How to play Mahjong
Mahjong is a complicated, fun and challenging game of Chinese origin that is a good gambling alternative to poker. While it IS complicated to learn, once you do learn it, it can be a lot of fun to play. Mahjong dates back 4,000 as a game of the super elite and rich. It was so coveted that the Chinese peasants were not even permitted to know the rules. When China became a republic in 1911, the rules of the game were allowed to be known by everyone.
Once you start learning how to play Mahjong, you’ll see a lot of similarities to Gin Rummy although it IS a little more complicated than the popular card game. Instead of cards, you play with tiles that have to be grouped in sequences or suits. If you know how to play gin rummy, mahjong will be somewhat easier for you to catch on to.
When learning how to play Mahjong, you will need 4 players to play. The basic goal of each player is to form different combinations with their tiles by discarding and claiming tiles until all the tiles in their hand fit a certain pattern. Just like with traditional gin rummy, turns go around the table until everyone has had their turn to try and organize their hand into a winning one.
Mahjong is a points game which means that gambling is sometimes involved. There is an element of luck involved as well as skill, so before you start betting your weekly paycheck, you might want to make sure that you know what you’re doing. Everyone has streaks of luck, but in the long run the better players will win more.
The way to win Mahjong is to have three combinations and a pair. The combinations can be anything, and can be achieved by drawing discarded tiles or tiles from the wall. If you use discarded tiles, they must be kept face up on the table for the other players to see, but tiles drawn from the wall can be kept in your hand and hidden from the rest of the players. The point is not just to win, but to win BIG, so the points do make a difference.
Only the winner is allowed to count his points from the tiles. The other three players who haven’t won get nothing and can only lose points. It doesn’t matter in this game if you’re close to winning; it’s an all or nothing proposition. Some other winner’s perks include the other players having to pay the winner the total of his tiles if he draws the winning tile from the wall. If he draws the winning tile from the discard pile, only the player who discarded that tile loses and has to pay. The other two players are neutral and neither win nor lose.
Another part of scoring is if the dealer is the winner, he gets double the points, if he loses, he PAYS double. Mahjong lasts for 16 rounds which is enough time for each player to be a dealer four times. It’s a game of challenge, luck, and even strategy. The rules might be in depth, but once you learn how to play Mahjong, chances are you will be hooked.
