How to play Mahjong: Rules and tips to help you win the game like an ace

Mahjong is a popular Chinese strategy game played with sets of titles. Generally, you play with four people, though you can play with three as well. The goal is to form four melds and a pair, creating mahjong. There are many variations of mahjong, so these rules aren't definitive. Like many popular games, mahjong has many regional variations, from the Chinese prevailing wind system to American mahjong with special bingo-like scoring cards. However, the basic game and rules are common in either of the styles. Check here for some basic rules and tips to play Mahjong.

Also Read | KBC 2019 - How to Play KBC Play Along?

How to play mahjong? Rules to know

Rules 

• The objective of the game is to collect tiles to form a Mahjong hand. When a player picks up a tile that gives a valid Mahjong hand, the player wins.
• Players shall always have a total of 13 tiles in hand and/or declared until Mahjong is declared. (A Mahjong hand contains 14 tiles.)
• A player can claim a discarded tile from the player to his left (i.e. if the claiming player is next in turn) to declare a chow (a three-tile same-suit straight).
• A player may claim a discarded tile from any other player to declare a kong (four-of-a-kind) or pong (three-of-a-kind).
• A player may claim a discarded tile from any other player to declare Mahjong.
• In games that use Riichi House Rules, the players split the pot proportionally to the number of hand points they have at the end of the game. In addition, there is a placement bonus, where the player with the least points pays a specific amount of money to the winner, and the player ranked third pays a smaller amount of money to the runner-up.
• Settlement in Hong Kong games works like in Riichi games using House Rules without the placement bonus.

Also Read | Rick Grimes now entering PUBG Mobile, check out how to play

Tips

• Send wrong signals and confuse your opponents. Resist the urge to separate your tiles.
• Focus on the free tiles available.
• Think about the direction you want to take your hand and stick to it, while also remaining flexible.

Also Read | Monopoly: A simple guide-line on how to play the game at home

Also Read | Teen Patti during Diwali: How to play and what are the rules?