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Log of Changes to the Mah-Jongg Newsgroup FAQs
Update log:
June 9, 2002 -- massive format change. Henceforth, all edits to any FAQ are tracked in this separate log, with new edits announced ongoing in the weekly posting of FAQ 0.
Updates to all FAQs (starting 6/9/2002):
June 9, 2002 -- FAQ 0 itself (below) has been slightly streamlined. Deleted two non-functional URLs, and deleted duplicate index of the FAQs. FAQ 4a (selected links) - deleted Learning Annex listing for MJ teacher Joyce McShane; added listing (and a link) for the upcoming Ningbo tournament coming up in October; added listing for Wright-Patterson; separated the Lessons listings from the Tournament listings. FAQ 12 - added tile-matcher "Super Mah Jong" (RealArcade). FAQ 7m - added more shops in Hong Kong, thanks to Tom Powell! FAQ 3 - fixed an HTML problem that affected the listings for the MJM Daizuroku and CMCR listings. Added this page, http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/log.htm, where all updates starting now will be logged (the intention is to no longer add update logging on the individual FAQ; we'll see how long this lasts!).
June 10, 2002 -- added a new tile-matcher (gameroom.com) to FAQ 12.
June 11, 2002 -- added more info about how to enjoy L.A.'s Chinatown, and a call for information about mah-jongg shops in other cities, to FAQ 7k.
June 14, 2002 -- FAQ 5 - noted that the Shanghai Dynasty of games is now no longer available at any known shop. Them suckers are all sold out!
June 18, 2002 -- added Competition MJ Official International Rulebook to FAQ 3. Modified URL for Robert Kalin's printable MJ cards site in FAQ 4; fixed a broken link in FAQ 4.
June 21, 2002 -- FAQ 4b - added The Game Preserve; deleted a defunct link.
June 23, 2002 -- FAQ 4a - reorganized the selected links, moving the Tournaments section farther down, the Organizations section farther up - stuff like that.
June 23, 2002 -- FAQ 11 - added a note to the timeline, the entry regarding the origin of Chinese Chess. David H Li has given an earlier date for the origin of this game than the date originally given in the FAQ.
June 23, 2002 -- FAQ 11b - added another 1920s booklet to sloperama.com/cctheory/all.html, further adding weight to the CC Theory (that Chinese Classical predates HKOS).
June 23, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - added DETAILS magazine and DAILY BREEZE listings near bottom of FAQ.
June 28, 2002 -- FAQ 1 - deleted old link; added new links. FAQ 0 - reordered the sections so a new reader could locate the FAQs on the web without reading a lot of boring (but necessary) stuff first. FAQ 4b - added a new Japanese-language site (thanx to Wei-Hwa Huang) and also another site where you can buy game sets. FAQ 12 - added the Hoyle tile-matcher. FAQ 7e - added red fives.
July 3, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - fixed yet another HTML problem that was obscuring several books.
4th of July, 2002 -- FAQ 4b - added the Inverse-Problems forum (thanks to CplayerXX456 for the link).
July 8, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - Made a fix to the ISBN number of the Chinese-language book for the official Chinese game.
July 9, 2002 -- FAQ 7i - added links to sites where the Derek Walters kards may be purchased.
July 15, 2002 -- FAQ 6 - added alternate Chinese characters for mah-jongg.
July 15, 2002 -- FAQ 7a - added dimensions of Vietnamese tiles.
July 18, 2002 -- FAQ 2b and 4b - added link for Singapore mah-jongg, thanks to Victor Lean.
July 18, 2002 -- FAQ 5 and 12 - added clarification about software for videogame consoles and handhelds.
July 19, 2002 -- FAQ 7c - added clarification on how to tell if your tiles are ivory.
July 20, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - added request for info on which tile-matcher has a "road signs" tile set.
July 22, 2002 -- FAQ 4 - added www.pagat.com (the best playing-cards website).
July 22, 2002 -- FAQ 16 - added answer to frequently-asked question about redeeming jokers in a dead hand.
July 22, 2002 -- FAQ 7c2 - added further clarification to the "Is It Ivory" checklist.
July 22, 2002 -- FAQ 2b - added a 23rd type of mah-jongg to the list.
July 25, 2002 -- FAQ 4b - deleted netmaj.com Japanese rules site (inactive)
July 29, 2002 -- FAQ 11 - added to the timeline about discovery of an ancient chess piece in Albania.
July 30, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - added a site where a couple of tile-matchers can be played online.
August 1, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - added reference to "Friends" TV show (mention of mah-jongg)
August 5, 2002 -- FAQ 7k - added a mah-jongg shop in Oakland, CA thanks to Joyce Overton.
August 7, 2002 -- FAQ 4a - Made adjustments to cover the fact that the AMJA sells merchandise and organizes tournament cruises.
August 7, 2002 -- FAQ 7c - Added new information about plastics.
August 11, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - Added info about a tile-matcher that has a road signs tile set.
August 13, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - Added an online-playable tile-matcher.
August 13, 2002 -- FAQ 7e - added Chinese joker tile.
Sept. 5, 2002 -- FAQ 7a - added a photo to illustrate different tile sizes. FAQ 7c3 - added same photo to illustrate different plastics in use today.
Sept. 13, 2002 -- FAQ 7a - added pricing information for various set types. FAQ 7e - added photo of different crak types. FAQ 7h - clarified the comment about ivory sets sold on eBay. FAQ 7k - deleted card for store that has since closed down. http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/ningbo.htm - updated info about the 2002 World Championship in Mahjong, which has changed venue from Ningbo, China, to Tokyo, Japan.
Sept. 15, 2002 -- FAQ 7c - added white jade (including a photo); added link to bakelite/
catalin info site.
Sept. 16, 2002 -- FAQ 2a - altered the simplicity/complexity factor. FAQ 10 - added pictures; text clarifications here and there.
Sept. 26, 2002 -- FAQ 2b - Fixed an oversight where Amy Lo had not been listed as a HKOS author.
Oct. 2, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - updated URL of Thomas Weibel's tile-matcher; added 2 search sites to the How2Search FAQ (thanx to Ron Cooper).
Oct. 6, 2002 -- FAQ 7e - added information about the #5 flower in some older American sets.
FAQ 7b - added footnote about the Shanghai-style peacocks used in the 1920s. FAQ 7g - added data about types of wooden boxes.
Oct. 9, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - in the section about mah-jongg in the media, added several newspaper and magazine references.
10/10/2002 -- FAQ 7h - changed bullets to numbers; clarified about the significance of the dragons, flowers, and one bams.
October 11, 2002 -- FAQ 7h - massive overhaul on this FAQ. Re-organized, added more information about how to write a valuation checklist. Need to add photos.
October 12, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - added Jelte Rep's book. Also added more media references to mah-jongg.
October 18, 2002 -- FAQ 4b - added info about 2 sites (didn't delete or add any sites).
http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/ningbo.htm - added new info about the upcoming World Mahjong Championship Oct. 23-26 in Tokyo.
October 19, 2002 -- FAQ 7k - added a 2nd shop where Japanese mah-jongg sets are available in Los Angeles.
October 27, 2002 -- FAQ 4b - updated URL for Colette's Suchie-Pai Connection.
October 28, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - added an online tile-matcher. http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/ningbo.htm - updated page to indicate that the WCMJ has now concluded, and full report with photos will be found on this page soon.
October 28, 2002 -- FAQ 7m - added a 3rd shop where you can shop for mah-jongg stuff in Tokyo.
October 30, 2002 -- FAQ 7i - modified the info about R. Somerville Playing Cards. FAQ 7m - added some info from Martin Rep about the mah-jongg shopping in Tokyo.
November 4, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - modified the info about luckyskunk.com's tile-matcher.
November 6, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - added RealOne Arcade's tile-matchers.
November 7, 2002 -- FAQ 12 - added Pretty Good MahJongg. www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/ivory.htm (the Is It Ivory checklist) - added a couple more clues.
November 11, 2002 -- FAQ 3 - added mention of New York Times mah-jongg photo.
November 19, 2002 -- 1. FAQ 3 - added 2nd edition of Headley & Seeley book.
2. FAQ 5 - deleted now-defunct URLs for Bradfield's game, added a site where
Shanghai Dynasty can be purchased in the UK, added a mah-jongg font.
3. FAQ 12 - Added a site where Shanghai Dynasty can be purchased in the UK.
(Thanks to Gareth Saunders for all of the above.)
4. FAQ 3 - added info about latest printing of the Whitney book.
November 23, 2002 -- FAQ 11: Added info from informational booklet from the DISPLAY HALL OF THE BIRTHPLACE OF MAHJONG, which says that the creator of mah-jongg was Chen Yumen of Ningbo.
November 24, 2002 -- FAQ 5 - deleted reference to Mac version of Shanghai Dynasty being available in UK (thanks again to Gareth). FAQ 11 - Refined the discussion of Chen Yumen. Added other refinements to the timeline, 1850-1891. FAQ 4b - Deleted a comment on the khanhoo site (which is up and running properly now). FAQ 15 - added Grahame Booth's mah-jongg player database.
November 25, 2002 - FAQ 11 - Further refined discussion of Chen Yumen, and added 2 links thanks to Thierry Depaulis. FAQ 11b - rebutag.html (Rebuttal to arguments against the CC Theory; Rebuttal written by proponents of the CC Theory) - made a modification to the definition of mah-jongg per suggestion by Thierry Depaulis on the mahjong newsgroup.
November 26, 2002 - FAQ 5 - fixed a typo that had made a URL unworkable. FAQ 11 - fixed a typo in Chen Yumen's birthdate (thanks to Thierry for the tip), and added a temporary link to a page containing selected illustrations from the booklet History and Culture of Mah-Jongg (DH/BP/MJ).
November 27, 2002 - FAQ 11 - did more work in the section entitled ORIGINS; POSSIBLE CREATORS OF MAH-JONGG.
December 2, 2002 - http://www.sloperama.com/WCMJ/wcmjmain.htm - added a couple new photos to the Closing Ceremonies page (thanks to Mr. Kyoichiro Noguchi for the pix).
December 3, 2002 - FAQ 4b, 7c, 7c2, 7g, 7h, 7j, 7n - added link to a site that gives good advice about buying bone and bamboo sets (thanks to Eric Stott for the link). FAQ 7d - refined the information about dreidels. FAQ 4b - added link to an Australian site that sells MJ books.
December 11, 2002 - http://www.sloperama.com/cctheory/defs.html - added numerous definitions of English words.
December 11, 2002 - http://www.sloperama.com/cctheory/defs.html - added the remaining definitions of all terms; deleted the "under construction" graphic. The definitions of terms used in the ongoing debate over the CC Theory are now all present and awaiting viewer criticism!
December 12, 2002 - FAQ 11 - added a link so readers can see the cover of the earliest known Chinese book on mah-jongg, and read the entry on that book in the MJM book. Fixed a typo. FAQ 7a - added info in the section about American sets.
December 17, 2002 - FAQs 3, 11 - Added a note about the pen name "Haishang Laoyouke"
December 18, 2002 - FAQ 4b - Massive reorganization (categorized links by type; categorized rules links by "flavor"). Deleted a number of links found dead in the process.
December 20, 2002 - FAQ 3 - Added 2 books (should have added them in October after the WCMJ). FAQ 11 - Added info on the origins of Backgammon in the timeline.
December 26, 2002 - FAQ 4b - Added a Japanese-language online mah-jongg store. FAQ 5 - Added a Singapore online game (CC).
December 28, 2002 - FAQs 2b, 3 - Corrected Pritchard's listing (he's a Western author, not
a CC author). FAQ 6 - Updated the FAQ by including authors whose books came out since
the FAQ was written. FAQ 7n - Added a link to FAQ 7h (why I never put one in before is beyond me!)
January 1, 2003 - FAQ 5 - added a Taiwanese online game. FAQ 12 - updated the Worldwinner.com link (Tile City).
January 3, 2003 - FAQ 5 - made it easier for seekers of online American-style mah-jongg to
find the link they need. FAQ 4a - added NMJL link under the software section. FAQ 12 - added yet another tile-matcher with a misleading name.
January 9, 2003 - FAQ 12 - updated the Pretty Good Mahjongg link.
January 11, 2003 - FAQ 5 - deleted a defunct link; made all online links appear in a new window. FAQ 7i - updated the discussion of American cards since this is 2003.
January 14, 2003 - FAQ 12 - added yet another tile-matcher. Ain't it nice that tile-matching
is so much easier to program than real mah-jongg.
January 20, 2003 - FAQ 4b - added new French site.
January 22, 2003 - FAQ 4b - added 3 Italian sites (thanks to Michele AKA sigbrando) and a merchandise site where one can purchase mah-jongg hats.
January 27, 2003 - FAQ 5 - fixed a broken link, added some new Palm download sites. FAQ 12 - added some new Palm download sites.
February 2, 2003 - FAQ 2b - added the 24th type of mah-jongg, Nepalese.
February 6, 2003 - FAQ 4b - added "Compass of Fate" cards.
February 8, 2003 - FAQ 5, FAQ 12 - updated the link to Jun-Ichi Saito's site. He has a real mah-jongg program, a tile-matching program, and even a hanafuda program.
February 17, 2003 - FAQ 0 - tightened line lengths. Shortened out some text.
February 19, 2003 - FAQ 2b - added 25th type of mah-jongg, Malaysian 3-Player. FAQ 12 - updated link for Curse of Ra (usedstar.com keeps changing the address).
March 1, 2003 - FAQ 12 - added yet another tile-matcher created by someone who doesn't know what mah-jongg really is, and besides, tile-matching is so much easier to program.
March 3, 2003 - FAQ 11 - added picture of Babcock's 1920 "Little Red Book" (the first known clear written description of the game's rules, and the game's name, in English)
March 10, 2003 - FAQ 7o - added a tip about washing tiles.
March 11, 2003 - FAQ 7m - added info from Dan Glimne about a great mah-jongg shop in Hong Kong.
March 31, 2003 - FAQ 16 - Updated the FAQ since the 2003 NMJL card came out on March 31.
April 1, 2003 - FAQ 16 - Added a question (and answer) or two; changed numbers to letters.
April 1, 2003 - FAQ 16 - Corrected an error in question G.
April 6, 2003 - FAQ 2b, FAQ 4b - Added links to new page about Malaysian 3P mah-jongg (which just went up today and is still under construction). FAQ 16 - Corrected a legacy error in question F.
April 10, 2003 - FAQ 2a - Added Official International Rules. FAQ 2b & 3 - Added link so folks can get Official International Rule Book.
April 11, 2003 - FAQ 12- Added an American Girl-themed tile-matcher that awards winners electronic American Girl trading cards.
April 13, 2003 - FAQs 8, 10, 16 - Added links so folks can read new regular column about mah-jongg strategy.
April 30, 2003 - FAQ 2b - added a disclaimer re the naming system for different flavors of mah-jongg.
May 1, 2003 - FAQ 5, FAQ 12 - added new downloads for Pocket PC, thanks to Leland Hosford.
May 2, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Leland provided a little refinement to yesterday's info.
May 3, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Reorganized the FAQ to put the online games up front.
May 4, 2003 - FAQ 4b - Added the site of the German Mah-Jongg League
Cinco de Mayo, 2003 - FAQ 5 - corrected price of "Canton" mah-jongg font. FAQ 13 - Added a new twist on Catching the Tortoise, which permits a 4th player (thanks to reader Benjamin).
May 8, 2003 - FAQs 1, 2, 3, 4b, 7, 7i, 7k, 12 - updated Gareth Saunders' URL since he changed ISPs.
May 24, 2003 - FAQ 4b - deleted a non-functioning link.
May 28, 2003 - FAQ 2b - added Fuzhaonese mah-jongg; modified text about HKOS and authors who say it predates CC. FAQ 3 - added another "mah-jongg mention in the media" mention.
May 29, 2003 - FAQ 0 - updated URL for Gareth Saunders' site (missed this one on May 8).
June 1, 2003 - FAQ 2b - refined the info for Fuzhaonese MJ, thanks to Jesse.
June 2, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added another new tile-matcher.
June 3, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Added The Ultimate MahJong (Chinese Classical) online game. FAQ 2b - Refined the info on Fuzhaonese MJ.
June 4, 2003 - FAQ 15 - Added another tip for finding players.
June 6, 2003 - FAQ 13 - Changed the order (making American 3P rules first on the list).
June 7, 2003 - FAQ 10 - Made a few minor wording changes; improved the dealing illustration. Added FAQ 17 to explain "3 Fan" rules. FAQ 2b - Changed "Fuzhaonese" to "Fuzhou Style" thanks to Thierry D.
June 8, 2003 - FAQ 10 - Made another couple of wording changes to clarify the dealing procedure (a common source of confusion for newbies).
June 9, 2003 - FAQ 13 - Added 5P and 6P for American mah-jongg. FAQ 17 - deleted a bad URL.
June 10, 2003 - FAQ 7i - Added a little information about the NMJL and AMJA cards.
June 11, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added more tile-matching "Shanghai clones."
June 12, 2003 - FAQ 7h - Refined the info a little; nothing major.
June 14, 2003 - FAQ 3 - Added a 3rd book by Tong Seng Tjoa, M.D. and two books by Nancy McKeithan.
June 15, 2003 - FAQ 2b - Added McKeithan as a Western author. FAQ 4a - added new vendor link. FAQ 12 - Added info about a third tile-matcher that has a "road signs" tile set (people keep asking me).
June 16, 2003 - FAQ 7k - Updated the info on Los Angeles stores.
June 18, 2003 - FAQ 17 - Added Q&A section. FAQ 5 - deleted www.fatchoising.com due to the fact that they send spam to mah-jongg enthusiasts. FAQ 7c3 - Added a little more about plastics used in mah-jongg tiles.
June 24, 2003 - FAQ 7i - Added info about Derek Walters' (book and) kards in Germany. FAQ 3 - Added info about Derek Walters' book (and kards) in German. FAQ 7k - Added map link for Wing Hop Fung. FAQ 4a - Added Wing Hop Fung link.
June 26, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Added some MAME sites, thanks to Vegard Krog Petersen of Norway. FAQ 12 - Added yet another.
June 27, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Explained a little about MAME.
June 29, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Added link to photo of Matiao cards. FAQ 11b - Added another 1920s book to the CC Theory pages (updates logged elsewhere).
June 30, 2003 - FAQ 11b - Added another 1920s book.
July 3, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added a couple more solitaire games.
July 5, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Modified the paragraph about matiao, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
July 7, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Added more about Conquian and gameplay, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
July 10, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Added a little about ranking in regards to the pre-1911 set illustration, thanks to a little prodding from Michael Stanwick.
July 12, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Deleted a non-functioning link, did a web search, and found three to replace it.
July 14, 2003 - FAQs 7c, 7c2 - Added the term "Schreger lines" to clarify the whole ivory thing. FAQs 2b, 3, 4a, 4b - Added link to new Wright-Patterson OWC site.
July 24, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Added new information about earliest-known Chinese book on mah-jongg, thanks to a 7/23 post by Thierry Depaulis. Changed the picture of the 1911-a set.
July 25, 2003 - FAQ 3 - Added new book by Dragon Chang.
July 27, 2003 - FAQ 1 - Revised the introductory descriptions of the major Chinese variants.
July 29, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Revised the information about the earliest Chinese books,
thanks to Thierry Depaulis. Haishang.html (clickable in FAQ 11) - Revised translation of book's
title, also thanks to Thierry Depaulis. FAQ 15 - added more suggestions for ways to find players.
August 3, 2003 - FAQs 5, 12 - Added a new program (both a tile-matcher and a CC game, both for cat lovers) - thanks to Vegard.
August 6, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added [yawn] yet another tile-matcher. FAQ 7c3 (Plastics) - Added info about casein. FAQ 7c - Added info about bakelite.
August 11, 2003 - FAQ 4a - Added mah-jongg club in Florida.
August 12, 2003 - FAQ 15 - Added mahjong.meetup.com.
August 15, 2003 - FAQ 15 - Added Berrie Bloem's club page, and wrote a section about clubs. FAQ 5 - Added a new online site.
August 20, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added another tile-matcher. FAQ 10 - Changed picture and added language about the deal (a lot
of novices get confused about what's clockwise and what's
counterclockwise). FAQ 13 - Added strategy for the Shanghai-type tile-matching game.
August 21, 2003 - FAQ 13 - Made it easier to find the solitaire stuff.
August 23, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Added a Chinese saying that applies to the persistence of
the romanticized myths surrounding mah-jongg's origins.
August 30, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Updated the info about availability of Shanghai products - thanks to Vegard. FAQ 12 - Updated the info about availability of Shanghai products, added a link to strategy section in FAQ 13, moved a palmtop link into the handheld section from where it had been before, and added some other comment, I forget where. All minor stuff it'd be nice if I didn't have to log but what can ya do.
September 2, 2003 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher in Dallas.
September 4, 2003 - FAQ 4a - Added a new vendor of mah-jongg chochkes.
September 18, 2003 - FAQ 17 - Added an intro for beginners to get beginners more quickly into "3 fan" (Yahoo), at the urging of Yahoo player "witchy_christy." CC Theory pages - Added a newly acquired 1923 book that greatly bolsters the CC Theory. FAQ 11 - added more information about Hung, one of the alleged inventors of Mah-Jongg. FAQ 7f - Added info for handymen wishing to build their own tables.
September 21, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Added another downloadable PC game (thanks to Vegard).
September 22, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Added a download (tile images), thanks to Alan Kwan.
October 3, 2003 - FAQ 11b - Added a sentence in rebutag.html, inspired by Discovery Channel quotes from historians on analyzing historical evidence. babcock.html - added scans of the softcover (first printing).
October 6, 2003 - FAQ 7k - Added a thought about shopping in New York.
October 8, 2003 - FAQ 2b - Added Dragon Chang.
October 9, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added new Norwegian fansite about tile-matchers.
October 19, 2003 - FAQ 4a - Deleted a vendor link after receiving spam from the vendor.
October 20, 2003 - FAQ 12 - Added a Halloween-themed tile-matcher
October 21, 2003 - FAQ 3 - Corrected a grave and longstanding slip-through-the-cracks
and finally reviewed Jelte Rep's excellent book.
October 26, 2003 - FAQ 7d - Added a fun suggestion about Monopoly money, thanks to
Ingo Bojak.
Halloween, 2003 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 5 - Added some Korean sites, thanks to dajava.
November 3, 2003 - FAQ 7a, 7d, 7o - Added resources for readers who may be missing
some pieces. FAQ 4b - added sites for Chinese Official rules, and added a vendor site.
November 4, 2003 - FAQ 5 - added new info about where to obtain Shanghai Second
Dynasty.
November 10, 2003 - FAQ 5 - added even newer info about where to obtain Shanghai Second
Dynasty.
November 17, 2003 - FAQ 7k - changed the URL for Gareth's FAQ 7l. Made some formatting
and wording changes to help newbies choose a set while I was at it. FAQ 0 - changed the URL for Gareth's FAQ 7l. FAQ 3 - changed URL for a book file available from Gareth Saunders. FAQ 7i - changed URL for a kards download available from Gareth. Deleted several links to FAQ 7l's old URL.
November 29, 2003 - FAQ 5 - added Korean URL where Access Girls sequel can be purchased
(thanks to Dajava).
December 4, 2003 - FAQs 5, 12 - Added site of links to "strip mah-jongg" downloads. FAQ 4b - Added a Korean info site. Thanks to Dajava.
December 18, 2003 - FAQ 11 - Altered wording of a quote by Thierry Depaulis, prompted
by an email from Javier Alvarez Olaiz and agreed to by Thierry.
December 30, 2003 - FAQ 4 - Deleted numerous dead links, many thanks to Nath! Keep reporting them dead links! FAQ 7k - Updated the information on Gamekeeper, Wizards of the Coast, and FAO Schwarz - and fixed link to Gareth Saunders' site.
December 31, 2003 - FAQ 5 - Added a browser-playable game site.
January 5, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Added a vendor site. Indicated Shanghai 2nd Dynasty is temporarily all sold out at my site.
January 6, 2004 - FAQ 7i - Updated the mentions of 2003 (in re the NMJL/AMJA cards). FAQ 3 - Added a new booklet about American mah-jongg.
January 10, 2004 - FAQ 11b - Added rebuttal from opponents of the theory.
January 11, 2004 - FAQ 16G - Added another specific case (2003 #3).
January 16, 2004 - FAQ 15 - Fixed a bad link. FAQ 7g, 7h - deleted a broken link.
January 17, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Updated the blurb about Jim May's Cyber Museum site; added link to Cyber Museum in FAQ 7g. Edited FAQ 7g a little - mainly about sets supposedly made in the Qing Dynasty. Added instructions for those wishing to ask my assistance in aging or valuing sets (both FAQ 7g and 7h).
January 21, 2004 - FAQ 5, FAQ 12 - Added info about where some Shanghai products can be
obtained presently.
January 24, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added instructions for finding Rune Wars via Google (since
arcanium.com no longer exists). FAQ 12 - Deleted Rune Wars link (it's actually mah-jongg, not tile-
matching). FAQ 4b - Added Spanish-language site thanks to joseplluis pibernat. FAQ 2b - Clarified the info on Singapore mah-jongg, thanks to Ivan Leong. FAQ 7e - Clarified the info on Singapore flowers, thanks to Ivan Leong. FAQ 8 - Added more to the 1-4-7 discussion, thanks to Ivan Leong. FAQ 1 - Changed number of known variants from 22 to 25+. FAQ 2b - Changed number of known variants, and added Shenzhen style.
January 27, 2004 - FAQ 3 - added a picture. Need to add more someday.
January 29, 2004 - FAQ 4a, 7i, FAQ 11 - added link to downloadable print-them-yourself
kard decks. FAQ 4a - Added listing for Joyce McShane, mah-jongg teacher in Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley. Updated AMJA address in FAQ 4a (3 places!) and FAQ 7i.
February 1, 2004 - FAQ 7 - Reworked the "all about mah-jongg tiles" FAQ, adding information
and instructions about how to ask questions about a set (previously, the
FAQ had been nothing more than a list of links to the topical FAQs related
to mah-jongg tiles and sets).
Groundhog Day, 2004 - FAQs 7g, 7h, 7j - Added warning about unscrupulous eBay sellers, such
as one who's selling a "170 year old" mah-jongg set on eBay this week. FAQ 17 - Added definition of "chicken" or "KFC" hands. FAQ 7g - Added info about the Craftmaster 1915 set one sees on eBay from time to time.
February 7, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Updated the link to Cofa's rules page.
February 9, 2004 - FAQ 4b - added a Czech-language rules site (thanks to Teelget). Added information about elephant bone and U.S. import regulations regarding items made of endangered species to FAQs 7c, 7c2, and 7j. Deleted a dead link from those FAQs.
February 10, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Changed the "artist's conception" images of early MJ
sets, and made selected other changes per Michael Stanwick's
scholarly article in The Playing-Card. FAQs 7a, 7e - Added links to FAQ 11.
Valentine's Day, 2004 - FAQs 5, 12 - Deleted a link at the request of the site owner.
Feb. 15, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Made some edits, thanks to Michael Stanwick.
Feb. 19, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Deleted the IMJ link, sadly: "Because of childish behavior, abuse of administrative privileges and evidence of hacking of the user database, The Internet MahJong Server 0.4 has been taken down indefinitely." Thanks to Hans Wikstr? for the news. Added the Sparrow Road link, thanks to Martin Rep. Updated the info about Julian Bradfield's online and offline game, thanks to Julian.
2/22/2004 - FAQ 0, FAQ 7k - Changed the URL (yet again) for Gareth Saunders' awesome mah-jongg website.
Feb. 23, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Changed the URL yet again for Gareth Saunders' awesome mah-jongg website.
March 1, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Added new Japanese rules site.
March 3, 2004 - Added FAQ 18. Added symbolism book to FAQ 3.
March 7, 2004 - FAQ 7k - Added a shop in Little Tokyo.
March 10, 2004 - FAQ 10 - Minor wording improvement regarding claiming discards.
March 11, 2004 - FAQ 7f, 7k, 7m - Added some "where to buy" tips.
March 12, 2004 - FAQ 7i - Deleted legacy reference to Gamekeeper. FAQ 5 - Added Excel-based CC scoring calculator.
March 13, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Added a line about "Mah Jongg Made Easy." Added FAQ 19, FAQ 20.
March 14, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Updated an outdated reference.
March 15, 2004 - FAQ 2b - Added info about Hunan Style.
March 15, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Added a couple points.
March 16, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Added Andre Marohn's German language site
March 18, 2004 - FAQ 4b - added 2 more foreign language sites (one in Russian, one in Japanese). FAQ 3 - Most frequently-referenced book is the NMJL book, so that was moved to the top - its price, and the link to it, were updated.
March 27, 2004 - FAQ 7d - Added rulers.
March 28, 2004 - FAQ 19 - added info re the number of flowers/jokers in the American game prior to 1972.
March 29, 2004 - FAQ 7c3 - Added info about catalin vs bakelite. FAQ 7o - Added info about restoring catalin and celluloid.
March 31, 2004 - FAQ 4b - deleted broken link (Linda Fisher's American rules site).
April Fool's Day - FAQ 4b - added replacement link. Sorta. Thanks to Eric R.
April 3, 2004 - FAQ 4b - The broken link was repaired (Linda got it back up and running again). Also added link to her site in FAQ 4a.
April 5, 2004 - FAQ 4a, FAQ 7i - Corrected a phone number.
April 6, 2004 - FAQ 5, FAQ 12 - Marked S2D as sold out again.
Then a couple days later (exact date uncertain) marked them as back in stock.
April 15, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Ryan Morris' website is back up again!
April 17, 2004 - FAQ 13 - Added a link to FAQ 7b (it occurred to me that beginning players of tile-matching games would benefit from reading about the breakdown of a mah-jongg set). Reorganized the Shanghai/Turtle strategy tips.
April 19, 2004 - FAQ 16 - Updated the FAQ for the 2004 NMJL card.
April 20, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Some minor edits and image revisions. FAQ 7i - some minor edits about the NMJL and AMJA cards.
April 21, 2004 - FAQ 14 - Added a 4th rule on Table Rules.
April 22, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Revised the yearly subscription amount for the NMJL software.
April 26, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Fixed some so-called "smart" punctuation marks which had been combined into 16-bit characters somehow.
April 28, 2004 - FAQ 5 - IMS is back!
April 30, 2004 - FAQ 12 - Added a site that sells tile-matchers. FAQ 7h - Fixed a section that wasn't intended to be all in bold face.
May 7, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added Mahjong Mania/Club site, reorganized top of list. FAQ 7o - added more restoration tips (tip of the hat to Nath K for one).
May 11, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Added Israeli Mahjong Association site.
May 25, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Updated and added links to Andre Marohn's various pages. FAQ 7f - Added link to a new page describing the acquisition of a Japanese automatic dealing table.
May 27, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Corrected some stuff I wrote on the 25th (one of the sites is
Uwe Martens' instead).
May 31, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Added a UK seller of MJ sets.
June 1, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Updated the info for a German seller's link.
June 1, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Updated the info for two German forum sites.
June 1, 2004 - FAQ 7f - Corrected some stuff I wrote on the 25th (the site is Uwe Martens' instead). Added a post from Filipe Silva about the table he made.
June 3, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Added more to line item G, about discarded redeemable tiles.
June 15, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Added Michael Stanwick's articles to the sources. Deleted two extraneous uses of the term "hereinafter."
June 16, 2004 - FAQ 4a, 4b - Added a merchandise site. FAQ 11 - Altered an image, made text revisions recommended by
Stanwick, and added some long-overdue line items to the history timeline.
June 17, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Revised Babcock's patent dates in timeline. Added a Montreal site, then revised the URL.
June 18, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Added Babcock's trademark activity to timeline.
June 20, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added an online Java game (Singapore style), thanks to J.R. Fitch. Added Malaysian tiles to FAQ 7e.
June 23, 2004 - Added FAQ 21.
June 24, 2004 - FAQ 7e - Added a picture with caption. FAQ 11 - Added trademark dates (thanks to Thierry Depaulis)
June 29, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Added Babcock/Hager patent details.
July 6, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Minor fixes (no books added or deleted).
July 6, 2004 - FAQ 12 - Added yet another tile-matchers site.
July 11, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Revised the listing for Linda Fisher. Added links to the upcoming Hong Kong and Europe events.
July 12, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added an online game (gravon.net).
July 15, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Modified entry E.
July 16, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Tidied up the teachers section a little.
July 17, 2004 - FAQ 2b - Added Szechuan Style (bringing total variants count up to 28 now). Mentioned similarity between Filipino and Fuzhou styles.
July 24, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Changed the URL for Ed Pijl's game (and changed its name too), thanks to Ralph Burrough. Fixed a typo in Julian Bradfield's URL (2 places).
July 26, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Altered the listing for Perlmen & Chan, in regards to ways to obtain the book. FAQ 5, FAQ 12 - Added link to Jo Vandeweghe's site (for Mac users)
July 27, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Modified the listing for Elaine Sandberg's book.
July 30, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Asami Ryo link added (thanks to Julian Bradfield)
August 1, 2004 - FAQ 2b - A minor edit in regards to Whitney and what she calls "American" mah-jongg.
August 2, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Revised Julian Bradfield's listing; deleted a duplicated link. FAQ 4b - Added a teacher, deleted a teacher whose email address no longer works; reorganized teachers section as a table.
August 3, 2004 - FAQ 18 - Fixed an erroneous reference (eBay -> Amazon)
August 4, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Fixed a broken link (thanks to J.R. Fitch)
August 7, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Added some mah-jongg movies (thanks to Troy Ozama); FAQ 4b - deleted a broken link (Kevin Laws' page).
August 10, 2004 - FAQ 3 - added a book, thanks to Julian Bradfield - added more details Friday the 13th.
August 15, 2004 - FAQ 7f - added a link to a game table site.
August 19, 2004 - FAQ 7a, FAQ 7h - Added info about "enrobed" catalin tiles. "how2search.html" - Deleted some inactive search sites; deleted some that just use other search engines; corrected/updated some URLs; turned the list of spellings of mah-jongg into a grid.
August 20, 2004 - FAQ 7a, 7h - Added the words "or bakelite" to the enrobed photo captions.
August 24, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Revised the section on the American "death challenge" rule, prompted by numerous recent queries.
August 25, 2004 - FAQ 10 - Revised the introduction.
August 27, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Added some clarifications on the American death rule.
August 29, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added a page navigational aid; added a site; minor mods.
August 30, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Fixed a really minor typo reported by Troy.
August 31, 2004 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 13 - Added a link to a German site that describes how to play dominos with mah-jongg tiles. FAQ 4a, FAQ 4b - Added a link to the site of the Italian Mah Jong Association.
Sept. 5, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added a Japanese freeware link, thanks to Vegard.
Sept. 6, 2004 - FAQ 5 - And another, thanks to Nath.
9/11, 2004 - FAQ 5 - And a Japanese shareware link, thanks to Vegard. FAQ 11 - Added a patent, thanks to Troy Ozama. FAQ 6 - Added a third Chinese writing for "mah-jongg" seen in a very old Hong Kong booklet.
Sept. 12, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Added info about settling up in American MJ (entry W). And modified entry Z.
Sept. 13, 2004 - FAQ 19 - turned the whole "un-American" thing into more of a, like, joke (entry X).
Sept. 18, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added an online game.
Sept. 19, 2004 - FAQ 7d - added a photo of "trays" for those who get the term confused with "racks."
Sept. 24, 2004 - FAQ 2b - added IMJA (total styles is now at 29)
Sept. 26, 2004 - FAQ 12 - added a tile-matcher.
Sept. 28, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added COMJ beta. FAQ 4b, FAQ 7f - Added link to Chinese manufacturer offering a mah-jongg table (machine). FAQ 7i - added a mention about stationery stores.
Sept. 29, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added an online mah-jongg game site.
Oct. 1, 2004 - FAQ 7i - Minor edit. FAQs 7g, 7h - added instructions about emailing photos.
Oct. 4, 2004 - FAQ 21 - Added text about creating your own spreadsheet, since folks kept asking me "where can I download a tournament scoring spreadsheet?" FAQ 4a - Added link to FAQ 21. FAQ 5 - Deleted COMJ beta link, added COMJ link.
Oct. 5, 2004 - FAQ 3 - Updated ordering info for the Sandberg booklet.
Oct. 8, 2004 - FAQ 6 - Added alternate Chinese writings for "ma jiang" and "fan zi" thanks to
a newsgroup post by Julian Bradfield. FAQ 18 - Added a link to FAQ 6 for those interested in alternate writings.
Oct. 9, 2004 - FAQ 2b - Minor edit. FAQ 11b - added an argument and a rebuttal. FAQ 6 - Added another alternate Chinese writing.
Oct. 10, 2004 - FAQ 6 - Deleted first alternate writing for "ma jiang" after getting clarification.
Oct. 11, 2004 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 7i - Edited the link to Kalin's Compass of Fate deck.
Oct. 16, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Clarified item L to include groupings of all jokers when declaring maj.
Oct. 18, 2004 - FAQ 3, FAQ 2b - Added a new book on CO rules (Pritchard).
Oct. 20, 2004 - FAQ 19 - Upped the number of known variants (item X).
Oct. 24, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added a navigational aid (internal link to the "other apps" section)
Nov. 6, 2004 - FAQ 5 - Added a link (jongEngine), thanks to dbrn.
Nov. 9, 2004 - FAQ 12 - updated a link.
Nov. 12, 2004 - Did a minor cleanup of some 4-letter words to get the site unblocked by Christian colleges. Only a few FAQs and columns were affected, and no meaning changes occurred. FAQ 6 - deleted the old text version.
Nov. 19, 2004 - FAQ 4b - Changed link from Windfall Republic to Imperial Outfitters
Nov. 20, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Added a date to the timeline (Wright-Patterson)
Nov. 22, 2004 - FAQ 11 - Added important NMJL dates to the timeline.
Nov. 24, 2004 - FAQ 7e - Added info about blanks and flowers.
Dec. 3, 2004 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher in Chicago. FAQ 19 - Added more about picking ahead (American).
Dec. 5, 2004 - FAQs 7f, 7i, 7k - Added info about mah-jongg shopping in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Dec. 12, 2004 - FAQ 7g - added a little about aging of sets.
Dec. 20, 2004 - FAQ 4b - added a second URL for the Israeli mah-jongg site.
Dec. 22, 2004 - FAQ 5 - added an online Singaporean mah-jongg game site.
Dec. 23, 2004 - FAQ 5 - deleted the old URL the Singaporean site had replaced.
Xmas 2004 - FAQ 7f - added 2 sites where wood tables are available, thanks to Stephane and Aidan.
Dec. 27, 2004 - FAQ 4b - discovered that us.mjclub.com describes several different rule
sets (so listed it in appropriate sections)
Dec. 28, 2004 - FAQ 4a - reorganized the vendor links, updated one URL.
Dec. 30, 2004 - FAQ 3 - deleted a dead link.
Dec. 31, 2004 - FAQ 4a - added a mah-jongg teacher in Florida. Gung hei fa choi!
Jan. 6, 2005 - FAQ 17 - added a link. FAQs 5 and 12 - changed the entries about Shanghai. FAQ 14 - made a slight wording change to simplify the third rule.
Jan. 8, 2005 - Added FAQ 22.
1/1/2005 - FAQ 4b - added link for ChinaMajiang.com
Jan. 13, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added discussion about "pickandrack"
Jan. 15, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added Uproar link, thanks to "dbrn." FAQ 12 - made more of the links open in new windows rather than in the frame. Probably not finished doing that yet.
Jan. 25, 2005 - FAQ 7o - added a reader email about care of ivory items.
Jan. 26, 2005 - FAQ 8 - deleted a duplicate calling pattern.
Feb. 1, 2005 - FAQ 7k - fixed the Wing Hop Fung link.
Feb. 8, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added Ton Puu Sou, thanks to John Low.
Feb. 10, Year of the Rooster - FAQ 19 - refined item G (about claiming a redeemable tile). FAQ 3 - added CMCR2 (don't know why I didn't do it last December).
Feb. 11, Year of the Rooster - FAQ 19 - made it easier to click topics and jump right to the answer. FAQ 13 - called the line items (sub-questions) A, B, C... rather than 1, 2, 3...
Feb. 12, Year of the Rooster - FAQ 7o - added a post from a tile restorer/artist. FAQ 13 - made more improvements to the internal cross-linking.
Feb. 17, 2005 - FAQ 4a - fixed a broken internal link. FAQ 8 - put in navigation aids and an index for the page
FAQ 19 - added clarification as to how American differs from other variants
Feb. 27, 2005 - FAQ 22 - added some wording to the last paragraph, to clarify the process for scoring a hand to avoid exclusionary rule problems yet get the most out of the hand.
Feb. 28, 2005 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 5 - added numerous links, mostly thanks to Chris Stamper.
Mar. 2, 2005 - FAQ 5 - deleted a dead link (MahJoX scoring calculator - the xeqt.com domain expired last month)
Mar. 5, 2005 - FAQ 2b - corrected a log note about Hakka MJ. FAQ 3 - added Uwe Martens' book.
Mar. 6, 2005 - FAQ 22 - Improved example 3, thanks to Gertjan Davies. Added a footnote about an erroneous notion that is circulating about how the exclusionary rule works.
Mar. 14, 2005 - FAQ 20 - added images to illustrate "four in a row" versus "four of a kind"
The Ides of March, 2005 - FAQ 4a - added a teacher.
Mar. 16, 2005 - FAQ 13 - added a discussion about the possible relationship between 3-player play and high scoring hands.
Mar. 17, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added French CO rules thanks to JF.
Mar. 22, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added a direct link to Smart Mahjong so you don't have to be redirected to umd.edu
Mar. 25, 2005 - FAQ 5 - Added numerous Japanese online game sites found in Kindai Majan (Apr. 1 issue).
Mar. 29, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Added details on several rules (P, AA, Z, EE...). FAQ 16 - Updated per the 2005 NMJL card.
Mar. 30, 2005 - FAQ 8 - Added a Q&A from the BB about odds of pungs vs. chows. FAQ 19 - added a rulebook reference and suggested that players should space their exposures.
Mar. 31, 2005 - FAQ 16 - Fixed a blunder spotted by sharp-eyed reader Ellen Roderick. FAQ 8 - added a response to the previous day's discussion.
April Fool's Day, 2005 - FAQ 3 - Added links to places where Dragon Chang's book can be obtained. FAQ 11 - Added notations about the American Laws of the 1920s and inserted links to existing resources on the subject.
Apr. 2, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Added an FAQ (AF). FAQ 16 - added cases to FAQ C. FAQ 5 - deleted a dead link.
Apr. 3, 2005 - FAQ 19 - renamed some of the FAQs for future expansion (BB->AB; CC->AC; DD->AD; etc.) and added two more (AG, AH). FAQ 22 - added references and another interpretation of the exclusionary rule.
Apr. 4, 2005 - FAQs 2, 3, 11, 22 - Changed "contest" to "competition." FAQ 22 - major revision, thanks to Cofa Tsui and Tabstop Andrew.
Apr. 5, 2005 - FAQ 11 - added a date to the timeline (2004 CMOC)
Apr. 6, 2005 - FAQ 5 - deleted a dead link. FAQs 11, 11b - added links to the American Code online.
Apr. 7, 2005 - FAQ 5 - deleted more dead links.
Apr. 8, 2005 - FAQ 3 - added book, "The Game Makers," thanks to a tipster who remains anonymous. FAQ 7c3 - added info about Marblette.
Apr. 9, 2005 - FAQ 11 - added 1920s dates learned in abovementioned book.
Apr. 10, 2005 - FAQ 17 - added a link.
Apr. 11, 2005 - FAQ 12 - added Yahoo's "Mah Jong Quest" tile-matcher. FAQ 4b - added the American Code link (CC rules section). FAQ 3 - minor edit (changed each occurrence of the term "hand" to "scoring element" in discussion of 2nd Pritchard book). FAQ 11 - fixed broken HTML tag, thanks to "Simon."
Apr. 12, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added clarification to rule AA.
Apr. 14, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added clarification to rules E and F.
Tax Day, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added sextets.
Apr. 18, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added clarification to rule H.
Apr. 25, 2005 - FAQ 7e, 7g, 7h - added comment and photo re jokers. FAQ 15 - added boardgamegeek.com.
Apr. 29, 2005 - FAQs 3, 4b - added link to an extensive listing of mah-jongg books (thanks to Paul Jaeger).
May 8, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added links to cnmj.org (thanks to Karl Hung)
May 9, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added link to mahjongg-spielen.de (thanks to Guenter Schulte). FAQ 19 - added info about flowers.
May 16, 2005 - FAQ 19 - added rule AJ. FAQ 5 - added JadeDragonMahjong.com (CO).
May 23, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added boardgamego.com
June 3, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added an online game. FAQs 77g, 7h - added a request for specificity as to the number of tiles.
June 4, 2005 - FAQ 16 - added an FAQ about sextets. FAQ 4b - added Si Se Pai links, thanks to Graham Leonard. FAQ 3 - added a book with rare 1880s sketch of mah-jongg players (Yin Yu Tang by Berliner).
June 14, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added mahjongtime.com (HKOS)
June 15, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added sections for the CO and American variants
Juneteenth (6/19), 2005 - FAQ 4b - added a link to dice2mice.com (free online games magazine). FAQ 19 - added minor clarification to FAQ E.
June 30, 2005 - FAQ 4 - deleted broken link (4a and 4b both). FAQ 3 - fixed an error.
July 2, 2005 - FAQ 3 - fixed the error again, heh! (^_^)
July 7, 2005 - FAQ 5 - a link that had been listed as a separate bullet item from its description is now joined together with its description.
July 10, 2005 - FAQ 4a - removed a couple of less-used links; highlighted some more frequently-used links.
July 14, 2005 - FAQ 19 - modified FAQ AA, about the American "death" rule, and FAQ M, about when jokers may be redeemed.
July 16, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added a mahjongnews link (site is being redesigned)
July 17, 2005 - FAQ 3 - Added The Handbook For The Competitions Of The Chinese MaJiang (International Standard), the official translation of the official Chinese rules
July 18, 2005 - FAQ 3 - Added kanji to the Japanese titles; added 2 books acquired at the OEMC. FAQ 2a, 2b - Added Bashi-Bashi (the 30th known variant!). FAQ 4b - Updated the riichi rules link on the mahjongnews site.
July 21, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Clarified entry M some more.
July 24, 2005 - FAQ 6 - replaced all 16-bit characters with Unicode; added terms from the Organizing Committee of the Open Competition of Chinese MaJiang; changed some terms from Steve Willoughby's site (he has made some romanization changes since the FAQ was originally written); added a note in FAQ 3 about the non-standard terminology used in the OCOCCMJ's handbook.
July 25, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Added entry AK.
August 1, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added Fédération Française de Mahjong site. FAQ 3 - added the new book from Chronicle Books and the quarterly bulletin from the Mahjong Museum in Chiba, Japan.
August 2, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added Daja Mahjong site (Netherlands).
August 3, 2005 - FAQ 12 - updated a link that changed
August 7, 2005 - FAQ 15 - added a link, deleted a link
August 8, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added Farscape Games (UK).
August 9, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added a Mac link.
August 10, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added a Swedish site.
August 13, 2005 - FAQ 1 - updated it a little, based on current understanding.
August 18, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added an adware warning for mjclub.com, and an alternate URL.
August 19, 2005 - FAQ 5 - Added www.mjonline.com.hk.
August 22, 2005 - FAQ 4b - added an FAQ 4a link that had been overlooked (all FAQ 4a links are supposed to also be in FAQ 4b - which I need to check).
August 23, 2005 - FAQ 22 - Fairly major redo.
August 25, 2005 - FAQ 21 - Modified it to accommodate non-American rules.
August 26, 2005 - FAQ 21 - Clarified about seat/table rotation.
August 27, 2005 - FAQ 4b - Updated Israeli MJ Association site URL. FAQ 7g - Incorporated the checklist from FAQ 7h, with changes as needed.
August 28, 2005 - FAQ 22 - Deleted the wording in the combine-just-once exclusionary rule that specifically applied to 2- or 3-set patterns.
Sept. 8, 2005 - FAQ 4b - Added Vitaly Novikov's site. FAQ 5 - Fixed the Mindertech URL.
Sept. 19, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Added the answer to a previously overlooked frequent beginner question.
Sept. 30, 2005 - FAQ 7e - added interesting new mystery tiles made by Nintendo. FAQ 7g, 7h - added a legal disclaimer about photos sent to me for evaluation purposes.
Nov. 5, 2005 - FAQ 4a - added a teacher in Florida.
Nov. 15, 2005 - FAQ 4a, FAQ 15 - added a new international contact platform for Mah-Jongg players where they can search for and find other players worldwide.
Nov. 20, 2005 - FAQ 4a, FAQ 22, FAQ 8 - added link to a new CO strategy site. FAQ 2b - added Beijing Style; included Italian under Western. FAQ 19 - corrected a misstatement.
11/22, 2005 - FAQ 19 - Made a clarification to FAQ J.
Nov. 23, 2005 - FAQ 4b - Added Hungarian website. FAQ 5 - Added a Japanese site, thanks to John (Zi Rong) Low.
Nov. 24, 2005 - FAQ 3 - Fixed an outdated link. FAQ 7a - Changed a picture (it showed an atypical set).
Nov. 25, 2005 - fig01t.jpg (accessed from dhbpmj.html) - Added new info, thanks to John (Zi Rong) Low. dhbpmj.html (accessed from FAQ 11) - Added new attribution. FAQ 7d - Added John Low's story about why Chinese dice have red 4. FAQ 3- modified the listing on the Headley & Seeley book. FAQ 5 - Fixed the COMJ link.
Nov. 26, 2005 - FAQ 11 - Added stuff to the timeline... fig01t.jpg (accessed from dhbpmj.html) - Added more new info, both thanks to John (Zi Rong) Low.
Nov. 29, 2005 - FAQ 4a, 4b, 7g - Added link to CHarli's museum page (thanks to Gina).
Dec. 4, 2005 - Added FAQ 7p. Added frequently asked questions to FAQ 7g.
Dec. 16, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added 3D online game thanks to John (Zi Rong) Low
Dec. 25, 2005 - FAQ 5 - added a site thanks to Nicholas Cheung.
Jan. 2, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added a link to photos of a home-made Buffy-themed mah-jongg set
Jan. 3, 2006 - FAQ 7e - Added info about the writing on seasons/flowers.
Jan. 25, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added a vendor in the UK. FAQ 19 - Added a question about "changing my mind."
02.06.2006 - FAQ 4b - Added a link to a vlog about mah-jongg. Pretty nice, actually. Thanks to ogma1 for the tip.
Feb. 9, 2006 - FAQ 7e - Added a line about how red fives are used.
Feb. 10, 2006 - FAQ 4b - deleted a dead link, thanks to fscher.
Feb. 11, 2006 - FAQ 4b - deleted more dead links, thanks to fscher.
Feb. 12, 2006 - FAQ 4b - added a vendor link. FAQ 5 - added an online game. FAQ 12 - added a site that hosts an aggregation of tile-matchers.
Feb. 19, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Added an illustration.
Feb. 24, 2006 - FAQ 22 - Modified per new translation of CMCR 10.1.5.5, many thanks to Larsen Chung!
Mar. 11, 2006 - FAQ 4a - Added the international mah-jongg tournament calendar, thanks to Martin Rep.
Mar. 22, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added 108-tile variant of 3-player Malaysian MJ. FAQ 4b - Clarified that the 3-player Malaysian rules link is for the 84-tile variant. We're now up to 32 variants, BTW.
Mar. 29, 2006 - FAQ 4a - added a NY-area teacher.
4/5/6 - FAQ 7k - Added info about mah-jongg shopping in Vancouver.
April 6, 2006 - FAQ 16 - Updated it for the 2006 NMJL card. FAQ 22 - another revision, thanks to "ithinc."
April 7, 2006 - Added FAQ 23. FAQ 11 - Massive rework, including much info from John (Zi Rong) Low.
April 8, 2006 - FAQ 11 - Minor edit. FAQ 5 - minor edit.
April 12, 2006 - FAQ 4b - added a link, thanks to John Low.
Thursday the 13th, April, 2006 - FAQ 4b - deleted a dead link, updated an old link, both in regards to Taiwanese rules. Thanks to "sarcazm." FAQ 7e - Added a mystery tile.
April 14, 2006 - FAQ 11 - Minor edit. FAQ 5 - Made it easier to find the far-and-away most popular MJ programs by marking them in bold.
The Ides of April, 2006 - Added FAQ 24, to get people off my back with their danged technical support questions.
April 17, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added NanJing style, thanks to "ithinc." Total number of known variants now 33.
April 18, 2006 - FAQ 24 - Minor edit. FAQ 2b - added to NanJing description, thanks to "ithinc." Edited the Vietnamese section.
April 19, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Edited NanJing description, thanks again to same correspondent.
April 20, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Added Mahjong Mania site. FAQ 23 - Added another (rough) estimate regarding mah-jongg demographics. FAQ 22 - Minor fixes, thanks to Mr. Wang Yingfu of China.
April 21, 2006 - FAQ 1 - Edited the concluding paragraph and the paragraph about tile-matching games. FAQ 18 - Minor edits and crosslinks. FAQs 4, 15, 17 - Deleted dead links and fixed broken links. Not done yet.
April 22, 2006 - FAQ 7o - Deleted a dead link.
April 25, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Edited Mahjong Mania listing thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
April 29, 2006 - FAQ 7p - Minor edit. FAQ 2b - Edited section on Israeli mah-jongg, thanks to Gennady Archangorodsky.
Mayday, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added entry for Macau Simplificado, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
May 2, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added entry for Pong, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
May 8, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Deleted dead links, edited a couple, rearranged a couple.
May 9, 2006 - FAQ 23 - Added a link to a demographics page on Mahjongmania.
May 17, 2006 - FAQ 8, FAQ 17 - added a link to a strategy site.
May 18, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Added an FAQ about payment, and payment on joker redemption.
May 31, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Modified item "AM."
06.05.06 (one day shy of 06.06.06) - FAQ 24 - Added a sentence, double-spaced some bullet points.
June 10, 2006 - FAQ 4a - Added an upcoming Missouri tournament.
06/12/06 - FAQ 6 - Added some stuff (whole darn thing ought to be torn down and built anew from scratch, but I'm too lazy).
June 18, 2006 - FAQ 7m - Changed the font to make the thing more readable.
06/22,2006 - FAQ 19 - Added a minor clarification re stopping the Charleston.
June 28, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification about playing with a "pie."
July 5, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification about jokers (the most-misunderstood tile of the American game). FAQ 16 - Clarified a reason why.
7/7/6 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher in Michigan.
July 12, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added link to Wei-Hwa Huang's description of Japanese rules, thanks to Martin Lester. FAQ 19E - Added the word "never."
July 14, 2006 - FAQ 7e - Added "soap" tidbit.
July 19, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Added stuff about palmtop software, thanks to Jo Vandeweghe. FAQ 19 - Clarified about winning by joker redemption.
July 24, 2006 - FAQ 7i - Minor edit. FAQ 5 - Fixed an error, thanks to Jo V.
July 25, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added the Dutch Mahjongbond website.
July 28, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Deleted dead link (Jesper Harder's site).
July 29, 2006 - FAQ 3 - Noted the new revised edition of the Strauser & Evans book, which now includes new material by Tom Sloper (author of this website and these FAQs).
July 31, 2006 - FAQ 7a - Added photo of a Rummikub set, thanks to Colleen Paradis.
August 1, 2006 - FAQ 6 - Added a note on the correct meaning of "majiang", thanks to Allan Lee.
August 3, 2006 - FAQ 7e - Corrected description of some "animal flower" tiles, thanks to Dan Pasek. FAQ 6 - edited the "majiang" note entered Aug. 1 for clarity. FAQ 19 - Minor correction to answer G.
August 4, 2006 - FAQ 20 - Added a misunderstood rule, thanks to J.R. Fitch, and did a bit of editing throughout.
August 7, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added the JPML Official Rules site, thanks to John Low. FAQ 19 - added answer AO, defining what "only" means. FAQ 20 - added an exception. FAQ 16 - added a clarification about the word "only."
August 9, 2006 - FAQ 16 - Repeated the clarification about the word "only" in more places in the FAQ.
August 10, 2006 - FAQ 12 - added "Mah-Jomino."
August 19, 2006 - FAQ 19 - rewrote answer Z.
August 23, 2006 - FAQ 3 - Updated NMJL prices. FAQ 19 - Edited answer E, fixed an error in answer W. All thanks to the Greenhouses. FAQ 7j, 7n - Added standard grading terminology.
August 24, 2006 - FAQ 19E - Another refinement.
August 27, 2006 - FAQ 7f - Added pricing information.
August 30, 2006 - FAQ 12 - Updated a link, to a site that's moving.
September 1, 2006 - FAQ 7f - Added photos of my automatic mahjong table, now that it's working. FAQ 5 - Updated a link, to a site that's moving.
September 2, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added info about Tibetan mahjong, thanks to Jo Vandeweghe.
September 4, 2006 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 18 - Reinstated Jesper Harder's site, thanks to Tina Christensen. FAQ 2 - Added info about Tibetan rules, thanks to Benjamin Boas.
September 7, 2006 - FAQ 3 - Added a book, thanks to Dan Pasek. Added FAQ 25: "Why Won't The Japanese Program Let Me Claim Mahjong?"
September 8, 2006 - FAQ 2b - Added a detail about Sichuan style, thanks to "ithinc."
September 13, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Added link to the Official CO rules document in English, thanks to May Hu of the World Mahjong Organization. FAQ 24 - Added another tip about how to find the publisher of your online game.
September 20, 2006 - FAQ 4a - Revised a link about mah-jongg tournaments in St. Louis, Missouri.
September 23, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Added a Q&A about rolling dice, modified the Q&A about "hot wall/cold wall" and the Q&A about "any."
September 26, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Modified answer AN (deleted a parenthetical, added the word "always" twice). FAQ 5 - Modified the entries for MahjongTime.com - and deleted Shanghai from the online category.
September 27, 2006 - FAQ 19 - Refined answer E.
September 29, 2006 - FAQ 6 - Modified a sentence for clarity (re "majiang").
September 30, 2006 - Modified same entry again. FAQ 11 - Substituted "ma que" characters for "mah-jongg" as appropriate, to reduce confusion.
October 1, 2006 - FAQ 11 - Added new info about a 1912 trademark, thanks to Michael Stanwick. Accordingly, deleted a controversial statement in FAQ 6.
October 2, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Clarified how one could score Yakuman times 7.
October 3, 2006 - FAQ 11h - Added details about the 1912 ma-chiang trademark of Dillon, thanks to Michael Stanwick. FAQ 19W - added my own little theory as to why so many women ask if 25 cents doubled twice really equals a dollar.
October 4, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Changed max possible score to Yakuman times 6, thanks to John (Zi Rong) Low.
October 6, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Changed a couple links that seem to be dead.
October 7, 2006 - FAQ 11h - Changed "ma que" to "ma qiao," thanks to Thierry Depaulis. FAQ 6 - More notes on the Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese way of writing the game's name, thanks to Thierry Depaulis. FAQ 19W - changed "women" to "people."
October 8, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Two corrections: Deleted Yonjun (5 fan); made Sanshoku Dokou 2 fan. Thanks to Ricky Shiraishi. FAQ 4a - Modified a tournament link descriptor.
October 9, 2006 - FAQ 19, FAQ 20 - Added definitions of "exposed" and "concealed" hands, after being asked this question three times in the past week. FAQ 11h - Added a book, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
October 11, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Added chombo penalty.
October 24, 2006 - FAQ 4a - added a resource for getting blank tiles carved, thanks to Gina Smith.
October 25, 2006 - FAQ 4a - Added a club in Ft. Lauderdale, thanks to Chris Larkin.
November 1, 2006 - FAQ 5 - Updated a link (Taipei).
November 14, 2006 - FAQ 7g, FAQ 7h - Added a line about the format of photos when sending them to me for a mahjong set value or age appraisal (to prevent a repeat of what happened today, receiving photos in a weird format).
November 30, 2006 - FAQ 11h (Timeline) - Added earliest Chinese reference to mahjong (1903), thanks to Thierry Depaulis
Dec. 6, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Added "chan kan" (robbing the kong) and made a correction, thanks to Tina Christensen.
Pearl Harbor Day, 2006 - FAQ 0 (the newsgroup FAQ) - Added netiquette tip about copying the replied-to question when writing a reply to previous usenet posts.
Dec. 11, 2006 - FAQ 11 - In the cctheory/definitions file and argfor.html - Modified the definition of "the CC Theory" to correct an inconsistency with other parts of the CC theory pages. Specifically, deleted the incorrect claim that CC are "the original" mahjong rules (a fact that's refuted elsewhere in the document). Also modified the definition of "proto-mahjong" and modified the evolution claim.
Dec. 13, 2006 - FAQ 4b - Fixed a broken link. FAQ 12 - Added a new tile-matcher to the list.
Dec. 17, 2006 - FAQ 11 - Edited the cctheory page.
Dec. 18, 2006 - FAQ 25 - Clarified the robbing the kong rule, thanks to Ryan Morris. FAQ 4, FAQ 25 - Added some fun links, thanks to David Willems.
Dec. 27, 2006 - FAQ 11 - Added link to John Low's video about matiao cards and the MJM. FAQ 4b - Made Scott Nicholson's tutorial video part of the CC rules section.
Jan. 2, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added a CC scoring program for Pocket PC. FAQ 4b, FAQ 25 - Added blog about Japanese majan, thanks to Nath. FAQ 11f -> analysis.html - Revised the table per Thierry Depaulis' important new findings. FAQ 2b - Added 2 variants per Thierry Depaulis' research.
Jan. 7, 2007 - FAQ 1 - Added pictures to illustrate the difference between mahjong and tile-matching.
Jan. 10, 2007 - FAQ 11h - Added 1950 Vietnam book, thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
1/11/7 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 25 - added link to the Mahjong Denmark Riichi summary sheet, thanks to Tina Christensen.
Jan. 12, 2007 - FAQ 2b - Added early variants and modified a couple descriptions, thanks to Thierry Depaulis. Added Mauger 1915 to timeline, FAQ 11h.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 2007 - FAQ 25 - Added some Q+A from the bulletin board.
Jan. 17, 2007 - FAQ 11, FAQ 11h - Minor edits prompted by Michael Stanwick.
Jan. 21, 2007 - FAQ 25, FAQ 4b - Added link to site where miniature Akagi-style tiles may be purchased, thanks to Robert Miller. FAQ 4b - Added link to Wei-Hwa Huang's Si Se Pai page, thanks to Cofa Tsui. FAQ 11 - Extensive additions, significant early mahjong books, thanks especially to "ithinc" and Thierry Depaulis.
Jan. 23, 2007 - FAQ 11h - Some edits and additions (notably 1884, 1915, and 1917), thanks to Michael Stanwick. FAQ 11e - Added an early tile set, thanks to Michael Stanwick. FAQ 25 - Added another link to buy mini Akagi-style tiles, thanks to David Willems. FAQ 5 - Added a link to a Japanese game for Macintosh, thanks to David Willems.
Jan. 25, 2007 - FAQ 4b, FAQ 22 - Added a link to Mai Hatsune & Takunori Kajimoto's supreme strategy guide to the MCR game, translated into English by Ryan Morris.
Feb. 4, 2007 - FAQ 7k - Minor edits for emphasis. FAQ 7f - Added contact info for manufacturers of automatic mahjong tables. FAQ 7k - Added a tip about MJ shopping in Dallas, thanks to Bettie Bridges. FAQ 4b - Added a vendor site, thanks to Joss Wright.
Feb. 6, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification about stopping the Charleston (19AG).
02.07.2007 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher in Ithaca, NY.
Feb. 11, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added two MCR (CO) calculators and the Funtown site.
Feb. 12, 2007 - FAQ 2b - Added link to Thierry & Cofa's analysis of various forms of mahjong. (Also added that link in analysis.htm.) FAQ 25 - Minor clarification.
Feb. 15, 2007 - FAQ 11h - Made several corrections to the timeline, thanks to Ulrich Schädler, Directeur, Swiss Museum of Games.
Feb. 16, 2007 - FAQ 12 - Added a new tilematcher (zoomjam).
Feb. 25, 2007 - FAQ 4a - Deleted a dead link.
March 11, 2007 - FAQ 7o - Deleted one person who could touch up paint on tiles (Marvin Backerman's email no longer works), and added another (Gina Smith). FAQ 7c3 - Added info on "Chinese Bakelite" thanks to Gina Smith.
March 14, 2007 - FAQ 11h - One more correction thanks to Ulrich Schädler.
March 18, 2007 - FAQ 7a - Added info about tile sizes. FAQ 19AD - Added discussion about pickandtap, and more about pickandrack.
March 22, 2007 - FAQ 22 - Added a Q+A about knitted sets.
March 25, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a link to the 3/25/07 column, about flowers/jokers.
April Fool's Day, 2007 - FAQ 14 - Added rule #5.
April 15, 2007 - FAQ 3 - Added the English version of Jelte Rep's book, and Elaine Sandberg's book. Updated the link to CMCR by WMO.
April 16, 2007 - FAQs 2b, 4b - Added link to WMF site (new name of the WMPA), thanks to Thierry Depaulis.
April 17, 2007 - FAQ 7m - Added photos of mahjong shopping in Taiwan by John Low.
April 26, 2007 - FAQ 7e - Added Rummikub tiles, often mistaken for mahjong tiles.
April 27, 2007 - FAQ 19AM - Added clarifying text. FAQ 16 - Updated the FAQ for the 2007 card.
April 28, 2007 - FAQ 0 - Deleted references to fj.rec.games.mahjong (a dead corpse of a newsgroup).
Cinco de Mayo, 2007 - FAQ 7n - Added warnings and links about scammers who target sellers of mah-jongg items.
May 6, 2007 - FAQ 7Q - Added FAQ 7Q after the umpteenth time I was asked where to buy blank tiles in large quantities.
May 9, 2007 - FAQ 11, 7e, 18 - Added blanket credits for Michael Stanwick, some of whose ideas I may have inadvertently expressed without due credit previously.
May 17, 2007 - FAQ 25 - Massive rework of the furiten discussion, thanks to comments from Steve Johnson and Benjamin Boas.
May 19, 2007 - FAQ 25 - Minor edits and clarifications.
May 20, 2007 - FAQ 7Q - Added a company in China. FAQ 3 - Added link to translation of HATSUNE MAI NO SEKAI NI KATSU.
FAQ 4b - Added links to Dongguan and money-suited card sites thanks to Pwee Keng Ho. Added coololdgames.com link to FAQs 4a, 4b, 7c3, 7i, and 7n, thanks to "Nath Krismaratala."
May 28, 2007 - FAQ 7c3 - Added a little bit about Bakelite/catalin and casein. 1. FAQ 4b, 12 - Added mahjonged.com, a clickthrough site with a tile-matcher.
May 30, 2007 - FAQ 7e - Added some text about indices on flower tiles.
May 31, 2007 - http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/malaysian.htm - Added a reader letter about 164-tile 4-player Malaysian mahjong.
June 3, 2007 - FAQ 7k - A bit of cleanup in the Little Tokyo section.
June 11, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a death rule (AA).
June 18, 2007 - FAQs 4b, 25 - Added YakitoriOnline link.
June 24, 2007 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher in Connecticutt.
June 26, 2007 - FAQ 19AG - Expanded on the fact that the Chas. may be stopped for any reason whatsoever, that the reason should not be demanded or given, and that the player should not abuse the privilege by stopping the Charleston overly much. FAQ 4a - Changed the email address of a Los Angeles teacher.
June 27, 2007 - FAQs 4b, 5 - Reinstated the mahjong-o-matic link (appears it had only been down for a short time - not that I can figure out when I deleted the link in the first place).
June 29, 2007 - FAQ 2b - Added info on Malaysian 4-player, thanks to Tine Willis and Sylvain Malbec. FAQ 13 - Added info about 2P Japanese. FAQ 25 - Added links to Yakitori Online and FAQ 13. Malaysian.htm - added the BB posts by Sylvain Malbec.
June 30, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Highlighted the RON2 link for Yakitori Online members, now that a biweekly meetup is in the works. FAQ 25 - Added links to RON2 and reachmahjong.com.
July 1, 2007 - FAQ 5 - deleted a dead link, thanks to Andrew Feist.
Fourth of July, 2007 - FAQ 6 - Added Jenn Barr's terminology to the "Rosetta Stone"
July 8, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added link to Andrew Feist's page about how to make Four Winds' online feature work. FAQ 6 - some very minor edits. FAQ 4b - made a minor correction. FAQ 7m - Added addresses of two stores in Taiwan, thanks to John Low.
July 19, 2007 - FAQ 4b - minor edit.
July 24, 2007 - FAQ 3 - Added my book. What took me so long?? \(^_^)/
July 25, 2007 - FAQ 4a - Added a link.
July 31, 2007 - FAQ 4b - Updated some links, thanks to Andy ("dbrn") of YakitoriOnline.
August 1, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added Q&A #AR. FAQ 2b - Added Fujian style, thanks to Chris Jacques.
August 4, 2007 - FAQ 19Y - Added extra text to further clarify this Frequently Asked Question. Added FAQ 19AS.
August 5, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added clarifications to #C and #AS.
August 6, 2007 - FAQ 11b - Edited the photo 3suitgps.jpg to put the fish in the correct suit (thanks to "ithinc").
August 7, 2007 - FAQ 25 - changed link for a site whose URL has changed.
August 11, 2007 - FAQ 19 - No major wording changes or additions, just added further references (especially my book and official NMJL sources).
August 20, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Deleted Mahjong Parlour (discontinued product, no longer available at Aspyr or Amazon).
August 22, 2007 - FAQ 7q - Reorganized the FAQ (put large quantities at the end rather than up front). Added FAQ 7r.
August 23, 2007 - FAQ 2 - Inserted references to British Empire throughout, since "Vanilla/Classical Western" style is played in nations of the former British Empire. FAQ 13 - Added instructions for the Charleston/goulash for 3P Western/British style.
August 24, 2007 - FAQ 19Y - added further clarifying language.
August 29, 2007 - FAQ 7g - Added the requirement that an exact flowers/jokers count be given in order to age an American-style set. FAQ 7p - Added another typical dumb question for which I can give no helpful answer.
August 30, 2007 - FAQs 19 and 13 - Added crosslinks. FAQ 20 - Added an illuminating exchange with a Q&A Bulletin Board correspondent.
September 7, 2007 - FAQ 4b - deleted mahjonged.com link after getting too many spammed reciprocal link requests.
9/11/2007 - FAQ 25 - Deleted a broken example that I couldn't figure out how to fix. Still thinkin' on it...
9/13/2007 - FAQ 25 - Fixed the broken example, thanks to "Tabstop."
The Ides of September - FAQ 25 - Another example, thanks to Sylvain Malbec. FAQ 8 - A little clean-up.
September 17, 2007 - FAQ 4a - A little clean-up. FAQ 13 - Broke the FAQ up into its component parts, so as to make it easier for people to find the info.
September 18, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Filled in a missing question.
September 22, 2007 - FAQs 7g, 7h - Added the requirement that photos must be submitted as attachments (not embedded within the email).
September 26, 2007 - FAQ 13c - Added an alternative 3P Japanese majan variant, thanks to Robert Lozyniak. And a few minutes later, 2P as well.
September 27, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Deleted a dead link, and added a link, thanks to Robert Lozyniak. FAQ 13c - added a link, also thanks to Robert.
September 29, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added a Japanese Flash game.
October 3, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification to the dead rule.
October 6, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification to the Charleston rules.
October 9, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification to line E.
10/10/2007 - FAQ 4b, 25 - Added two links, thanks to Martin Rep. Added link to FAQ 2b also. Ryan Morris' description of Japanese majan is back!
October 13, 2007 - FAQ 4b - Added a Polish-language site, thanks to Stephan H. Added MahjongMart.com.
October 23, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added a link, thanks to Robert Lozyniak. FAQ 13C - Added a tidbit from Robert Lozyniak.
November 2, 2007 - FAQ 5 - Added Mahjong Tradition, thanks to Nancy Soo.
November 4, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added answer to the question "what does 'like' mean?"
November 12, 2007 - FAQ 2b - Added details about Sichuan mahjong, thanks to Morten Andersen.
November 13, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Further clarification to 19AK.
November 16, 2007 - FAQ 2b - Fixed a numbering problem in the numbered variants list. Turns out there are now 40 known variants, not 39.
November 18, 2007 - FAQ 11b - Added 2 images of money-suited cards.
November 19, 2007 - FAQs 2b, 4b - Added link to tournament rules of Alan Kwan's Zung Jung.
Date forgotten - FAQ 12 - added a link, thanks to Frederick.
December 6, 2007 - FAQ 19 - Added a clarification to question M.
December 14, 2007 - FAQ 7r - Edited (reorganized and emphasized for enhanced clarity).
December 16, 2007 - FAQ 4b - Minor edits to clarify that Western mah-jong is also rightly known as British mah-jong.
January 10, 2008 - FAQs 2b, 4b, 25 - Added link to riichi rules in English, standardized for European play. Thanks to Tina Christensen!
January 13, 2008 - FAQ 12 - Added the first new Shanghai clone of 2008.
January 17, 2008 - FAQ 13c - Belatedly added a link to Walter's Montreal 3P/5P rules for riichi/dora majan.
January 25, 2008 - FAQ 20 - Added the answer to the question, "can I claim 3 sequential pairs as both 3 pairs AND 2 chows?" FAQ 7i - minor updates in the description of the AMJA. FAQs 4a, 4b - Added the North American Mahjong Federation.
January 27, 2008 - FAQ 7o - Added a tip for how to darken Bakelite tiles (added it directly above another tip for how NOT to darken your Bakelite tiles, coincidentally)
January 30, 2008 - FAQ 7g, FAQ 11h - Linked to Column 311 where readers can get information about how jokers and flowers can help age an American-style set.
February 5, 2008 ("Super Tuesday") - FAQ 7e - Added identification of some more less-common flower tiles, with a big assist from Edwin Phua. FAQ 5 - Added link to English language instructions for playing Ron2, thanks to Jenn Barr.
February 6, 2008 ("Regular Wednesday") - FAQ 7p - Adjusted the probable value range of genuine ivory sets and crosslinked to column 311.
February 7, 2008 (Chinese New Year) - FAQ 13a - Added page references in RDWW & NMJL for the 5-player question. Did a mass edit across the entire site, replacing most uses of the word "gaming" with "game."
February 8, 2008 - FAQ 4a - Added the website of the 1st Open European Riichi Mahjong Championship.
February 10, 2008 - FAQ 7e - Minor correction, thanks to Edwin Phua. FAQ 4b - Added links to the wiki and forum of the Bay Area Mahjong Dojo, thanks to Andrew.
February 12, 2008 - FAQ 25 - Clarified the chiitoitsu rule prohibiting two identical pairs.
VD, 2008 - FAQ 25 - Edited the links section.
February 27, 2008 - FAQs 7q, 7r - Explained how underlined clickable links work.
3/3/08 - FAQ 19 - Added a minor clarification about "any consecutive nos."
March forth, 2008 - FAQ 7i - Added that the AMJA card is played using NMJL rules.
March 5, 2008 - FAQ 7g - Added information about the Chinese practice of creating fake antiquities. FAQ 20 - Added a reader Q&A that belonged in this FAQ. FAQ 25 - A reader Q&A in FAQ 20 needed to be in FAQ 25.
March 6, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added some info to answer W. FAQ 14 - Minor update to old info (I'd said my book "will be" released. It's since been released).
March 9, 2008 - FAQ 4a - Updated the contact info of a teacher.
March 10, 2008 - FAQs 4a, 7g, 7h - Added a link to Paul Jaeger's site. FAQ 7e - Added a reader Q&A about flower tiles depicting The Eight Immortals.
March 16, 2008 - FAQ 5 - Fixed a broken link, edited the descriptions of two Japanese sites.
March 19, 2008 - FAQ 12 - Added a new tile-matcher that had some pretty funny blatant marketer hype attached to it (cafe.com). FAQ 19E - Broke it down into 3 interrelated sub-questions.
March 22, 2008 - FAQs 7f, 25 - Fixed broken email address of the mahjong table repair guy, Steve Sera.
March 23, 2008 - FAQ 25 - Added a reader Q&A about scoring a concealed hand via discard.
March 24, 2008 - FAQ 4b - A minor deletion. FAQ 25 - Added a followup Q&A about the pinfu exception.
March 25, 2008 - FAQ 25 - Added a followup Q&A about different Japanese scoring charts.
March 29, 2008 - FAQ 7e - Added an image of animal flower tiles.
March 31, 2008 - FAQ 0 - Added a general guideline about posting to the rec.games.mahjong newsgroup.
April Fool's Day, 2008 - FAQ 7s - Added FAQ 7s. FAQ 19 - Added a special case to items H and I. FAQ 16 - Updated it for the 2008 NMJL card.
April 2, 2008 - FAQ 7f - Added a site that makes an American mah-jongg table expander. FAQ 24 - Added a frequent tech support Q&A.
April 3, 2008 - FAQ 16 - Minor edit.
4/4/2008 - FAQs 4b, 11 - Added a link to a well-informed article on the development of mahjong by Sergio Mastromarino.
FAQ 16 - Added another "questionable" NMJL hand.
April 8, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added a crosslink to FAQ 16. FAQ 5 - Created a separate section for Japanese software; Added "Basic Mahjong," thanks to "Lolle" - and "AppLocale," which you need to run it, thanks to "Shirluban."
April 13, 2008 - FAQ 7f - Added a Chinese manufacturer of automatic mahjong tables.
The Ides of April, 2008 - FAQs 3, 7e, 18 - Added a book on Chinese characters (thanks to Bruce Bacher), grouped it together with two books on Chinese symbolism, and put the books' descriptions in green on these three pages where they are particularly apropos.
April 16, 2008 - FAQ 9 - Minor edit for clarification.
April 17, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Overwrote a duplicate answer, AR, with a closely related answer. Cross-referenced it with answer O (the one it had been a duplicate of).
April 21, 2008 - FAQs 7c3, 7o - Added a reader Q&A about "Chinese Bakelite"
April 22, 2008 - FAQ 7d - Added answer to the question, "why five racks?"
April 28, 2008 - FAQ 7j - Added an apropos reader Q&A.
April 30, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added "peek passing."
Cinco de Mayo, 2008 - FAQ 2a - Updated it. FAQ 22 - Update (showed current books about MCR). /tour/rulebook - Added link to MCR errata file.
May 7, 2008 - FAQ 9 - Added a reader Q&A about slow players. FAQ 16 - Added another 2008 question. FAQ 7f - Added a Chinese source for dealing machines. FAQ 22 - Added a footnote and a link.
May 9, 2008 - FAQ 3 - Added links to my MCR errata and Per Starbäck's "Beyond the Green Book." /tour/rulebook - Added link to Per Starbäck's "Beyond the Green Book." FAQ 4b - Added a merchandiser link.
May 10, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Slight reorganization of the info in answer E.
May 13, 2008 - FAQ 4b - Added link to new Chinese-language site about Japanese mahjong.
The Ides of May - FAQ 22 - Some clarifying edits, thanks to reader Oscar Lindberg.
May 20, 2008 - FAQs 3, 22 - Updated the link to Per Starbäck's "Beyond the Green Book."
May 29, 2008 - FAQ 11b - Added link to Andy Pollett's web page on money-suited cards.
May 31, 2008 - FAQ 7g - Corrected some information about a toy store chain that I thought had been shut down.
June 3, 2008 - FAQ 4a - Added a teacher listing.
June 5, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added a reader Q&A (FAQ 19AX).
June 7, 2008 - FAQ 3 - Added the kanji for Hatsune Mai and Kajimoto Takunori.
June 11, 2008 - FAQ 19AM2 - Modified the ruling, having gotten the real scoop direct from the NMJL.
Father's Day, 2008 - FAQ 5 - Added a link to free mah-jongg tile graphics, thanks to Lana looky.lou.
June 16, 2008 - FAQs 2b, 4b - Added link to nice site about Sichuan-style mahjong.
June 29, 2008 - FAQ 7d - Changed caption under a photo, thanks to Pwee Keng Ho.
July 9, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added AY, about misnamed discards (after being asked the question 4 times in 2 months).
July 14, 2008 - FAQ 25 - Added a reader Q&A about Japanese score conversion.
The Ides of July, 2008 - FAQ 7c3 - Added a reader Q&A about Lucite and Bakelite.
July 16, 2008 - FAQ 7o - Added a reader Q&A about case repair.
July 21, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Crosslinked 19W to FAQ 14. Minor edit.
July 23, 2008 - FAQ 21 - Updated the section on recommended rulebooks for tournaments.
July 24, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Minor edit to 19P.
July 26, 2008 - FAQ 0 - Edited the guideline about troll-handling.
July 28, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Added 19AZ (Atomic table rule). How2Search page - added Cuil.com.
July 29, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Edited 19AZ, to add flowers (thanks to Anna Rosen). Cleaned up 19AX. Added 19BA, about slow players.
8/8/08 - FAQ 7d - Added detail about rack sizes.
August 9, 2008 - FAQ 11b - Added a quote from Neil DeGrasse Tyson on determining origins.
August 10, 2008 - FAQ 7d - minor edit. FAQ 19 - Added 19BB (seat rotation).
August 29, 2008 - FAQs 7R & 7Q - Added the option of last resort.
September 2, 2008 - FAQ 19AG - Minor clarifications.
September 3, 2008 - FAQ 7h - Added some detail about tile counts and "completeness." FAQ 7p - Added a rant about the word "complete."
September 6, 2008 - FAQs 7g, 7h - Deleted a dead link (Paul Jaeger's site).
September 7, 2008 - FAQ 4b - Updated link to Mikko Saari's Mahjong-Opas site.
September 8, 2008 - FAQ 5 - Deleted a dead link (MahjongMania).
September 13, 2008 - FAQ 7c - Added a note about celluloid / French ivory / Pyralin.
September 16, 2008 - FAQ 21 - Added a link to a tournament timer, thanks to Stephan Hilchenbach. FAQ 4a - Added a teacher listing, deleted dead link (JaegerStudio). FAQ 4b - deleted dead link (JaegerStudio).
September 26, 2008 - FAQ 12 - Added a baseball-themed tile-matcher.
October 5, 2008 - FAQ 19 - Crosslinked B and AM. B is actually duplicated in AM, so the crosslink is to fix that little problem without throwing the whole thing out of whack. FAQ 11h - Added a 1971 Pink Floyd mahjong song.
October 6, 2008 - FAQ 19AM - Added new info per a phone conversation between the NMJL and Marsha Solms, as reported this date on the Q&A Bulletin Board. FAQ 5 - Deleted a dead link (CC scoring calculator spreadsheet).
October 9, 2008 - FAQ 4a - Fixed a broken link (Wing Hop Fung).
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