FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2005 NMJL card (American-style mah-jongg)

CLICK ON THESE LETTERS to see the ANSWERS to the most FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS about the 2005 NMJL CARD:

Q: Can I make 2005 #2 with twos instead of fives?
A: No. Read what it says in the parentheses.

Q: In 2005 #3, do the two and five have to be dots?
A: No. Read FAQ 19AE (click here).

Q: In 2005 #4, can I make the sextet with two pungs? Same question for the last 13579 hand.
A: No. It must be six of a kind in one big grouping - a sextet.
Q: Can I make the sextet with a kong and a pair?
A: No, you have to expose the whole sextet all at once (either prior to mah-jongg or concurrent with a mah-jongg declaration).
Q: Can I make the sextet with a quint and a single?
A: No.
Q: Can I make the sextet as three pairs?
A: Sure, why not - you can't expose pairs anyway (except for mah-jongg) so three pairs of the same thing amounts to the same as a sextet when concealed.
Q: But I have a computer game that lets me make the sextet with two pungs (or with a quint and a single)! I'm confused!
A: Computer games are not the same as playing in real life. In answering this question above I assumed you were asking about playing in real life. That computer game was made in 1999. The game's makers did not know that the NMJL would use sextets in 2005, so you can't expose a sextet in that game. Deal with it.

Q: In 2468 #3, can I make a kong of twos and a kong of sixes?
A: No. Twos and sixes are not "like numbers." Your kongs have to be alike. Read the parenthetical.

Q: In 2468 #4, do the eights have to be the same suit as the fours?
A: No. The eights can be in any suit (they can match the twos, the fours, or the sixes). Read the parenthetical closely.

Q: In Quints #3, do the quints and the pair have to be the first number in the run?
A: No. They can be the second or third number in the run, not only the first. Read the parenthetical very carefully. The phrase "any pair" means that the pair can be any number in the run (not only the first). The word "any" always means "any."

Q: In the bottom hand in Consecutive Runs, the kong has to be the first number only, right?
A: No. Any number in the hand. Read the parenthetical closely. Note the use of the word "any." "Any" always means "any."

Q: Hands #4 and #5 in Winds - Dragons... is that a typo? Do I really need two pungs of the same tile in the same suit? How is that possible, there are only four of a kind!
A: It's possible because there are eight jokers. It's not a typo. Same as with 369 #3...

Q: Can I make 369 #3 with pungs of sixes in two suits?
A: No. Just as with Wind hands #4 and #5, you have to make two pungs of the same tile, and you need at least two jokers to do it.

Q: Can I make S&P #6 with those last two pairs (in the other two suits) being different numbers, or do they have to be ones?
A: They don't have to be ones, but they have to be "like numbers." Read the parenthetical closely.

Q: Can I claim a tile to expose a 2005?
A: Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19E (click here).

Q: Can I use a joker in a 2005?
A: No, of course not. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card.

Q: Can I claim a wind tile to expose a NEWS?
A: Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19E (click here).

Q: Can I use a joker in a NEWS?
A: No, of course not. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card.

Q: Quints #2 has to be two suits, right? The number quint has to be a different suit from the dragon?
A: No. The hand can be two suits or it can be one suit. Look in the parenthetical. There's that word "any" again. You know what the word "any" means...

Q: The bottom hand in Consec. Runs - can the Kong be in any suit, or must the hand be in 3 suits?
A: Read the back of the card. The card explains how its color-coding works. That guide is the paragraph just beneath the bold line, "Standard Based on Eight Flowers and Eight Jokers."

Q: Is it allowed to use jokers in a sextet? The wording on the back of the card confuses me!
A: Of course you can use jokers in a sextet. The wording on the back of the card is just an oversight. Look at the fourth 2005 hand - if you couldn't use jokers in this hand, it would have to be in the jokerless section (lower right section of card).

Didn't find what you were looking for in this FAQ? Check these links...

• Commonly Misunderstood Rules of American Mah-Jongg - FAQ 19 (click here).
  
• Looking for an NMJL card? Click here for information about obtaining one.
  
• To get the story straight from the NMJL, go to http://nationalmahjonggleague.org and click the FAQs link.
  
• Got Shanghai Second Dynasty or Shanghai Mah-Jongg Essentials and want to play with the new card? CLICK HERE.
  
  
• Click here if you have a question about the old 2004 NMJL card.
  
• Click here if you have a question about the old 2003 NMJL card.
  
• Click here if you have a question about the old 2002 NMJL card.
  
• Click here if you have a question about the even older 2001 NMJL card.
  
• Want to compete internationally? Click here to get your own copy of the official rules used at the 2002 WCMJ! Note: the international rules are completely different from American rules. Are you woman (or man) enough?

Copyright 2005 *Tom Sloper. All rights reserved. The contents of this page and this website, including and not limited to text, graphics, and photos, may not be reproduced or published without written permission of the author*. This site is not associated with the National Mah Jongg League.