Korean 2-Point Mahjong Ⅷ
– Standard Rules and Scoring for Beginners
Chapter 8. Game Process
The preparation process, which was a bit boring, has been all over, and now all players are ready to play in earnest. The full image of the broken wall and the four standing tiles is shown below.
Chapter 8.1 The Play
The game starts when the dealer (East Wind) discards a tile instead of drawing a tile from the wall. This is because East Wind has one more hand tiles (14 tiles) than Non-Dealers (13 tiles). After dealer’s first turn, if there is no claim, every turn must start with drawing a tile from the wall.
Each player takes his or her turn in order. Starting with East Wind, the turn order proceeds counter-clockwise South Wind, West Wind finally North Wind.
If a player does not want to claim a discarded tile, the player begins his turn by drawing a tile from the wall. After a player touches any tile in the wall with his hands, the player cannot claim a win, pung or kong.
The most recent discarded tile should be claimed for a pung or kong until the next player draws a tile. Before your upper (left) seat discards a tile, you may not draw a tile. Discarding before drawing is strictly prohibited.
After claiming a pung or kong, the player has to discard a tile. When a player claims a pung or kong, the order in turn is interrupted and passed to the player’s lower (right) seat. Then the player’s lower seat takes his turn and draws a tile.
The discarded tiles should be placed side by side left to right above each one’s own standing tiles, and face up. This clearly identifies who discarded which tiles in which order.
When a player discards a tile, the other two players can claim the discarded tile either to go out, or to complete a set of pung or kong. If two or three players claim the same tile at the same time, the order of precedence is to go out. Since there are only four tiles, pung and kong do not occur at the same time.
If two players claim the same tile for going out, according to the rule, the winner is the player who sitting to the right of the discarder. However, under some local rules, every player who claims for going out could be the winner.
It is not allowed to claim a pung or kong on the last discarded tile, but is allowed to claim for the win. A game lasts until a player has completed a winning hand and won, or a draw game occurs.
If the East discards a tile and the West claims the tile for a pung, the South will lose his turn and the North will take over the next turn. If the East discards a tile, and the West claims the tile for a pung and the North claims the tile for a win at the same time, The game ends with the win of the north. If the East discards a tile and both the West and the North declare the mahjong at once, the winner is the West.
Chapter 8.2 A Draw
There are two types of draws: “Exhaustive Draw” and “Abortive Draw”.
The most typical draw is when no one can declare a win until all the tiles in the wall are exhausted. It is called an exhaustive draw.
There are three types of abortive draws: “9 Major Tiles”, “Four Consistent Winds”, and “Triple Wins”.
➊ Nine Major Tiles
When a player brings initial hand tile, the player may have more than nine major tiles (no.1 and no.9 suit tiles and honor tiles). This hand tile is called “nine major tiles”. Two identical tiles are counted as one kind.
If a player has nine major tiles in his initial hand tile, the player may or may not declare an abortive draw. If an abortive draw occurs, the dealer of the current game will retain the dealer of the next game in the Korean 2-point mahjong.
➋ Four Consistent Winds
“Four consistent winds” is when all four players discard the same wind tiles in the first turn, like 4 consecutive east tiles. If a pung or kong is claimed during the first turn, the four consistent winds does not work. When four consistent winds occurs, the game ends in a draw at the moment.
➌ Triple Wins
When a player discards a tile, three other players may declare a win with the tile at the same time. This is called “Triple Wins”. When Triple Wins occurs, the game becomes a draw. In particular, the winning score in the next game immediately after the draw will be double the previous score.
Chapter 8.3 The Violation and Penalty
The most important thing for smooth progress is to comply with the rules. However, some serious rule violations may occur either by mistake or intention. Please refer to the items below for specific violations and penalty rules.
➊ Impossible to win
In case of this violation, the player will never be able to declare the win in the ongoing game.
(1) Intentional Expose
When a player intentionally exposes his hand tiles to others. As soon as he draws a tile from the wall, he need to discard the tile he just drew on the floor. The player cannot claim a pung or kong.
(2) A Long Hand
When a player accidentally has too many tiles. As soon as he draws a tile from the wall, he need to discard the tile he just drew on the floor. The player cannot claim a pung or kong.
(3) A Short Hand
When the player accidentally has too few tiles. The player cannot claim a pung or kong. However, he can choose and discard any tiles in his hand and claim a pung or kong.
(4) A Cheating
When a player accidentally hides tiles or illegally swaps them. As soon as he draws a tile from the wall, he need to discard the tile he just drew on the floor.
(5) A Wrong Declaration of Win
When a player fails to meet the requirement for win and accidentally declare the win. The most frequent mistake is to declare the win when the basic point is not 2 points, such as chicken hands. As soon as he draws a tile from the wall, he need to discard the tile he just drew on the floor.
(6) Providing information and advice
When one player provides various information or advice to another player.
➋ Impossible to win by a discarded tile
For this violation, the player cannot win the current game with a discarded tile. it is only possible with a self-draw.
(1) Wrong Pung or Kong
When a player makes a mistake in the process of making pung or kong.
(2) Wrong Replacement of flower
When a player makes a mistake in the process of replacement of flower tiles.
(3) An Erroneous Expose (after a wrong win declaration)
When a player erroneously exposes all his tiles after another player declared a wrong win declaration.
➌ Liability Payment
Because of this careless behavior, the player has to pay all the points by himself.
(1) Liability Payment of “Big Three Dragons”
For example, if East Wind already has two melded dragon pungs (or kongs) on the floor and West Wind discards a remaining dragon tile, whether mistaken or intentional, East Wind may end the game with the tile. The name of winning hand (yak) is “big three dragons”. In this case, West Wind has to pay alone all the point of three players.
Or, if East Wind completes third melded dragon pung (or kong) with the tile that West Wind discarded and then, after the turn, East Wind may win with the tile from North not from West Wind. In this case, also West Wind has to pay alone all the point of three players. North Wind does not have to pay a point.
(2) Liability Payment of “Big Four Winds”
For example, if East Seat already has three melded wind pungs (or kongs) on the floor and West Seat discards a remaining wind tile, whether mistaken or intentional, East Seat may end the game with the tile. The name of winning hand (yak) is “big four winds”. In this case, West Seat has to pay alone all the point of three players.
Or, if East Seat completes forth melded dragon pung (or kong) with the tile that West Seat discarded and then, after the turn, East Seat may win with the tile from North Seat not from West Seat. In this case, also West Seat has to pay alone all the point of three players. North Seat does not have to pay a point. This wait type must be a “single type of wait”.
