a "Kong", which is four of the same tile (like an extended pung). The same rules for claiming a discarded tile apply, but any player completing a kong immediately draws an extra tile before discarding.
Hand End
- The hand ends when somebody declares mahjong and reveals a complete 14-tile hand of four sets and a pair. If nobody has revealed a mahjong by the time the wall runs out of tiles, the game is considered a draw and the dealer redeals.
Scoring
- Simple scoring awards one point to whoever achieved the mahjong and won the hand. Many more complex scoring arrangements exist, which vary widely by region. Bonus point-scoring awards an additional point for not winning by taking a discard, or winning with the last tile in the game, or having a pung of dragons. Exponential scoring scores each pung at 2 points, which is …
Game End
- Players play to a pre-determined number of points, or 16 rounds, or until players agree that they are done.