Rule variations

Claiming rules – Missed Discard

The rule of Missed Discard forbids a player to complete his hand and go out by claiming a tile that is identical to a tile he has missed during the current turn (that is, after his last discard and before he has received a new tile from the Wall). This gives other players some safety as regards their choice of discards. Note that it is legal to claim a missed discard if the player does not go out on it.

Four Winds supports four different versions of the rule of Missed Discard:

Traditional rule is used in most Japanese versions of Mah Jong. It forbids a player to go out on a discard that is identical to his own last discard. (The player, however, is allowed to claim a sacred discard but he cannot go out on the same turn.) This version does not restrict a player to go out self-drawn, even if the winning tile is identical with a missed discard.
Extended version applies the rule to the next self-drawn tile, as well (that is, the restriction is removed only after a player makes his next discard). This option is often used in Taiwanese Mah Jong.
Absolute version forbids a player to go out on any tile, discarded or self-drawn, if he has missed a discard during the current turn. The restriction is removed after a player makes his next discard.
Absolute (cond.) is otherwise similar than the version above, but it allows using a winning tile, which produces better scores than a missed discard. Note that the effect of the pattern Self-drawn last tile is ignored when comparing the scores. This version is used in Wilmington Advanced rule preset.

Example of the absolute rule. Assuming that a player is calling with Bamboo 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, plus a Wind pair in hand and that he has missed Bamboo 7 when it was discarded first time on the current turn, he may not go out on any of the possible three winning tiles Bamboo 1, 4 or 7 during the same turn, not even self-drawn, but is forced to make a discard before being able to go out.

Example of the absolute (conditional) rule. Assuming that a player is calling with Bamboo 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 plus a Wind pair in hand and that he has missed Bamboo 7 when it was discarded first time on the current turn, he may not go out on any of the possible three winning tiles Bamboo 1, 4 or 7 during the same turn, not even self-drawn, unless a tile produces better scores, ignoring the effect of the pattern Self-drawn last tile. E.g., a player could go out on Bamboo 1, if the rules specify scoring for Three Chows of 1 Suit, Step 3 and a hand including this pattern would produce better scores (without the effect of bonus paid for the pattern Self-drawn last tile) than a hand that goes out on Bamboo 7.

To apply the rule of Missed discard:

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.
From the Missed discard list, choose the desired version of the rule.

Missed discards and the rule of Ready

When the voluntary ready declaration (the rule of Riichi) is used the Missed discard rule can be overridden or complemented by two options specific to the rule of Riichi:

If the Missed/discarded winning tile makes the hand dead option is checked in the Options for Ready declaration dialog box (accessed by clicking the Options button on the Ready rule option page under the Rules section of the category tree), the rule of Missed Discard is overridden for a hand declared ready, and replaced by a still stricter rule. The Missed/discarded winning tile makes the hand dead rule option dictates that if a player misses a discard he could use to go out (or discards himself a winning tile), his hand becomes dead, and any subsequent declaration of Out (whether on a discarded tile or on a self-drawn tile) is considered a faulty declaration of Out (on the other hand, if the player does not declare Out, he may be penalized for faulty declaration of Ready).
If the Missed/discarded winning tile makes the hand dead option is not checked, but the Require going out on the first possible discard is checked, the rule of Missed discard is specified as explained below. Otherwise there are no special considerations – as regards the rule of Missed discard – for the possible mistakes after the declaration. Depending on the form of the Missed Discard rule (traditional, extended, or absolute), there may be restrictions for going out on a missed discard, but these restrictions are handled similarly for all hands (whether declared ready or not).
If the Require going out on the first possible discard option is checked in the Options for Ready declaration dialog box (and Missed/discarded winning tile makes the hand dead option is not checked), the rule of Missed discard is complemented with a stricter rule. The Require going out on the first possible discard rule option dictates that if a player misses a discard he could use to go out, he may not go out on any discard during the rest of the deal. The only way he can complete the hand is by picking the winning tile from the Wall. Note though that if the regular Missed discard rule restricts a player's right to go out on a self-drawn tile, these restrictions are still applied for the first self-drawn tile after a missed discard.
If the Require going out on the first possible discard option is not checked, there are no special considerations – as regards the rule of Missed discard – for the possible mistakes after the declaration. Depending on the form of the Missed Discard rule (traditional, extended, or absolute), there may be restrictions for going out on a missed discard, but these restrictions are handled similarly for all hands (whether declared ready or not).