Many people believe that mahjong is an ancient game, but the truth is that it emerged in the 19th century in China. It didn't take much time before its popularity started to ground in the entertainment industry across the globe.

This tile-based game witnessed another expansion thanks to the Internet. Players can now enjoy various mahjong titles on their computers, smartphones, and tablets. If you are new to this game or want to remind yourself of the essential things related to it, we advise reading this article to its end. Let's begin!

How to Win at Mahjong?

The most important thing you should learn before playing any game is how to win at it or, more precisely, the main goal. Four people usually play mahjong. Still, the computer versions allow players to enjoy it alone. Regardless of the format, the central goal is to create a winning hand by collecting and organizing tiles.

There are 144 tiles in mahjong divided into three specific categories. First, we have the suit tiles with three subcategories: characters, bamboo, and dots. With their help, you can create sets of three (pungs) or four matching tiles (kongs) or three subsequent tiles of the same suit (chows).

Regarding honor tiles, you should expect winds and dragons. The winds feature east, west, south, and north variants, while the dragons come in white, green, or red. They resemble the four cardinal directions and are usually used to determine the user's starting position.

As noted earlier, there are also bonus tiles. We will provide more information about them later in this article. So, winning a round of mahjong requires a collected title arrangement consisting of four sets and a pair.

Familiarizing Yourself with the Scoring System

Another thing every player should consider when playing mahjong is the scoring system. This is a complex system that you should learn carefully. Based on this knowledge, you can adjust your strategy according to your gaming style and expect better results in the long run.

Basically, the more complex the combinations are, the higher scores you can expect. For instance, combos of pungs and kongs only will provide more points than matching just two tiles.

We can compare this to video poker because you also get an opportunity to build hands based on predetermined patterns. Having a pair promises lower payouts than having three of a kind or a full house.

Furthermore, specific tiles like dragons and winds can boost your score. They are valuable and rare and contribute to the overall points. Remember that particular combos and conditions increase the multiplier (faan) count. This count is applied to the final score.

Players' positions within the wind rotation can affect scoring too. Some positions are linked to advantages and contribute differently than regular positions.

Getting More Thanks to the Flower and Season Tiles

As noted earlier, flower and season tiles work like bonus tiles. So, even though they don't participate in regular winning hands, that provides opportunities for receiving bonus points. First, we have the flowers drawn during a single game one by one. They replace the tiles drawn from the wall. Matching flowers create flower pairs which can provide extra points. They don't offer the same number of points because they appear in different forms (some rarer than others).

It's up to the player to decide whether they will keep or discard a flower tile. This decision ultimately affects the final score. In some mahjong variations, getting a hand with four flower tiles can provide a big bonus.

Regarding season tiles, their mechanic is not much different than flower tiles'. They are also drawn individually and provide extra points for matching season tiles. Once again, you must consider your strategy when using or discarding season tiles. In any case, using these bonus tiles makes mahjong more thrilling and riskier.

The Different Mahjong Variations

With a history of less than 200 years, mahjong may not be the oldest tile game, but it's definitely one of the most popular. As a result, we have witnessed its evolution over the decades and the emergence of different variations.

One of the most played mahjong variations is the Chinese one. Interestingly, it includes various rule sets and specific scoring. The unique hands make it more exciting.

Then there's the Japanese mahjong, also known as Riichi mahjong. The Riichi rule locks a player's hand and provides potential scoring benefits. Another advantage here is the more straightforward scoring system than most mahjong games. This time, yaku, representing specific combos or conditions that improve a hand's value, can play a significant role.

Many people find American mahjong to be superior in entertainment value. In many cases, it relies on standardized cards with combos and hands displayed on the cards. It's also possible to find joker tiles that count as any other tile.