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FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2011 National Mah Jongg League card
(American-style mah-jongg)


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


FF GGGG 2011 RRRR (Kong Green & Red Dr. Only,Any 2 and 1, Same Suit)
(2011 #3)

Does the 2011 have to be in dots?
No. Firstly, zeroes are suitless (read the back of the card). Secondly, read the parenthetical. It says "Any 2 and 1 Same Suit." That means the 2 and 1 can be from any suit (but they both have to be from the same suit). The word "any" always means "any." You can read FAQ 19J if you're still confused about what "any" means (or look up the word "any" in... (ahem) any... dictionary of the English language).


11 DD 111 DDD 1111 (Any Like Nos. Matching Dragons)
(Like Numbers)

Do the two pairs have to be bams and Green?
No. The color-coding is more flexible than that. See the word "Any" in the parentheses on the card? "Any" always means "any." 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." I wrote an explanation of how the color-coding works in FAQ 19J and FAQ 19AK. You can click the FAQ 19 link in the nav frame at left.


1223 22222 22222 (Any 3 Consec. Nos. Pr Any No. in Run; Pr & Quints Match)
Quints #2

Do the quints and the pair have to be the second number in the run?
No. They can be the first, second, or third number in the run. Read the parenthetical very carefully. The phrase "Any No. in Run" means that the pair can be any number in the run (not only the second). 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

Can I use a joker in the 1223 kong? And can I call it for exposure?
It is not a kong! The term "kong" applies only to "like tiles." This "grouping" is two singles and one pair. Read FAQ 19E (click here).

If it's not a kong, why aren't there spaces between the pair and the singles?
How should I know? And what difference does it make? So what if there's no space between obvious pairs and singles?


11111 2222 33333 (Any 3 Suits, Any 3 Consec. Nos. Kong Middle No. Only)
(Quints #3)

Is Quints #3 a three-suit hand, or can it be two suits, or one suit?
Let me turn the question back to you: How many colors do you see? Did you read the parenthetical? Read the back of the card to see how the color-coding works.


FFFF 3333 x 5555 = 15
(Odds #7)

If somebody is showing a jokerless kong of fives, and a kong of threes in the same suit and a kong of flowers, can I call her dead?
Yes. She's painted herself into a corner. She should have used a joker in her kong of fives. Now she can never make the 15.


FFFF DDDD DD DDDD (Any 3 Suits)
(Honors #6)

Does the dragon pair have to be reds?
No. The pair could be red, green, or white.

What does "any 3 suits" mean?
It means the color-coding is flexible. The color-coding on the card cannot say it all in every case. So when the color-coding isn't sufficient to explain the requirements of a particular hand, the card designer writes a parenthetical to give more information. 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." I wrote an explanation of how the color-coding works in FAQ 19J and FAQ 19AK. You can click the FAQ 19 link in the nav frame at left.


998 99887 998877(Any 3 Suits)
(Singles And Pairs #6)

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 call a discard if it's the tile I need to complete this hand for mah-jongg?
Yes.

Why aren't there spaces between every pair and every single?
How should I know? And what difference does it make? So what if there's no space between obvious pairs and singles?

Wow, you sure are a grump! Why do you answer these questions if you don't like answering questions?
I love answering questions. I just think people should put a little effort into finding and thinking about the answers.


Can I claim a tile to expose a 2011?
Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19E (click here) or click FAQ 19 in the nav frame at left.


Can I use a joker in a 2011?
No, of course not. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card.



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