Do you have any of the following questions? Is Mahjong good for seniors? Is Mahjong hard to learn? Is Mahjong difficult to learn? Why is Mahjong so difficult? What is the easiest Mahjong to learn? Maybe, you’re not alone.

Chinese Mahjong is a fascinating four-player game that comes with a variety of regional rules, such as Guangdong Mahjong, Sichuan Mahjong, Hong Kong Mahjong, and Shanghai Mahjong, among others.

The basic rules of Chinese Mahjong typically involve a hand of thirteen tiles, and players win the game by drawing a fourteenth tile that completes four sets and one pair. There are also some special hands that can win the game.

Sometimes, beginners who want to join in may feel overwhelmed by the complex scoring rules and various special hands, making it hard to know where to start. Today, I’m here to introduce you to the rules of Guangdong Mahjong, which might just be the simplest version of Chinese Mahjong, and it’s so easy for beginners. So, let’s dive deep into it.

• The Type of tiles
• The Rules of game
• The Bonus Tile (Optional)
• Special Winning Hands
  • Thirteen Orphans (拾叁幺)
  • Four Bonus Tiles (肆張寳牌)
• Setting up the Game
  • Setup positions
  • Drawing Tiles
  • Bouns Tile (Optional)
  • After game
• Game Start
• Scoring
• Conclusion

The type of tiles

Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s talk about the tiles you’ll be playing with in Guangdong Mahjong. This version features a total of 136 tiles.

First up, we have the number tiles, which are divided into three suits:

• Dots (筒)

• Bamboo (索)

• Characters (萬)

Each suit contains tiles numbered from 1 to 9.

Next, we have the Wind tiles:

• East (東)
• South (南)
• West (西)
• North (北)

And let’s not forget the Dragon tiles:

• Red Dragon (中)
• Green Dragon (發)
• White Dragon (白板)

The Rules of game

Now let’s dive into the rules of Guangdong Mahjong. The core objective of the game is pretty straightforward: the first player to form a complete hand consisting of four sets and one pair wins the game.

4 Sets and 1 Pair

One of the unique aspects of Guangdong Mahjong is that it only allows for Pong and Kong, but not Chow. This means there’s no “eating” tiles (which is a common rule in other Mahjong variations). Instead, players focus on collecting their sets and pairs through drawing tiles and claiming them from other players.

Pong

Kong

The Bonus Tile (Optional)

The Bonus Tile is optional, but it adds more variety and excitement to your tiles.

Now, let’s talk about an exciting feature of Guangdong Mahjong: the Bonus Tiles (鬼牌、寶牌 or 賴子). These special tiles can really spice up the game and add an extra layer of strategy!

In Guangdong Mahjong, a Bonus Tile can be used as a wild card, meaning it can represent any tile you need to complete your sets or pairs. This flexibility can be a game-changer, especially when you’re just one tile away from winning!

There are two main ways to determine what a Bonus Tile can represent. First, you can choose to fix a White Dragon (白板) as your Bonus Tile. This means that whenever you draw or declare a Bonus Tile, it can stand in for a White Dragon, helping you complete your hand.

Alternatively, you can use the Bonus Tile based on the third tile from the top of the wall before the game starts. This means that the Bonus Tile will represent the tile that comes after that specific tile in the sequence. Giving you more options to form your sets.

The Position of Bouns Tile example

When the tile is 1 Character, the Bouns Tile will be next one 2 Character, same as Bamboo and Dot

When the tile is 9 Character, the Bouns Tile will be next one 1 Character in a circle, same as Bamboo and Dot

For example, if the third tile from the top is a 5 Bamboo, your Bonus Tile will be 6 Bamboo. If the top is 9 Bamboo, then the Bonus Tile will be 1 Bamboo.

And if the third tile from the top is East (東), the Bouns Tile will be South (南). If the top is White Dragon (白板), then the Bonus Tile will be East (東). The Winds and Dragons group together, order as East (東), South (南), West (西), North (北), Red Dragon (中), Green Dragon (發), White Dragon (白板).

Full order or Winds and Dragons

When the tile is East Wind, the Bouns Tile will be next one South Wind

When the tile is White Dragon, the Bouns Tile will be next one East Wind in a circle

Using Bonus Tiles wisely can really enhance your gameplay, so keep an eye out for them as you play! They can be the key to turning the tide in your favor and securing that winning hand.

Do you know which tiles you need?

Check the answer

When White Dragon is the bouns tile, once you draw any of below tile, you win

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Is it confusing? Maybe check out these Mahjong Strategies for help.

Special Winning Hands

Now, let’s explore some of the special winning hands that can really make your game of Guangdong Mahjong.

Thirteen Orphans (拾叁幺)

First up is Thirteen Orphans. This is a unique and rare winning hand that consists of one of each of the terminal tiles and honors. Specifically, you need one of each of the following: 1 Bamboo, 9 Bamboo, 1 Character, 9 Character, 1 Dot, 9 Dot, East(東), South(南), West(西), North(北), Red Dragon(中), Green Dragon(發), and White Dragon(白板).

Plus, you’ll need an extra tile that matches any one of these.

Four Bonus Tiles (肆張寳牌)

Next, we have the winning hand of Four Bonus Tiles. To achieve this, you need to collect four Bonus Tiles in your hand. This is another rare and powerful win, as it showcases your ability to strategically use those wild cards to your advantage.

Both of these special winning hands add an exciting twist to the game, encouraging players to think creatively and strategically. So, keep your eyes peeled for those opportunities, and who knows? You might just be the one to claim one of these impressive victories!

In addition to the winning hands mentioned, there are many other winning combinations in different Mahjong variations. You can explore more about these unique hands and their specific rules here. Mahjong Scoring Winning Hands

Setting up the Game

Setup positions

Getting started with Guangdong Mahjong is easy, and it all begins with selecting the dealer (莊家). To determine who will be the dealer, all four players will roll dice. The player with the highest total from the dice becomes the dealer. They can choose any seat at the table as their position. If there’s a tie with the dice rolls, the players involved will roll again until a clear dealer is established. Once the dealer is decided, players will take their seats in order.

The dealer can choice any position as East, once settled, the South, West and North just follow this direction

After the dealer is chosen, dealer (莊家) will roll the dice again. The sum of the dice will determine the starting position for drawing tiles, with the dealer’s position being the starting point for counting.

The sum is 6, so count from East, South, West, North, East, South, the starting position is South

Drawing Tiles

At this point, the highest of the two dice will indicate the starting tile position, while the total of the two dice will determine where the tile drawing begins. The first player (the one corresponding to the dealer’s position) will start drawing tiles from that position.

The highest is 6, start from your position, is your right handside, and skip the sum 10, draw from 11

Each player will draw four tiles at a time. Players will take turns drawing tiles for three rounds, resulting in a total of twelve tiles for each player. In the fourth round, the first player will draw the first and third tiles from the pile to set aside as their Bonus Tiles, while the other players will only draw one tile each in that round.

In the fourth round, the first player skiptiles, draw both the first and third tiles

And just like that, you’re ready to start playing! With everyone set up and tiles drawn, the game can begin!

Bouns Tile (Optional)

If you choose play with Bonus Tiles, you can decide to fix the White Dragon (白板) as your Bonus Tile for the entire game, or any tile as player aggrement.

If you prefer a more dynamic approach, you can also agree to designate any tile as the Bonus Tile before the game starts. This allows for flexibility and can make the game more interesting based on the players’ preferences.

After game

Once a game comes to an end, it’s time to prepare for the next round by shuffling and re-arranging the tiles again.

Shuffling the Tiles

Players should mix the tiles thoroughly to ensure that they are well randomized. This can be done by flipping and moving the tiles around with your hands. It’s a good idea for all players to participate in this process.

Re-arranging the Tiles

After shuffling, the tiles need to be stacked back into a wall (牌墻) for the next game. Players should arrange the tiles into two rows, typically consisting of 18 tiles each, creating a total of 36 tiles in the wall. This organization makes it easy for players to draw tiles in the upcoming rounds.

Preparing for the Next Game

Once the wall is set up, winner of last game can roll the dice again to determine the starting position for drawing tiles, repeat the process of Drawing Tiles.

Game Start

The gameplay revolves around the process of drawing tiles and discarding tiles.

The game begins with the first player, who is either the winner of the last game or the first dealer, rolling the dice to determine the starting position

Each player, starting with the first player, will draw one tile from the wall. This is a crucial step, as players aim to form their winning hand of four sets and one pair. If a player successfully completes this hand after drawing a tile, the game ends, and they declare victory.

If the player does not complete their hand after drawing, they must then discard one tile from their hand that they do not need. This discarded tile is placed face up in the center of the table, making it available for other players to claim if it helps them form their sets.

The next player will then take their turn, following the same process of drawing a tile and discarding one if necessary. This continues in a reverse clockwise direction around the table.

Throughout the game, players should pay close attention to the tiles that have already been drawn and discarded. Observing the tile pool and analyzing the potential hands of opponents is key to developing effective strategies. Additionally, utilizing Bonus Tiles can significantly speed up your progress toward forming your winning hand.

However, if all the tiles from the wall are drawn and no player has achieved this winning combination, the game ends in a draw.

In this case, any Kongs that were declared during the game do not count towards scoring.

Scoring

At the end of a game, the scoring system determines how points are distributed among players. Here’s how it works:

Basic Scoring

When the game concludes, the player who wins the round earns three points. Each of the other players loses one point.

Kong Scoring

When a player declares an Open Kong, the other players each lose one point. The player who declared the Open Kong receives three points for their declaration.

If a player is involved in a Concealed Kong and it is declared, the player who was the target of the Kong will lose two points to the player who declared the Kong.

Summary of Points

• Winner: +3 points
• Other Players: -1 point each
• Open Kong: The declaring player gains +3 points, while each other player loses -1 point.
• Concealed Kong: The player whose tile was used loses -2 points to the declaring player.

Prize Tiles (Optional)

At the end of the game, the winner has the opportunity to take the last four tiles from the wall as their prize. These tiles are referred to as prize tiles.

Fixed 1-5-9 Rule

Using the fixed 1-5-9 rule as an example, the winner can choose from the prize tiles to receive specific tiles: 1, 5, and 9 from any of the three suits—Dots (條), Bamboo (筒), or Characters (萬).

For each tile that the winner successfully claims from the prize tiles, they earn an additional 1 point by each prize tile is matched.

Conclusion

And there you have it! We’ve covered everything you need to know about playing Guangdong Mahjong, from the basics of the tiles and rules to the exciting strategies of drawing, discarding, and even claiming Pong and Kong.

Happy playing, and may the best player win!