Rule variations

Claiming rules – Chows

In the traditional Mah Jong a Chow can be claimed only from the player on the left of the claimer (that is, from the previous player regarding the claimer’s position), except in situations, where the claimed tile can be used to go out (in this case, the tile can normally be claimed from any player). Sometimes this exception is not allowed, and in some rules claiming for Chows is allowed only on going out.

Some rules don’t apply any restrictions on claiming of a tile for a Chow, in which case the claimer who sits closest to the discarder (that is, the player whose turn comes first after the discarder) gets the discarded tile.

To specify the claiming rules for Chows:

Choose Preferences on the File menu.
From the Rule Presets list, choose a customized rule preset.
Choose Claiming under the Rules section of the category tree.
Select the preferred option from the Chows list. The available options are as follows:
No restrictions. Player can claim a tile for a Chow from any player.
Only from previous player (any player on going out). Player can claim a tile for a Chow only from the previous player ("player on the left"), but if he can complete his hand, there are no restrictions for claiming (i.e., a tile for a completing Chow can be claimed from any player). This is the traditional option and used practically in all rule presets (excepting Four Winds, which uses the following option).
Only from previous player (even when going out). Player can claim a tile for a Chow only from the previous player ("player on the left"), including a situation where he can use the claimed tile to go out.
Only on going out (from any player). Player can claim a tile for a Chow only if he can use the claimed tile to go out. No restrictions are applied for player the tile can be claimed from.
Never. Players cannot claim a tile for a Chow, not even when going out, but Chows can exist as concealed sets in the hand.

Note: This restriction is applied to regular hands only. For irregular hands any winning tile can be claimed (a tile that completes an irregular hand is not considered as a tile completing a set, even if it appears to complete a "Chow" or a "pair").