This rule preset represents the Modern American Mah Jong, where certain restrictions are applied on the winning hand. Generally the rules are very similar to the Australian rules (e.g., the winning hand may not contain mixed suits nor more than 1 Chow), but there are some features that are characteristically American: Charleston, the use of kitty (though not enabled in the default rule preset), and the use of 4 jokers. The emphasis is on collecting special hands.
Tiles | 144 (Flowers and Seasons) + 4 jokers |
Initial points | 10,000 |
Limit points | 500 (for losers, applied to difference of scores between two players) |
Restrictions for the winning hand | Prohibition of mixed suits (except in Limit hands requiring mixed suits and certain other Limit and Special hands), Maximum number of Chows 1 (except in Limit and special hands) |
Claiming rules for going out | Player first in turn wins |
Passing of the deal | When non-dealer wins |
Rule of Ready | None |
Dead hand rules | None |
Payment | Between all players; Chinese Classical |
Discards | In random order, no extended discard information |
Specialties | Jokers, Charleston with Ding Dong, no Dead Wall |
Scoring | Standard |
Basic tile points | Standard + 2 points for terminal pairs and ordinary wind pairs. Losers are paid the same as the winner. |
Scores for basic sets | Standard. Losers are paid the same as the winner. |
Scores for Flowers and Seasons | Non-standard: in addition to normal 4 points for each Flower and Season and 1 double for player's own Flower or Season, 1 double is paid for the Flower or Season of the Round, and 1,000 points (instead of 3 doubles) are paid for having all Flowers or all Seasons. Losers are paid the same as the winner. |
Scores for patterns based on Chows | None |
Scores for patterns based on Pungs and Kongs | None |
Scores for patterns based on the whole hand | Concealed hand (last tile discarded) (1 dbl), Fully concealed hand (1 dbl), One suit with Honors (1 dbl), One suit only (3 dbls). Losers are paid the same as the winner (contrary to Australian rules, hands do not need to be ready to earn scores). |
Scores for miscellaneous patterns | 2 points for making a Pung, Kong or Chow from East's first discard. Losers are paid the same as the winner. |
Bonus for winning | Winning (20 pts), Out on a supplement tile ( 1 dbl), Out by robbing a Kong (1 dbl). |
Rounding | Rounding up to nearest ten before doubles; for losers, the rounding is done after calculating the scoring difference. |
Penalties | Faulty out: The offender pays Limit to each of the other players, East does not pay/receive double (deal passes if the offender is East); Faulty claims: None; Insurance penalties: None |
Limit hands | Classical with the following exceptions: All Green, Hidden Treasure, Little Four Winds and impure version of Nine Dragons not acknowledged, Big Four Winds and Thirteen Orphans pay 200%; Serpents: Great Snake (melded sets allowed, 50% of Limit, double if concealed), Run, Pung and a Pair, Wriggling Snake and Peking Garden (all 100%); Pairs: Seven pairs (50%), All Honor Pairs (100%), All Terminal Pairs (100%), All One Suit Pairs (100%), All Terminal and Honor pairs (100%), One Suit and Honor Pairs (100%); in addition, jewel hand versions (see American hands) of seven pairs each paying 100%; Note: Identical pairs are allowed in all 7-pairs hands; Special ways of going out: Heavenly hand (200%), Earthly hand (50%); American hands: All hands except Lily of Valley, Red Lily and Terminal Gates enabled and pay 100% of the Limit, but the following pay 200%: Imperial Jade, Imperial Pearl, Imperial Ruby, Down You Go, Up You Go, Numbers Racket, Double Numbers, Gone With the Wind, Christmas, Civil War; Miscellaneous: Windy Chows (50%), Windy Dragons (200%), Knitting (50%), Gertie's Garter (100%), Triple Knitting (50%; the pair must be of different suits). Losers: No scoring for uncompleted special hands (but normal scoring for constituent parts of the hand). |
Related topics:
Overview
Classification of rules
Alan's Zung Jung
American Classical
Australian
British Official
Chinese Classical
Chinese New Style
Chinese Official
Chinese Transitional
Dutch League rules
EMA Riichi Rules
European Classical
French
German
Hong Kong Mah Jong
Internet Mahjong Server
Italian Official
Japanese Classical
Japanese Modern
Japanese Transitional
Korean Style
Mahjong Masters Million
Taiwanese 16-Tile Mah Jong
Wilmington Advanced 12-Tile rules
WMPA Rules
Comparison table