mahjong game

Mahjong is a traditional tile-based game that originated in China and is popular worldwide. There are several variations, but the most common is the four-player game (also known as Chinese Mahjong). Below is a basic overview of how to play: --- ### 1. Objective The goal is to form a complete hand (usually 14 tiles) by drawing and discarding tiles until you achieve a valid winning combination ("Mahjong"). --- ### 2. Setup - Number of Players: 4 (though 3-player versions exist). - Tiles: A standard set has 144 tiles, including: - Suits: Bamboo (Sticks), Characters (Numbers), Dots (Circles) numbered 1 to 9. - Honor Tiles: Winds (East, South, West, North) and Dragons (Red, Green, White). - Bonus Tiles: Flowers & Seasons (optional in some versions). - Dealing: Each player starts with 13 tiles (14 for the dealer). --- ### 3. Gameplay Flow 1. Breaking the Wall: Players build a "wall" of face-down tiles, then break it to start drawing. 2. Drawing & Discarding: - On your turn, draw a tile from the wall (or take the last discard if it completes your hand). - Discard a tile face-up to the center. 3. Calling Tiles: - Pung (3-of-a-kind): Claim a discard to complete a set. - Kong (4-of-a-kind): Expand a Pung or declare a concealed Kong. - Chow (Sequence): Only in some versions (e.g., Hong Kong Mahjong), claim a discard to form a run (e.g., 2-3-4 of Dots). 4. Winning ("Mahjong"): Complete a hand with: - 4 sets (Pungs/Kongs/Chows) + 1 pair (2 identical tiles). - Special hands (e.g., "Thirteen Orphans") may have different rules. --- ### 4. Scoring - Points depend on the combination (e.g., Pungs of Dragons/Winds score higher). - Some versions use fan/faan (multipliers) for rare hands. - The winner collects points from other players. --- ### 5. Variations - Hong Kong Mahjong: Uses "Chow" and simple scoring. - Japanese Riichi Mahjong: Features "Riichi" (declaring readiness) and "Dora" (bonus tiles). - American Mahjong: Uses a card with yearly changing rules. --- ### 6. Solitaire Mahjong (Tile-Matching Game) A single-player puzzle game where you match identical open tiles to clear the board. Rules: - Tiles must be "free" (no tiles on top or overlapping sides). - Match pairs with the same design. - Remove all tiles to win. --- Would you like details on a specific version or strategy tips?