How to Play Mah Jongg: A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg: An Instruction Book to Learning the Rules, Sets, and Art of The Game

By Chad Bomberger

The Go-To Instruction Book To Learn The Rules, Sets, And Art Of The Game

How to Play Mah Jongg: A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg offers first-time players an easy-to-follow guide to this complex game. Using simple easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams this comprehensive guide walks you through each step of the game, including how to play, how to build a hand, how to record scores, how to develop winning strategies and win like a Pro.

In a lively, readable, and practical tone, this expert guide presents tips and tricks that will sharpen your skills so that you can play the Game like a professional. It also provides a comprehensive yet concise tutorial on the history of Mah Jongg, the Symbolism in Mah Jongg, the evolution of the game, the rules, and the various forms in which it is played. 

This book is just what you need if you want to learn everything about this complex game, improve your skills, knowledge of strategies and increase your winning ratio with impressive ease. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: CRB Publishing
• Release date: Nov 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781641868280

Book preview

Game

INTRODUCTION

The Chinese word ‘máquè,’ was one of the earliest names for the game of Mah Jongg, which means sparrow.

THE GAME OF MAH JONGG originated in China. It is pronounced with numerous variants Majiang, Mah Jongg or Mah Jong, and sometimes also referred to as one word i.e. MahJong. In most scenarios, all spellings are deemed correct.

Mah Jongg dates back to 1800s, though there is a lot of speculation regarding when exactly the game originated. However, almost all experts agree that the game originated in the land of China. It found its way in the United States during the 1920s.

Interestingly, another theory suggests that the game was exclusively played among China’s elite class. The commoners who were found playing it were imprisoned. Nevertheless, the game was made available to the public when the ban lifted in 500 BC.

Some claim that the game was developed in 500 BC by a Chinese teacher and philosopher, Confucius. He is also credited with developing numerous other board games. Although historians have yet to find a tile dated this old.

Quite a handful of historians believe that the game was invented among the army circles of China. The soldiers used to play this tile game to pass their time. After a while, the game found its way among the civilians who embraced it wholeheartedly.

Whatever may be the history of its origin, Mah Jongg did not only become popular in China but was welcomed all around the world with equal zeal and vigor. As it traveled around the world, various countries modified its rules and style of playing according to their culture.

The popularity of tile games in China dates back to 1120 AD. Dominoes, another type of tile game, have been a part of Chinese culture for a very long time. There is a good chance that the game originated in the Chekiang, Kiangsu, and Anhwei. Researchers believe that the game was popular among the nobles of the court of King Canton, Emperor of Nanking. The king’s court was acclaimed for its notorious pursuit of pleasure, game, and entertainment.

A rival theory suggests that the game was invented by two brothers who belonged to the area of Ningpo. Since this area is quite famous for its ivory carving, historians speculate that this is how the bamboo and ivory tiles came into being.

Nobody can trace the certainty of any of these deliberations. Nevertheless, it is certain that the game began to spring around in China during 1905. Over the

Reviews for How to Play Mah Jongg

[Michelle Rupprecht · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I was actually more confused about playing American Mah Jongg after reading some of this book. Very disjointed writing in this book. For example, he defines a Kong using the concept Pong without first telling the reader what a Pong is!

Many sentences simply didn’t make sense, almost like it was badly translated? And some of the rules the author mentions are definitely not part of American Mah Jongg. Even as a beginner I could envision ways a player could play the game that would contradict the author’s assertion that a certain play “always” must happen in a particular way. (One or two tiles in Kongs are always revealed, huh?)

It’s a short book but I didn’t need to read long to get frustrated. I couldn’t figure out if the author was talking about a different form of Mah Jongg, just couldn’t keep things in good order or was just generally confused. Either way, the explanations were not informative. I quickly deleted the book.