SLOPER ON MAH-JONGG

By Tom Sloper
January 28, 2024
Column #797

American Mah Jongg (2023 NMJL rules). Continuing my observations and commentary on the new 2023 edition of Mah Jongg Made Easy,the official rules of the National Mah Jongg League. Herein I shorten that to "MJME2023." All new rules and clarifications will be added to FAQ 19 and the errata file for The Red Dragon & The West Wind (RDWW).

On page 18, rule 10 repeats text from the walkthrough on pages 14-15, as a numbered rule.
An addition to the death penalties on page 19, rule 15 (the death penalties were listed in rule 19 in MJME 2020). Sub-rule 15 (b) adds a death penalty for joker redemption out of turn. This was stated in the 2020 NMJL newsletter and is now enshrined in the rulebook.
Rule 15 (c) for the first time defines what an "incorrect exposure" can be (previously the term was not defined). It's an exposure of "tiles which do not comprise a Pung, Kong, Quint or Sextet, i.e. NEWS, a year grouping, or non-identical tiles." Personally, I liked it better when the phrase was open to interpretation, because then the rule could be used more broadly, to cover weird never-before-seen player flubs.
Rule 15 (g) is added. Now there is a death penalty specified for discarding before picking. It only makes sense: if one discards before picking, they now have only twelve tiles in hand. (It's required to hold thirteen tiles when it's not one's turn, holding fourteen during the turn.) Of course, this rule assumes the group is not "picking ahead," also called "playing with fourteen tiles" by some. Picking ahead is not permitted under League rules, ever since 1956. At tables where they play this way, one does discard before picking. So, essentially, now picking ahead is a death penalty offense in the rulebook (just as it is in tournaments).
New rule, p. 20 rule 16 (c). If the wrong wall is pushed out and somebody picks from it, both players are dead. Makes total sense to me! People gotta pay attention to what's going on on the table, not just sit there horse-blindered on their own tiles.
Some more repeats on page 20: rule 17 (a) repeats rule 15 (j), and rule 18 repeats rule 15.
Some long-needed clarifications about death challenges, on page 21, rule 19. One of those clarifications is something I've said for years: that any mention or sign or question about whether a player's hand is valid necessarily constitutes a challenge.
New, on page 21, rule 3: if a player says "mahj" and puts the taken discard atop the rack and subsequently discovers it's not mahj, they may keep the discard as an exposure and keep on playing. I suppose a question will probably arise: "If I expose all my tiles, does this mean I can put the erroneously exposed ones back while keeping the new exposure?" As long as I'm predicting, I'll go out on a limb and predict that the answer to that will be no.
Page 23 rule 7 describes the "finesse" move for the first time in the rulebook. This description (without labeling it a "finesse") also is found on page 30.
New, on page 24 rule 13: during the course of an unannounced joker redemption attempt, if a player puts or touches a redeemable tile on the discard floor without first saying it's intended to redeem it, it is not redeemable any longer. I've been saying for years that nothing should touch the discard floor except a discard. Note that this rule exempts an announced joker exchange.

There are still more notes! Continuing in next column.

麻雀

QUESTIONS about the 2023 NMJL card? See FAQ 16.

COMMENTS
Email . Hit me with your best shot!

24. Self-correction. I misstated the rule. Both players are dead if a player pushes out their wall before the previous wall is exhausted and another player picks from it.

Join Johni Levene's popular Facebook group, "Mah Jongg, That's It!" for lively conversations about American mah-jongg and all things mah-jongg.

Where to order the yearly NMJL card: Read FAQ 7i. But you're missing a bet if you don't order your NMJL card directly from the National Mah Jongg League!

Need rules for American mah-jongg? Tom Sloper's book, The Red Dragon & The West Wind, is the most comprehensive book about the American game, a good supplement to the League's official rulebook. Note that every owner of the book also needs the errata, which are updated ongoing, as needed. AND see FAQ 19 for fine points of the American rules (and commonly misunderstood rules). AND every player should have a copy of Mah Jongg Made Easy, the official rulebook of the National Mah Jongg League (see FAQ 3 for info on mah-jongg books).

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