Joker Rules & Exchanges
Jokers are wild tiles that can substitute for any tile in a combination of 3 or more (Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet). Key rules to remember:
- No Singles or Pairs: Jokers may never represent a single tile or a pair.
- Joker Swapping: On your turn, if you hold the actual tile that an opponent has exposed with a Joker on their rack, you may swap your tile for their Joker before discarding.
- Dead Hands: If a player incorrectly exposes Jokers in a pair or makes an impossible call, their hand can be called "dead" by another player.
Scoring & Payout Principles
When a player declares "Mahjong!":
- Self-Picked Tile: All three other players pay double the listed hand value.
- Discard Claim: The player who discarded the winning tile pays double the value, while the other two players pay single value.
- Jokerless Hands: Non-Joker hands (excluding the Singles & Pairs section) typically receive double payment.
Table Etiquette & The Victory Gong
Maintain clean racking habits, announce discards clearly, and never touch the wall until the previous player's discard is officially dead. And once your winning hand is placed on the rack and verified, strike the gong on Mah-Gong to celebrate the victory!