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FAQ 16. Frequently-Asked Questions about the 2019 National Mah Jongg League card

Click here for questions about the 2020 card. At the bottom of this page, you can link to old cards going back to 2001.

2019 and NEWS

Can I use a joker in a 2019 since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
No. 2019 is not a kong. A kong is four identical tiles. 2019 is four singles. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card. Look for the word "NEVER" (in ALL CAPS, bold, and underlined).

Can I use a joker in a NEWS since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
No. NEWS is not a kong, same as a 2019 is not a kong (as explained above).

If a 2019 is not a kong, why aren't there spaces between the digits?
I suppose the League thinks it looks more natural without the spaces. It doesn't really matter, does it? Accept that a 2019 is four singles (not a kong), and move on.

Can I claim a discarded tile to expose a 2019?
Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19-E (click here) or click FAQ 19 in the nav frame at left.

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

FFFF 2019 111 999 (Any 3 Suits, Pungs 1 and 9 Only)
(2019 #1)

Does the 2019 have to be in bams, since it's green?
No. Read the parenthetical. It says "Any 3 Suits." That's the League's way of saying that the 2019 can be from any suit, and the pung of 1s must be any second suit, and the pung of 3s must be the third suit.

Does that all-green 2019 mean I can use a green dragon as zero?
No. Read the card. Zero is white dragon ("soap"), always.

Does the 2019 have to be made in the suit of dots, to go with the soap?
No, of course not. Read the card: zeroes are suitless. That means the zero (the white dragon or "soap") can be used with any suit. Also read FAQ 19AE (click here).

The parenthetical states pungs 1 and 9 only. Does that mean you can create a three suit hand of FFFF 2019 999 999 or FFFF 2019 111 111 in addition to the stated hand?
It says pungs 1 AND 9, not pungs 1 OR 9. The League clearly intends the hand to be made with a pung of ones and a pung of nines, in the two suits not used in the 2019.

Can I use a joker in a 2019 since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
No, of course not. 2019 is not a kong. It's four singles. A kong is four identical tiles. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card.

Can I claim a tile to expose a 2019?
Not unless it's for mah-jongg. Read FAQ 19E (click here) or click FAQ 19 in the nav frame at left.

Are those ones three singles, or are they a pung?
That's a pung.

222 0000 111 9999 -or- 222 0000 111 9999 (1 or 2 Suits)
(2019 #2)

Do the twos have to be dots, to match the zeroes?
Read the red text atop the left pane. When used as zero, soap can be used with any suit. The twos don't have to be dots; they can be any suit that isn't used for the ones and sevens. "Any" always means "any." Read FAQ 19-J and FAQ 19-BY.

So I could use bams for the twos and Green Dragons for the zeroes?
No, of course you can't use Greens for the zeroes! Read the top left corner of the card. When you see a zero on the card, that always means Soap (White Dragon). But yes, you could use bams for the twos.

Can I , for example, make a pung of 2’s and a pung of 1’s in one suit, and a kong of 9’s in a second suit?
No. Look at the color-coding. The ones and nines are the same color, so they have to be the same suit. See FAQ 19-BY.

In the 2-suit version, do I have to use craks for the ones and nines?
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.

In the 2-suit version, since soaps are suitless when used as zeroes, I should be able to build this hand with a pung of 2s in any suit; a kong of soaps, and a pung and kong of 1s and 9s, respectively in the same suit, but different than the 2s. Do I understand that correctly?
Yes.

FF DDDD 2019 DDDD (2 or 3 Suits)
(2019 #3)

Does the 2019 have to be made in craks?
No. Read the red note above the 2019 section on the card. When used as zero, soap can be used with any suit. That means the 2, the 1, and the 7 can be any suit (they all must be in the same suit, though).

If I make 2019 in craks, do I use Red Dragon for the zero?
No, of course not! Read the top left corner of the card. When you see a zero on the card, that always means Soap (White Dragon).

It says "2 or 3 suits," but the hand is printed in 3 colors. How can the hand be made with just 2 suits?
The parenthetical overrides the color-coding. In a 3-suit hand, the 2019 uses a suit not used by either dragon kong. In a 2-suit hand, the 2019 matches one of the dragon kongs. See image below. These are all legal ways of making this hand:

Some of those are 3 suits, and some of those are 2 suits. Note that the zero is just a zero; zero is suitless, as it says in red text at the top of the card (soap is not regarded as being a suited dragon when it's used as a zero).

22 000 NEWS 111 99 (Any 1 Suit)
(2019 #4)

This is a one-suit hand, so why is it shown in two colors?
I don't know why the League chose to show it in red and blue, violating one of their own color-coding rules on the back of the card.

Does this hand have to be all dots?
No. The parenthetical says "Any 1 Suit."

Those red zeroes confuse me. Does this mean I should use red dragons for the zeroes?
No, of course you can't use Reds for the zeroes! Read the top left corner of the card - Soap/White is used for zeroes. When you see a zero on the card, that always means Soap (White Dragon).

Can I use a joker in a NEWS since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
No. This is explained above.

Can I claim a discarded tile to expose a NEWS?
No. This is explained above.

11 DD 111 DDD 1111 (Any 3 Suits)
(Any Like Numbers #2)

Do the two pairs have to be bams and Green?
No. The color-coding is never 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.

Do I have to use ones for all the sets?
No. This section of the card is named "ANY LIKE NUMBERS" for a reason.

FFFF 5555 6666 11 -or- FFFF 5555 6666 11
(Addition Hands #1)

There are two versions of this hand. My question is about the one on the left, all in blue: does it have to be made in dots only?
No. The color-coding is not to be taken as standing for particular suits. Read the back of the card: 1 color = any 1 suit. Also read Frequently Asked Question 19-BY and FAQ 19-J.

But there's no parenthetical saying "Any 1 Suit"!
There isn't enough room, and that parenthetical is not necessary, since the color-coding is clear. Read the back of the card: 1 color = any 1 suit. It clearly shows a 1-suit version and a 3-suit version of the hand. Also read FAQ 19-AJ.

This question is about the one on the right, in three colors. Does the "11" (the pair of ones) have to be made in dots only, since it's blue?
No. The color-coding is not to be taken as standing for particular suits. You can use any two suits for the kongs, and the third suit for the "11." Read the back of the card, and read Frequently Asked Question 19-BY and FAQ 19-J.

FFFF 5555 7777 12 -or- FFFF 5555 7777 12
(Addition Hands #2)

In addition hands are 12 considered a pair. If not can I use a joker or pick up from the discard pile ?
If I give you an apple and an orange, I have not given you a pair (and I haven't given you a pear, either*). A "pair" is two identical tiles. "12" is two singles (not a pair). Read the back of the card, and look for the word "NEVER" halfway down the left pane.

* Sorry, but the pun was entirely called for.

QUINTS

If I use only a single joker (the fewest possible to create a quint) in Quints, is that considered jokerless, so I can get the Bonus double score?
No. It has a joker in it.

But it's impossible to make a quint without at least one joker. And the name of the Bonus double isn't "jokerless," it's "Bonus."
None of that matters. The name of the scoring attribute doesn't matter. The fact that a joker is required to make a quint doesn't matter. The difficulty of making the hand is pre-built into the score on the card. The (jokerless) Bonus cannot apply in Quints.

FFFF NNNNN 11111 (Any Wind, Any No.)
(Quints #2)

Do I have to use Norths and Ones?
No. Look in the parenthetical. There's that word "any" again. "Any" always means "any." You can use any one wind (not only Norths.) And you can use any number in any suit, since this is a one-suit hand.

Since the ones are green, do I have to use bams?
No. You can use a quint of any number in any suit. In my opinion, it was a mistake to show the ones in green because on the back of the card it says 2 colors means any 2 suits, but Flowers and Winds are suitless. This is a one-suit hand.

FFFF SSSSS 33333
FFFF EEEEE 88888

CONSECUTIVE RUN

Can I use zeroes in Consecutive Runs? For instance 000 1111 222 3333 or 777 8888 999 0000?
No. The only place on the card where you are permitted to use zero is where the card shows a numeral "0" (2019 and Singles And Pairs). Read FAQ 19-BH.

What is the difference between "any consecutive numbers" and "any run"?
Let's see if this helps:

"ANY (#) CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS" (Quints #1, for example, in which the # = 4): You can use any of the following:
11 222 3333 44444
22 333 4444 55555
33 444 5555 66666
44 555 6666 77777
55 666 7777 88888
66 777 8888 99999
So you have 6 choices in each suit. The word "run" is implied, as follows:
"ANY (RUN OF #) CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS"

"ANY RUN OF (#) NUMBERS" (S&P #4, for example, in which the # = 7): You can use any of the following:
11 22 33 44 55 66 77
22 33 44 55 66 77 88
33 44 55 66 77 88 99
So you have 3 choices in each suit. The word "consecutive" is implied, as follows:
"ANY RUN OF (# CONSECUTIVE) NUMBERS"

11 222 3333 444 55 -or- 55 666 7777 888 99 (These Nos. Only)
(Consecutive Run #1)

Can I make this hand with different numbers, like 4-5-6-7-8?
No. Read the parenthetical: "These Nos. Only."

FF 1111 2222 3333 -or- FF 1111 2222 3333 (Any Run)
(Consecutive Run #3)

So I was reading the parenthetical...
Hallelujah!

Wise guy. My question is, what does it mean, "any run"?
A "RUN" is an ascending or descending sequence of consecutive numbers. The parenthetical is saying you can use any 3 consecutive numbers (maybe there wasn't enough room to say all that).

it says any run ... it does not say 2 suites, all one suite, it says any run....I had 2 suites in the run is that allowed?
No additional words are needed in the parenthetical. The color-coding says it all. It's one color (one suit) -OR- three colors (three suits). Read the back of the card, right up top.

The phrase "Any Run" appears after the 3-suit version, and not after the 1-suit version. So does the 1-suit version version have to be made with only 1s, 2s, and 3s?
No. The phrase "Any Run" applies to the whole line. The phrase applies to that hand either way, regardless of whether you make it with 1 suit or 3 suits. Consec #3 can be made with any 3 consecutive numbers, in either 1 suit or 3 suits.

11 22 33 4444 4444 (Any 3 Suits, Any 4 Consec. Nos.)
(Consecutive Run #4)

Do the three consecutive pairs have to be bams?
No. Color does not dictate suit, as explained above.

Do I have to use the numbers one through four only?
No. Read the parenthetical.

Can I put the kongs before the pairs, like 2222 2222 33 44 55?
No. You have to have three consecutive pairs, with higher-number kongs.

FFF 1111 2222 DDD (Any 1 Suit)
(Consecutive Run #5)

Do I have to use ones and twos only?
No. This is a mistake on the card; it's supposed to be "Any 2 Consec. Nos." - see the National Mah Jongg League's FAQs page (nationalmahjonggleague.org/faq.html).

FFFF 11 222 11 222 (Any 2 Suits, Any 2 Consec. Nos.)
(Consecutive Run #6)

Does it have to be ones and twos in bams, and ones and twos in craks?
No. Read the parenthetical.

Could I do, say, ones and twos in dots, and then, say, fives and sixes in craks?
No. The two numbers you use for one suit have to match the two numbers you use for the other.

111 22 333 222 222 (Any 2 Suits, Any 3 Consec. Nos., Pungs Match Pair)
(Consecutive Run #7)

Can the pair be the first or third number in the run (instead of the middle number), like in that Quints hand last year?
No. The pair must be the middle number. The like pungs must match the middle number.

13579 ("Odds")

It does not say 'these nos only' in parenthesis so could 111 333 3333 5555 be replaced with 333 555 5555 7777? Likewise 3rd had down, could FF 1111 3333 5555 be FF 3333 5555 7777? etc
No. When there's no parenthetical, the card means what it says. Read FAQ 19-AJ.

11 33 55 1111 1111 (Kongs, Like 1, 3, or 5)
(13579 #5)

55 77 99 5555 5555 (Kongs, Like 5, 7, or 9)
(13579 #6)

Hi, I have a question about the 13579 hand, line 6 (and 5), 55 77 99 5555 5555 (Kongs, Like 5, 7, or 9). Can the Kongs (four of a kind) be 7s or 9s? For example, could the sequence be (bam) 55 77 99 (crack) 9999 (dot) 9999?
Yes. That's what "Kongs, Like 5, 7, or 9" means. Good job! Note that this answer is also given on the NMJL's FAQs page. Good link to bookmark!

3333 666 9999 DDD (Any 2 Suits, 6 & Dragon Match)
(369 #3)

Does the pung of sixes have to be the same suit as the dragon pung?
Yes. That's what it says in the parenthetical. And that's what the color-coding says.

SINGLES & PAIRS

Singles & Pairs ... Drew the winning tile so everyone paid double ($1.00); but of course, it was a jokerless hand, do you get credit for that also to make it $2.00?
Sorry, no. Read the back of the card (left pane, bottom, bold text).

FF 22 4 6 88 22 4 6 88 (Any 2 suits)
(S&P #2)

Why is there a space between the 4 and the 6?
Why do you think there shouldn't be a space there?

Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to be asking the questions here!
Turnabout is fair play. (~_^) Anyway: This is a two four six eight hand, not a twenty-two forty-six eighty-eight hand.

11 22 33 44 55 66 77 (Any Run of 7 Nos.)
(S&P #4)

Can these be in different suits? It does not specify
Au contraire, the card does specify. Read the back: "1 color - any 1 suit." It's a one-suit hand.

FF 2019 2019 2019
(S&P #7)

Can I use Green Dragon and Red Dragon in the green and red 2019s?
No. Read the red text atop the left pane of the card. White dragon (soap) is always used as zero (and only white dragon; no other). When used as zero, soap can be used with any suit. That means you need three soaps to make this hand. That's why this hand is so expensive (because it's really hard to make).

Can I use a joker in a 2019 since the tiles are bunched together like a kong?
No. This is Singles & Pairs, remember. You can't use jokers in singles or pairs. And 2019 is not a kong. A kong is four identical tiles. 2019 is four singles. Read FAQ 19E (click here) and read the back of your NMJL card. Look for the word "NEVER" (in all capital letters, bold text, and underlined).

Can I claim a discarded tile to expose a 2019?
Not to expose a 2019, no. But if you are waiting for that tile for mah-jongg, then by all means. Shout "mahj!" Read FAQ 19-E3.

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).
To ask Tom Sloper a question, send email to webmaster at sloperama.com. The answer will appear on the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board!
To get the story straight from the NMJL, go to http://nationalmahjonggleague.org and click the FAQs link.
Looking for an NMJL card? Click here for information about obtaining one.

The official rulebook, and a newsletter. Every table should have the official 2019 revised rulebook.
Every year, the League issues rule clarifications in its newsletter. Every person who buys the card
directly from the League receives a subscription to the newsletter, which is mailed every January.

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