FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2014 National Mah Jongg League card
(American-style mah-jongg)
222 000
1111 4444 (Any 2 Suits)
(2014 #2)
Do the twos have to be in the suit of dots to go with the zeroes?
No. Read the parenthetical. It says "Any 2 Suits." That means the twos can be any suit, and the ones and fours can be any other suit.
Read FAQ 19-AE (click here).
The following are all legitimate ways of making 2014 #2:
Don't the ones and fours have to be either bams or craks?
No. The twos can be any suit, and the ones and fours can be any suit you didn't use for the twos. Read FAQ 19-AE (click here).
But the twos and zeroes are the same color!
So what? Read the top of the card. It says "NOTE: WHITE DRAGON IS USED AS ZERO "0". IT MAY BE USED WITH ANY SUIT. (CRAKS, BAMS OR DOTS)" That is a long-standing rule. Also read FAQ 19-AE (click here).
Most of the time that hand is going to be done in 3 suits (which is actually how it is shown as a Soap with a Green 222).
That wouldn't be a three-suit hand. Zeroes are suitless - the twos are in one suit, and the ones and fours are in a second suit. The zeroes are not in any suit.
Do the zeroes have to be green dragons since they're green?
No. Read the top of the card. It says "NOTE: WHITE DRAGON IS USED AS ZERO "0". IT MAY BE USED WITH ANY SUIT. (CRAKS, BAMS OR DOTS)" That is a long-standing rule.
I think the zeroes should be black on the card like the flowers and winds, since zeroes are suitless like flowers and winds.
I don't know what the League's rationale is, since I don't work there. I suppose the thinking is that since zeroes are suitless, and they "go with" any suit, zeroes can be printed in any color. You got a complaint? Take it to the League.
FFFF
DDD
2014
DDD
(Any 2 Dragons, 2 or 3 Suits)
(2014 #5)
It says "2 or 3 suits," but the hand is printed in 3 colors. What's up with that?
You can make a three-suit hand or a two-suit hand. See below. First, some three-suit hands. Then, some two-suit hands.
Also, it states any 2 dragons so can it be made up of all three suits of dragons
You can't use "all three suits of dragons" - the zero is just a zero (soap doesn't count as a dragon when it's used as a zero).
Do I have to use pungs of Green and Soap, with the 2014 in craks?
No. The color-coding is not to be taken as standing for particular suits. Read the back of the card, and read
Frequently Asked Question 19-BY and
FAQ 19-J.
NN 11 SSS 111 1111 (Any Like Odd No.)
EE 22 WWW 222 2222 (Any Like Even No.)
(Winds-Dragons #4 and #5)
Am I correct in assuming that these hands can be played one or two suits?
No. It's a three-suit hand. Read the back of the card. Left pane, just beneath where it says "STANDARD BASED ON EIGHT FLOWERS AND EIGHT JOKERS" (1st and 2nd lines). It says, "1 color--any 1 suit; 2 colors--any 2 suits; 3 colors--3 suits." That means that this hand is a three-suit hand. The winds are suitless, so their color doesn't count.
Do I have to use bams for the number pair, and cracks for the number pung, and dots for the number kong?
No.
Read the back of the card (as above), and read
Frequently Asked Question 19-BY and
FAQ 19-J.
Can I use jokers for the rest of the numbers except the pair that can only be a numbered pair?
Read the back of the card. It clearly says, "Jokers can NEVER be used ... for a pair." So jokers can be used in any pung or kong in this hand, and not in a pair.
I was confused because hands that require 3 suits, usually specifically state any 3 suits, and likewise, 2 suits state any 2 suits. But this hand is different. It only says "any like number" without mentioning that it is either 3 or 2 suits.
The lack of a parenthetical just means that no explanation is necessary. Read
FAQ 19-AJ.
This is an issue only because it is not unusual to have 4 of one suit and a joker which could be displayed at 2-3.
Eh? Sorry, you lost me.
33 66 99
3333
3333
(Any 3 Suits, Like Kongs 3, 6 or 9)
(369 #3)
Would 33 66 99 = Bams; 6666 = Cracks and/or 9999 Dots be valid?
No. Nines and sixes are not "like kongs." "Like" means "similar." The League wants the two kongs to be either both threes, both sixes, or both nines. Because the two kongs are different colors, they have to be different suits (and different suits from the 33 66 99). Read
FAQ 19-AU.
333 66 999
333 333 (Any 2 Suits, Like Pungs 3, 6 or 9)
(369 #5)
Does “333 66 999" = Bams; Then a second suit is cracks can you use 333 or 666 or 999? Or does it have to be “333 333” which would mean using two jokers?
It says "like pungs," and the two pungs are shown in one color. You have to have two identical pungs of either threes or sixes or nines. You do have to use at least two jokers. Read
FAQ 19-AU.
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