What each mahjong tile means?
Most of these form four series each of three suits: Bamboo (Sticks), Dots (Wheels), and Cracks (Numbers). Further, each game contains four sets of tiles inscribed with the Chinese characters for the four compass directions, representing the four winds, as well as four sets of three tiles called “dragons”.
What direction do you pick tiles in mahjong?
Starting after the break (i.e. continuing in a clockwise direction around the wall), four tiles are dealt to each player in turn starting with East and working anti-clockwise until each player has 12 tiles.
What are the different Mahjong tiles?
Mah-Jongg tiles are comprised of three suits of One through Nine: Craks (also called Characters, Wan, or Ten Thousand), Bams (also called Bamboos or Sticks), and Dots (also called Balls or Circles), and other tiles known as Winds, Dragons, and Flowers (in American Mah-Jongg, Seasons tiles are referred to as Flowers).
Does mahjong play clockwise or counterclockwise?
Each player sits down at their respective position (called the wind position) at the table in positions of an inverted compass: East is dealer, the right of the dealer is South, across is West, and the left is North. The order of play is traditionally counter-clockwise.
How do you read mah-jongg cards?
Each line on the card represents a winning hand and each hand is made up of 14 tiles. The hands are depicted in 1, 2 or 3 colors, which indicate the number of suits required. You may recall from last week’s post that there are 3 suits – cracks, bams and dots. Notes after each hand help specifically define each.
Which dragons go with which suits in mahjong?
3. If a hand is shown in black, it can be made up of any suit but all tiles must be of that one suit. It is important to remember that Green Dragons go with Bams, Red Dragons go with Craks and the White Dragons [Soaps] go with Dots (see Help Sheet).
What is the trick to playing mahjong?
9 Mahjong tips to master the game
- Always think one step ahead.
- Delay your moves if there is no immediate gain.
- Pay close attention to tiles with the same symbol.
- Keep an eye on similar tiles on top of each other.
- Focus on high stacks and long rows.
- Use the game special features to unlock an unsolvable puzzle.
Why is mahjong played counter-clockwise?
Drawing tiles East starts the game by discarding a tile faces up in the center of the table. South then draws & discards a tile, followed by West and North. Thus, the draw goes counter-clockwise around the table, unless a tile is thrown which a player can claim.
How do you memorize mahjong cards?
5 Mahjong Strategies for Beginners
- Always have a clear plan.
- Be flexible with your strategies.
- Don’t grab the first discard.
- Keep a pair in your hand.
- Avoid having gaps in your tiles.