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CHAPTER 2

Unraveling the Mystery of the Tiles

When you make your first Mah Jongg, your heart races, your palms sweat, you breathe fast, and your stomach churns. The thrill of victory! A winning smile from ear to ear! It’s a great feeling.

I know you are anxious to play and I don’t blame you. And I know you have many questions. How do you get tiles? Do other players see your tiles? How do you play? How do you make combinations? These are all great questions and if I answered, “You get your tiles from the Wall,” you’d ask “What’s the Wall?”

In order to understand the answers to your questions, you need to first understand the basics of the game—the tiles, how to interpret the Card of Hands, why it is important in the game, how to start a hand, how to select a hand from the card, how to do the Charleston (the what?) and then after all that, how to put everything together to actually play the game and win! As we go from chapter to chapter you will see that the answers to all your questions will be revealed. So let’s put them aside for now and turn our attention to the first fundamental you need to understand the game. There is a summary and a quiz at the end of this chapter that will help you with the material you’ve just learned.

Let’s begin by focusing on the tiles, their functions, and their uses in the game. One thing to note is that while traditional mah jongg sets contain thicker, heavier tiles, the beginner’s set of tiles that accompany this book are instead made of card stock.

In American mah jongg there are five different categories of tiles: Suit tiles, Dragon tiles, Wind tiles, Flower tiles, and Joker tiles—152 tiles in all.

Suits

The first group of tiles is called Suits.

Mah jongg has three Suits: Dots, Bams and Craks. Each Suit has tiles numbered 1 through 9. There are four tiles of each number, for a total of 36 tiles in each Suit. All together, there are 108 Suit tiles: 4 x 9 = 36 tiles per Suit, x 3 Suits = 108.

DOTS

The first Suit is called Dot. These are easy to identify because they are images of dots, or circles, or balls. Each Dot tile has a number stamped in the upper left-hand corner, indicating the number of dots on the tile. There is one dot on the 1-Dot, two dots on the 2-Dot and so on, up to 9-Dot. There are four tiles of each numeral—totaling 36 tiles in all.

Dots

Find one set of Dots (1–9) and place them in front of you.

BAMS

The next Suit is called Bam (short for bamboo). This Suit is also easy to distinguish because the tiles are predominately green and the images represent bamboo twigs. Like the Dots, these tiles also have numbers stamped in the upper left-hand corner, from 1 to 9, and there are four tiles of each numeral, 36 in all.

But in this Suit, the 1-Bam tile is an image of a bird, not an image of bamboo twigs. It is usually some design variation of a peacock or a crane. In some older sets, the image might be a soaring bird or a sparrow perched on a bamboo stalk. It’s important to recognize that the 1-Bam tile is totally different from the rest of the Bam Suit, as you can see here:

Bams

Find one set of Bams (1–9) and place them next to the Dot Suit.

CRAKS

The third Suit is called Crak. It is distinguished by a red Chinese character (which means wan; see page 7) stamped on the bottom half of the tile. You will find the numbers, 1 to 9, stamped on the top part of these tiles as well. Also, on the top half of the tile is the Chinese character for the number that each tile represents. As with the Dots and Bams, there are four tiles of each number, 36 in all.

Craks

Place one set of Craks (1–9) in front of you, next to the Dots and Bams.

That takes care of the three Suits: Dots, Bams, and Craks.

Dragons

The next category of tiles is called Dragons. There are three groups of Dragons: Red Dragons, Green Dragons and Soap Dragons. They are stamped with a dragon-like figure, but often, in older sets, Chinese characters are used to represent the Dragons. Again, there are four tiles of each Dragon, 12 in all.

The Red Dragon is red and it is called Red.

The Green Dragon is green, called Green.

Dragons

The third Dragon used to be called White, because it was a blank tile, symbolically representing the unknown. In some older sets from the 1930s, Whites had a “P” for po, which means white in Chinese, engraved in the upper left-hand corner. It is still a mostly blank tile but now has a small blue border. Today, in American mah jongg, this Dragon is called Soap. (Why? Research hasn’t turned up a definitive answer.) It might be easier to remember if you think of it as a bar of soap.

MATCHING DRAGONS

Even though Dragon tiles are a distinct entity, each Dragon is associated with or matches a different Suit. This phenomenon is called matching Dragon. The Red Dragon matches Crak because of the red symbol on the bottom half of the tile. The Green Dragon matches Bam because the Bam tiles are predominately green. And the Soap Dragon, by process of elimination, matches Dot.

Matching Dragons

Now place a Dragon next to its matching Suit.

Hint: It can be easier to remember this concept by thinking of the Suits and Dragons as color-coded; Red/Crak, Green/Bam and Soap/Dot.

SOAP ALSO REPRESENTS A ZERO

Besides being a Dragon that matches Dot, Soap has another function. It is used as a “0.” Certain combinations on the Card of Hands (see next chapter) require zeros, such as the year 2004 on the sample card we’ll be using. There are no other tiles that represent “0,” so when a zero is required, you must use the Soap Dragon. It then becomes neutral. This means Soap can be used as a “0” not only with its matching Dot Suit, but with any other Suit. See the examples below.

Soaps used as “0”s

So Soap has a dual function: it is a Dragon and also a neutral “0.”

There are other neutral tiles that will be introduced as we go along. Any neutral tile may be used with any other tile in the set.

Winds

The next group of tiles is called Winds: North, South, East, and West. Easy to identify, they are marked with the initials N, S, E, W. There are four tiles of each Wind, for a total of 16. Winds are also neutral tiles.

Winds

Find one set of Wind tiles and place them next to your other tiles.

Flowers

The next group of tiles is called Flowers. They are the most artistic and creatively designed of all the tiles and very distinctive. The flowers represented are plum blossom, chrysanthemum, orchid and, of course, bamboo, the most versatile plant in China. In older sets, as well as modern sets, the images of Flower tiles may vary from one set to another. All the flowers represented carry weighty symbolism in Chinese culture.

There are eight Flower tiles, usually four tiles representing flowers and four tiles representing people. It doesn’t matter if the images are of flowers or of people. They are all part of the Flower family, and called Flower. All modern American sets include both types, but people tiles are not found in some older sets. These sets only have images of flowers. Sometimes, Flower tiles are stamped with the seasons and/ or numbers. In the American mah jongg game these markings have no relevance so don’t pay attention to them. Flowers are neutral.

Flowers

Select a couple of Flower tiles and place them with the other tiles.

Jokers

And finally, the last tiles are the Jokers. Easily distinguished, they are stamped with the word “Joker.” Jokers are like wild cards, and are very useful because they can replace any or all tiles in certain combinations needed for a hand. Jokers are also neutral, like the Winds, Flowers and Soap (when used as a “0”). There are eight Jokers.

Jokers

Put a couple of Jokers next to the other tiles.

Next, we will learn how to use these tiles to make the proper combinations needed for a hand. Combinations are made by grouping matching tiles together.

Matching tiles are identical tiles of the same Suit and same number, or same Dragon, same Wind, or same Flower. Two matching tiles are a Pair, three matching tiles are a Pung, four matching tiles are a Kong, five matching tiles are a Quint, and six matching tiles are a Sextet. In card games, this is referred to as “two of a kind,” “three of a kind,” “four of a kind,” and so on. But in mah jongg, it is referred to as matching tiles. These combinations are the basic building blocks of all hands and are going to be part of every mah jongg hand you play. The pictures below are examples of matching tiles.

Matching Tiles

Jokers can only be used in the following combinations: a Pung, a Kong, a Quint, or a Sextet.

Jokers may replace any tiles only in a Pung, Kong, Quint or Sextet. You may use as many Jokers as you wish (or have) for these combinations. Additionally, you are allowed to create combinations using all Jokers as well. When you use all Jokers, you do not need an identifying tile, which is a tile that identifies the combination.

What about Pairs? You may not use any Jokers in a Pair or for a Single tile. Never!

Discarding Tiles

When you discard a tile, you must place it face up in the center of the table, and correctly announce it, identifying it by its Suit and number or name. For example, say “4-Crak,” “9-Dot,” “8-Bam,” “Flower” (no number or Season, please). Winds are identified by their direction, simply “North,” “South,” “East,” or “West.” For the Dragons, say “Red,” “Soap,” or “Green.” If and when you discard a Joker, you may say “Same” to indicate the previously discarded tile, or you may say “Joker.” Either is acceptable.

Now you have learned the names of the tiles, and you can identify them, their functions, and the concept of matching Dragons. You know what matching tiles are—the combinations of Pairs, Pungs, Kongs, Quints and Sextets—and you know how to use Jokers in these combinations. Great!

We have covered a lot of information and I realize there are so many new things you need to remember. You may want to reread this chapter to solidify your understanding of the information. Here is a summary of the important information for you to study and use to refresh your memory. The quiz that follows can help you make sure you understand all the ideas in this chapter before you go on to the next.

Chapter 2 Summary

The Tiles
• 3 Suits—Bams, Dots, Craks: 1–9, 4 of each number	108
• 4 Winds—North, South, East, West: 4 of each	16
• 3 Dragons—Red, Green, Soap: 4 of each	12
• Flowers	8
• Jokers	8
	Total: 152

• 1-Bam is an image of a bird.

Suits and their matching Dragons:

• Bam matches Green

• Dot matches Soap

• Crak matches Red

Neutral tiles can be used with any tile.

• Soap—when used as a “0”

• Flowers

• Jokers

• Winds

Matching tiles are tiles of the same Suit and number, same Dragon, same Wind or Flower.

• Pair—2 matching tiles (No Jokers)

• Pung—3 matching tiles (Use up to three Jokers)

• Kong—4 matching tiles (Use up to four Jokers)

• Quint—5 matching tiles (Use up to five Jokers)

• Sextet—6 matching tiles (Use up to six Jokers)

Jokers can substitute for any or all tiles in a Pung, Kong, Quint or Sextet.

Never use a Joker in a Pair or for a Single tile.

An identifying tile is not needed when all Jokers are used.

When you discard a tile, identify it by Suit and number, Dragon color, Wind direction, or as a Flower or Joker.

Let’s now turn our attention to the next phase of the basics of the game. In the next chapter, we are going to learn to unlock the mysteries of the mah jongg card. Like Sherlock Holmes, we are going to “Crack the Code.”

QUIZ

Unraveling the Mystery of the Tiles

1. What are the three Suits?

2. Which Dragons match which Suits?

3. How many Flower tiles are there?

4. The Soap tile is a Dragon. What is the other use for the Soap?

5. Explain neutral tiles. Which tiles are neutral?

6. How many total Dot tiles are there? How many total Dragons?

7. Which tile shows an image of a bird?

8. In what combinations can Jokers be used?

9. How many Wind tiles are there?

10. What are matching tiles?

11. How many Jokers can you use in a Pair? Pung? Kong?

12. Do you need an identifying tile when you use all Jokers in a combination?

ANSWERS

1. Bams, Dots, Craks.

2. Green matches Bams. Red matches Craks. Soap matches Dots.

3. 8.

4. Soap is also used as “0.”

5. A neutral tile can be used with any tile in the set. Neutral tiles are Winds, Flowers, Jokers and Soap, only when it is used as a “0.”

6. 36, 12.

7. 1-Bam.

8. Jokers may be used in a Pung, Kong, Quint or Sextet.

9. 16.

10. Matching tiles are tiles of the same Suit and number, same Dragon, same Wind or Flower. A Pair, Pung, Kong, Quint and Sextet are matching tiles.

11. None. Up to three. Up to four.

12. No.