prevailing winds
Bowles
We're new here, and not sure if this is the right group to ask. If not,
can you please send us in the right direction? In playing mahjong, at
what point is a hand completed? Is it when one player displays a pung
or kong? Is any scoring done at the end of a hand? Or is it at the end
of a round? Or is it only after someone declares Mahjong?
What determines the prevailing wind? Our book says a round is four
hands, does the wind change at the end of each hand or round? We're new
to the game, so please excuse the basic questions.
Thank you!
Margaret and Connie
ACTSEARCH
Hi Margaret and Connie,
You certainly did come to the right place.
1. In playing mahjong, at what point is a hand completed? Is it when one
player displays a pung or kong?
a complete hand of 4 groups-of-three and a pair (14 tiles) -- assuming you are
not playing Taiwanese rules (in which case it's 17 tiles instead of 14).
2. Is any scoring done at the end of a hand?
A. Yes, that's when the scoring is done. The way the hand(s) is(are) scored
depends on the game you are playing (are you playing Chinese? American? NMJL?
Japanese? Taiwanese?).
3. Or is it at the end of a round?
A. No, no scoring occurs at the end of a round -- that's just when the
prevailing wind changes (the deal has gone all the way around the table once).
4. Or is it only after someone declares Mahjong?
A. Yes, that's when the scoring is done. That's when the hand ends.
5. What determines the prevailing wind?
A. The first wind is always East. After the deal has gone around the table to
each player, the wind changes to South. 3rd round is West. 4th round is
North.
6. Our book says a round is four hands, does the wind change at the end of each
hand or round?
A1. Your book may have over-simplified -- sometimes the deal stays with a
player for several hands. Thus a round will be a minimum of 4 hands, not an
absolute 4 hands.
A2. No, the wind does not change at the end of a hand.
A3. Yes, the wind changes at the end of a round. After 4 rounds, the game is
over -- tally up scores to see who won.
Q. What book do you have? Post the response here or Email me -- you may need
a better book.
Tom Sloper, Activision
Senior Producer, Shanghai
tsl...@activision.com
Acts...@aol.com
Now available: SHANGHAI: DYNASTY (includes 4 Shanghai tile-matching modes,
plus the true game of Mah-Jongg, playable against any combination of human and
A.I. opponents, in both Chinese and Western rules). For a preview, see our
website:
http://www.activision.com/games/strategy/dynasty/index.html
Also available: SHANGHAI DOUBLE PACK (includes SHANGHAI II: DRAGON'S EYE and
SHANGHAI: GREAT MOMENTS.
Activision and Shanghai are registered trademarks, and Shanghai: Dynasty,
Shanghai II: Dragon's Eye, and Shanghai: Great Moments, are trademarks, of
Activision, Inc. (c) 1997 Activision. All rights reserved.
Alan Kwan
Hi, Tom, Margaret and Connie,
Tom, thanks for the clear and correct answers.
On 4 Jan 1998 03:20:43 GMT, acts...@aol.com (ACTSEARCH) wrote:
>Hi Margaret and Connie,
>You certainly did come to the right place.
>1. In playing mahjong, at what point is a hand completed? Is it when one
>player displays a pung or kong?
>A. No, the hand is completed when one player goes "out" (goes "Mah-Jongg") with
>a complete hand of 4 groups-of-three and a pair (14 tiles) -- assuming you are
>not playing Taiwanese rules (in which case it's 17 tiles instead of 14).
Yes. "Displaying a pong or kong" is merely one step towards
this goal of completing the hand.
>3. Or is it at the end of a round?
>A. No, no scoring occurs at the end of a round -- that's just when the
>prevailing wind changes (the deal has gone all the way around the table once).
In Modern Japanese mahjong, there is scoring at the end of a
"game" (which usually consists of only 1 or 2 rounds, instead of the
usual 4), and that scoring is very significant. (I hope I'm
not confusing beginnners.) However, there is no end-of-game
scoring in most other systems.
"Live life with Heart."
Alan Kwan / ta...@notme.netvigator.com
http://home.netvigator.com/~tarot (hard-core game reviews)
(remove anti-spam section "notme." from mailing address)
Tito Sanchez
I wish someone could give me a good book on scoring. I have been
playing Mah-jong for years, in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and
everyone scores things differently. Is there any basic set I could read
(in 中文, not English, as I find usually when I read these in English
these are rules written by Jewish ladies who have been playing in the US
- I have nothing against them but don't like the way they score).
If anyone could help I'd appreciate it!
Tito.
ACTSEARCH
>From: Tito Sanchez <jason_...@lgt.com.hk>
>I wish someone could give me a good book on scoring.
>usually when I read these in English
>these are rules written by Jewish ladies who have been playing in the US
>- I have nothing against them but don't like the way they score).
Tito,
There are a several good books available right there in HK.
THE CHINESE GAME OF MAHJONG 1979 by Samuel K. Perlmen and Mark Kai-Chi Chan,
Book
Marketing Ltd., ISBN 962-211-0169
Describes the Chinese rules as played today in Hong Kong. Covers both Old
Style and New Style.
LET'S PLAY MAHJONG! by Benny Constantino, 1990, Federal
Publications, ISBN 962-302-129-1
There's a good section on mahjong etiquette and a nice little glossary that
gives terms in Chinese characters along with their Cantonese pronunciations.
Write to Federal Publications Ltd., Units 903-905, Tower B, 9/F, Hunghom
Commercial Centre, 37 Ma Tau Wai Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel
334-2421.
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF MAH-JONGG 1977 by A.D. Millington, Arthur Barker Ltd.,
ISBN 0-213-16622-4
Describes Chinese (not American) rules.
Tom Sloper, Activision
Senior Producer, Shanghai
tsl...@activision.com
Acts...@aol.com
Now available: SHANGHAI: DYNASTY -- check our website for a preview:
http://www.activision.com/games/strategy/dynasty/index.html
Tito Sanchez
As odd as it sounds, many of these books are not widely available here.
I've tried the SCMP Family Bookstore, Bookazine, Times Bookstore, they
have no books at all on Mah-Jong. Next on the list to check are
Swindon's Kowloon and Page One Twins in Times Square (which I think
should have some).
Oh well. I'm teaching a new group how to play, so right now the scoring
isn't so important, we're working on spotting pungs and chi, how to go
out, etc.
Tito.
ACTSEARCH
>From: Tito Sanchez <jason_...@lgt.com.hk>
>As odd as it sounds, many of these books are not widely available here.
>I've tried the SCMP Family Bookstore, Bookazine, Times Bookstore, they
>have no books at all on Mah-Jong.
Tito,
My sister-in-law (she lives in HK) found the Constantino book easily for me.
Why don't you write directly to the publishers there in HK? I already gave you
the addresses.
Tito Sanchez
Tom,
Thanks, I actually went to the Page One twins in Causeway Bay and found
four or five of the titles the same day you posted this. They have a
good section both on Mahjong and on Chinese Chess.
If y'all are ever in Hongkers shoot me a mail and we'll get together for
a game.
Regards
Tito.
ACTSEARCH
>From: Tito Sanchez <jason_...@lgt.com.hk>
Hi Tito,
Glad you found the books. I don't get to HK very often but if I do I will
surely shoot you and Alan Kwan a mail.
Tom Sloper, Activision
Senior Producer, Shanghai
tsl...@activision.com
Available now: SHANGHAI: DYNASTY -- check our website for a preview:
http://www.activision.com/games/strategy/dynasty/index.html