Click here if you do not see a Nav Frame at left

FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2006 NMJL card (American-style mah-jongg)

Where do I get the latest NMJL card?
Read FAQ 7i (click here).

NEWS FFFFFF 2006
2006 #3
Can I expose five flowers, and add one later to make the sextet? Or can I expose it as two pungs, or as a kong and hold a pair?
No. A sextet must be exposed all at the same time. A sextet is one set of six identical tiles. Yes, it's hard to do - that's the point! But hey, it's flowers, and there are eight of them - and there are eight jokers too.
I heard it was a mistake, that it's supposed to be two pungs, not six of a kind.
You heard wrong.

FFFF 2222 0000 06
2006 #4
If somebody has a jokerless kong of soaps, a kong of flowers, and a kong of twos, can I call her dead?
Yes. There is no other hand on the card she could be making except this one, and everybody knows (because it says so on the card) that a joker may never be used for a single (as part of the 06). She's dead. Dead, dead, dead. Read FAQ 19AA (click here).

FFFF 2006 666 666 (Any 3 Suits, 2 and 6 Same Suit, Pungs 6's Only) ... c 35
2006 #5
Can I make this hand with pungs of twos?
No - Read the parenthetical.
Can I make this hand with two suits?
No - Read the parenthetical.
I had four flowers and three sixes showing, and I was called dead. I wasn't, was I?
Yes, you were. There's no other hand on the card that permits four flowers and three of any number, and this hand is supposed to be concealed. Read FAQ 19AA (click here).
Do the 2 and the 6 have to be in dots?
No. Read FAQ 19AE (click here).
Does "6's Only" mean I cannot use jokers?
No, it doesn't.

22 44 22 44 66 8888 (Any 3 Suits, Kong 8s Only)
2468 #6
Why does it say in parentheses, "Kong 8s Only"?
Because the kong is not permitted to be any other number - it has to be eights (in case you were thinking it could be any even number).
Does "8s Only" mean I cannot use jokers?
No, it doesn't.

11 DD 111 DDD 1111 ... c 30
Like Numbers #2
I had a pung of dragons exposed, and I was called dead. I wasn't, was I?
You sure were. There are only two hands on the 2006 card that have dragon pungs, and both of them are supposed to be concealed. Read FAQ 19AA (click here).

1123 11111 11111 (Any 3 Suits, Any 3 Consec. Nos., Pr Any No., Pr & Quints Match)
Quints #3
Do the quints and the pair have to be the first number in the run?
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."
Do the quints have to be in craks and dots, since they're red and blue?
No. The colors are symbolic - they are not to be taken literally. Read FAQ 19AK (click here).
1123 11111 11111
1223 22222 22222
1233 33333 33333

FF NNNN RRRR SSSS (Red Dragon Only)
Winds - Dragons #5
I had a kong of red and a kong of west, and I was called dead. I wasn't, was I?
You were deader than a doornail, lady. The hand clearly wants red only with north and south, and green only with east and west. Never the twain shall meet! Read the parenthetical.
But it doesn't say North and South only!
Hand #5 shows N, S, R. Hand #6 shows E, W, G. The intent is clear. Read FAQ 19AJ (click here).
Does "Red Dragon Only" mean I cannot use jokers?
No, it doesn't.

333 66 999 333 333 (Any 2 Suits, Like Pungs 3, 6 or 9) ... x 30
369 #3
That must be a mistake, that the two pungs are shown in the same color - that would mean I need six of the same number in the same suit!
It's not a mistake. Don't forget, there are eight jokers in the set. And you may expose a pung (the hand isn't marked c).
What does it mean "Like Pungs 3, 6 or 9"?
It means the two pungs can be either matching threes (as illustrated) or matching sixes, or matching nines.
333 66 999 333 333
333 66 999 666 666
333 66 999 999 999

333 666 9999 9999 (Any 3 Suits, Kong 9's Only)
369 #4
Why does it say "Kong 9's Only"?
Because you may not use threes or sixes as the kongs. Only nines.
Does "9's Only" mean I cannot use jokers?
No, it doesn't.

33 66 33 66 99 3333 (Any 3 Suits, Kong 3, 6 or 9)
369 #6
Why does it say "Kong 3, 6 or 9"?
Because the kong may be either threes or sixes or nines. It's English! What's the problem?
33 66 33 66 99 3333
33 66 33 66 99 6666
33 66 33 66 99 9999

998 99887 998877
Singles And Pairs #6, 2nd hand
Can that be any three descending numbers?
No. Must be only nines, eights, and sevens. Read FAQ 19AJ (click here).
That's a pung, a quint, and a sextet - so can I use a joker? And can I call for exposure?
N.O.! The terms "pung" and "quint" and "sextet" apply only to "like tiles." In this section of the card, you cannot use jokers, and you cannot make any exposures, not only because all the hands are marked with a c but also because the hands in this section are all made solely of "Singles and Pairs." Read FAQ 19E (click here).

Can I claim a tile to expose a 2006?
Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19E (click here).

Can I use a joker in a 2006?
No, of course not. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card.

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

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

Copyright 2006 *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.