Hobbies And Interests
Tiles
Mahjongg is played using 144 tiles, each one falling under three categories: suits, honors and bonus. There are three suits of tiles, Circles, Characters, and Dots. Each suit is numbered one through nine and there are four identical tiles of each number and suit. There are seven types of honor tiles, four of which feature wind directions and three having a colored dragon. Like the suits, there are four identical tiles of each honor. Finally, there are eight bonus tiles, each of which features one of four flowers and the four seasons.
Hands
When playing Mahjongg, the goal of the game is for one player to obtain a complete hand. These hands must contain any of four combinations of tiles as well as an additional pair. The combinations fall under three categories. The first is Pung, which is a three of a kind. The second is Kong, which is a four of a kind. The final combination is Chow, which is three titles of the same suit in sequential order such as a four, five and six of Bamboo.
Beginning the Game
Mahjongg is meant to be played with four players. Have each player sit at one end of a square table or play area, with each player representing one of the four wind directions. The player seating on the east side of the play area begins the game. The first player shuffles the tiles in the middle of the play area, after which each player draws 36 tiles and creates a wall in front of him, two tiles high and 18 tiles long. The four walls should all connect at their corners and all tiles should be placed face down.. The first player then rolls the two dice and counts the number of tiles clockwise from the center of his wall. The player who built the wall that he lands on then rolls the two dice and counts the tiles in his own row starting in a clockwise direction. The tiles he lands on are then picked up and placed on the 14 tiles to the right. These sixteen tiles (seven stacks of two tiles and the two additional) are moved slightly away from the rest of the tiles and are known as the Kong Box and are drawn from whenever a layer creates a Kong (four of a kind) in his hand. The person who created the Kong Box will now deal 13 tiles to each player. Starting to the left of the Kong Box and using the tiles of the wall, players are dealt tiles four at a time. The 13th tile is then dealt one at a time.
Playing the Game
Starting with the East player, each player takes turns drawing one tile from anywhere on the wall and placing it in her hand. The player then chooses a tile from her hand to discard to the center of the play area. The next player can then either take a new tile from the wall or choose the tile that was discarded by the last player before choosing one of his own to discard. Only tiles that were discarded by the previous player can be picked up, and the tile must complete a combination in your hand. For example, if you have a 1 of Dots and 2 of Dots, you can pick up the discarded tile if it is a 3 of Dots. After completing the combination, you must place it in front of you. Always keep the rest of your hand hidden from the other players. If you draw a bonus tile, place it face up on the wall and draw a new tile for your hand.
Ending the Round
The first player to complete a hand with four combinations of tiles and an additional pair will call Mahjongg and place the tiles face up on the game board. The winning player receives a point and goes first during the next round. Collect the tiles and begin again in creating the four walls.