Mah Jong for Beginners. Shozo Kanai

      

      MAH JONG

      for

      BEGINNERS

      Based on the rules and regulations of the

       Mah Jong Association of Japan

      Shozo Kanai • Margaret Farrell

      TUTTLE PUBLISHING

       Boston • Rutland, Vermont • Tokyo

      Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

       An imprint of Tuttle Publishing

      Copyright in Japan, 1952, 1955 by Charles E. Tuttle Co. Inc.

       All rights reserved.

      LCC Card No. 58-12108

       ISBN 0-8048-0391-9

       ISBN 978-1-4629-1687-0 (ebook)

      First edition, 1952

       Second (revised) edition, 1955

       Forty-fourth printing, 2001

      Printed in Singapore

      Distributed by:

       North America

       Tuttle Publishing

       Distribution Center, Airport Industrial Park

       364 Innovation Drive

       North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436

       Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

       [email protected] www.tuttlepublishing.com

      Japan & Korea

       Tuttle Publishing

       Yaekari Building 3rd Floor, 5-4-12

       Osaki Shinagawa-ku,

       Tokyo 141-0032

      Asia-Pacific

       Berkeley Books Pte Ltd

       61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12

       Singapore 534167

       Tel: [phone]

       Fax: [phone]

       Email: [email protected] Web site: www.periplus.com

      Dedicated to

       Mrs. M. Kanai

       and

       A. E. Farrell

      PREFACE

      MAH JONG FOR BEGINNERS

      Mah Jong originated and was developed in the Orient, 80 the rules may seem very peculiar to Americans. In writing this book, we have used the rules and regulations of the Japan Mah Jong Association We are indebted to Mr. Sugi-ura, ex-president of that association who wrote First Steps In Mah Jong and to Mr. Hamai, president of the Osaka Yago Shoten which published his book.

      At the beginning, the strategy in detail will not be shown. To do that would lead beginners into confusion because the playing is intricate. We shall try to explain from the first step. in order to be understood by those who have never seen the implements of play

      Readers who desire answers to any questions concerning the playing of Mah Jong will please address their queries to the author, Shozo Kanai, in care of the publishing company.

      CONTENTS

	PART I. RULES AND PROCEDURE
I.	HISTORY OF MAH JONG
II.	KIND AND NUMBER OF TILES
III.	DETERMINATION OF SEATS
IV.	TO DECIDE THE ELDEST HAND
V.	DEAL AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE TILES
VI.	HOW TO GO OUT
VII.	MELD AND REMAINING TILES
VIII.	ROUND WIND AND SEAT WIND
IX.	COUNTING THE POINTS
X.	MAXIMUM LIMIT OF POINTS
XI.	NO WINNING
XII.	PENALTIES
XIII.	EXERCISES IN GOING OUT
XIV.	EXAMPLES IN COUNTING
XV.	FLOWER TILES
XVI.	COUNTING BARS
	PART II. STRATEGY
I.	HOW TO DEAL WITH WIND TILES OF THE OTHER HANDS
II.	HOW TO DEAL WITH 1-s AND 9-s OF THE NUMERAL TILES
III.	HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BONUS TILES
IV.	RULES FOR THE MIDDLE OR INTERMEDIATE TILES
V.	PON
VI.	TILES WHICH SHOULD BE DISCARDED
VII.	TEMPAI
VIII.	HOW TO MAKE TEMPAI
IX.	FURl TEM-GOING OUT WITH A DISCARDED TILE
X.	REN-CHON
	SUPPLEMENTARY

      PART I.

       RULES AND PROCEDURE

      CHAPTER I.

       HISTORY OF MAH JONG

      Man Jong is the national game of China. It is sometimes called the Chinese Game of the Four Winds.

      There are many theories about its origin but none of them is valid or reliable. It is believed that it originated from one form of card playing and during the first stage had 40 pieces, called Pai (pronounced pie, rhymes with lye), (in English usually called tiles, the term used in this book) which were entirely different from those of today.

      Down to the 17th Century the number of tiles increased to 108. These had the portraits of the 108 Brigands of a then-famous novel.

      As time elapsed the number of tiles increased until there were more than 160, having many kinds of Bonus tiles, including Flower tiles. Revolutionists appeared and cut down the number to make the game more interesting. Rules and regulations were then decided and have remained the same until the present day. The