Mahjong is a fascinating game of skill, strategy, and chance, with its origins in China. Played with 144 tiles, Mahjong can seem overwhelming for beginners due to its complex rules and scoring system. mahjong However, understanding the scoring is crucial to mastering the game. In this post, we’ll break down the basics of Mahjong scoring, explain the terminology, and outline how points are awarded.
The Basics of Mahjong
Before diving into the scoring, let’s quickly go over the fundamentals of Mahjong:
- The Objective: The main goal in Mahjong is to create a complete hand, which consists of four sets (a triplet, a sequence, or a pair) and one pair. Each hand is built from a combination of the 144 tiles that are drawn and discarded throughout the game.
- The Tiles: The tiles are categorized into three main groups:
- Bamboos (bamboo sticks, represented by numbers 1-9)
- Characters (numbered 1-9)
- Dots (numbered 1-9)
- Winning a Hand: To win, a player must have a complete hand—four sets and one pair. A set can be a pung (three identical tiles), a chow (a sequence of three consecutive numbers from the same suit), or a kong (four identical tiles).
The Mahjong Scoring System
Once a player has completed their hand and declared a win, the scoring system comes into play. Mahjong scoring is typically based on two key elements:
1. Basic Scoring Points (Fan)
The Fan is a core element of scoring, and the more Fan points you accumulate, the higher your total score. Fan points are awarded for various actions and combinations in your hand, such as:
- Self-drawn Hand (Self-Picked): If you complete your hand by drawing the final tile yourself (rather than claiming a discard from another player), you earn Fan points for a self-drawn hand.
- Pung of Dragons or Winds: A Pung (set of three identical tiles) made up of dragon or wind tiles is worth more points.
- Pung of Terminal Tiles: A set consisting of 1 or 9 in any suit (known as terminal tiles) also earns extra points.
- Pure Hand (All Chow): If your hand consists of only Chows (sequences), you can score higher, especially if it’s a pure hand of one suit (either bamboos, characters, or dots).
- Seven Pairs: If your hand consists entirely of seven pairs, you can score a lot of points due to the rarity and difficulty of this combination.
2. Special Scoring (Yaku)
In addition to basic Fan points, special combinations or achievements called Yaku contribute to your score. These are specific hands, actions, or combinations of tiles that carry additional value. Some of the most well-known Yaku include:
- Thirteen Orphans: A rare and high-scoring hand that consists of one of each of the 9 terminal tiles and one of each of the 4 wind tiles, with a pair of any of the honor tiles joker123.
- All Pungs: A hand consisting of four Pungs and a pair, which earns a significant number of Fan points.
- Big Three Dragons: A hand with three Pungs of the Dragon tiles (Red, Green, White).
3. Multiplying the Score
One of the unique aspects of Mahjong scoring is the multiplication of points. The base score (Fan points) is multiplied by a factor to determine the final score. This multiplier can grow exponentially depending on the number of Fan points accumulated.
For example:
- A 1 Fan hand might give you 2 points.
- A 3 Fan hand might give you 8 points, and so on.
4. Additional Scoring Factors
- Flower Tiles: Some Mahjong sets include flower tiles, which do not form part of a player’s hand but can provide extra points when drawn.
- Bonus Points for Wind: If you are the East Wind (the dealer), your hand often scores additional points, as the dealer gets extra chances to win.
- Robbing the Kong: If a player completes a Kong (four of the same tile) by taking the last tile needed from another player’s exposed set, they can earn additional points for this rare achievement.
Example of a Winning Hand and Score
Let’s look at an example. Suppose a player has completed the following hand:
- Chow of Bamboos: 2-3-4 of Bamboos
- Pung of Green Dragons: three Green Dragon tiles
- Pung of Winds: three East Wind tiles
- Pair of 7 Dots
This hand would likely score points based on:
- Pung of Green Dragon (High Fan)
- Pung of East Wind (Additional points for Wind Pung)
- Self-Drawn Hand (Extra points for drawing the final tile)
- Pure Hand (All suits except honors)
The player would then calculate their total Fan points, multiply them according to the Mahjong multiplier system, and tally their score.
Conclusion
Understanding Mahjong scoring can take some time, but once you grasp the basics, you’ll be able to see the strategy in action. Whether you’re playing with family and friends or in more competitive settings, knowing how to maximize your points will give you an edge in every game. Remember to focus on creating strong hands with multiple scoring opportunities while keeping an eye on the tiles that your opponents are playing.