Babcock's Rules for Mah-Jongg/Chapter 9
MAH-JONGG for Three Players.
MAH-JONGG is a good game for three players, as well as four. In the three-handed game the procedure in general is the same as for the four-handed game, with the following exceptions which should be carefully noted.
The four West Winds are removed from the set, leaving a total of 132 tiles. The wall is built in three rows of 44 tiles each (22 tiles long and two high). These three rows are then shoved forward to form a triangle.
"East" is determined as in the four-handed game. The player to his right is South and to his left North, without regard to the intervening vacant seat at the table. There is no West. Each of the three players is responsible for building and, if so indicated by the dice, opening one side of the wall. East throws the two dice and counts off in a counterclockwise direction, beginning with himself as one, the number indicated by the total of the two dice. Thus, if the two dice total
| 1, 4, 7, 10, East himself retains the dice for the second throw. |
| 2, 5, 8, 11, South takes the dice for the second throw. |
| 3, 6, 9, 12, North takes the dice for the second throw. |
The rest of the procedure is the same as in the four-handed game except that on the original draw East must take his thirteenth and fourteenth tiles on two distinct draws and not on one draw as is done in the four-handed game (see Page 11).
The scoring is the same except that the total number of points won and lost is generally less than in the four-handed game, and it is, therefore, customary to play the three-handed game with a higher Limit, usually 600 points.
MAH-JONGG for Two Players.
MAH-JONGG may also be played by two players.
The entire set of 136 tiles is used and four walls built as in the four-handed game. Each player builds his own wall and the wall to his right.
The two players alternate as East and West. East takes care of all the duties that would be performed by South in the four-handed game in connection with throwing the dice and opening the wall; similarly West takes care of the duties that would be performed by North in this respect.
East is entitled to double his score for three (or four) South Winds, as well as for three (or four) East Winds. West is entitled to double his score for three (or four) North Winds, as well as for three (or four) West Winds.
In the two-handed game it is very much easier to obtain a complete hand than in the ordinary four-handed game. It is usually understood, therefore, that neither player be allowed to declare for MAH-JONGG unless he has a complete hand containing two or more doubling combinations.
The scores are consequently much larger than in the four-handed game and one-suit hands are frequent. The Limit is usually fixed at 300 points.
MAH-JONGG for Five Players.
This is a variation of the game which will hold the attention and interest of a fifth player.
Five rounds are played instead of four, each of the players in turn sitting out for one round while the other four players play as in the ordinary four-handed game.
After every hand, each of the three losers pays the player who is sitting out the base score 20 points, and for every double in the winning hand, these three players must double the number of points to be paid to the fifth player. For example, if South wins with a hand containing two doubles, North and West must each pay the fifth player 80 points and East must pay him 160 points—this in addition to what these three players must pay South—South would pay out nothing—nor does the fifth player pay out anything even to the winner.
It is evident, therefore, that the player sitting out does nothing but receive counters during one round and pays out nothing, not even to the winner of the hand. This serves to hold the interest of the player while he sits out and is fair to all players as each player sits out for one round in turn.
Progressive MAH-JONGG.
If desired, where there are two or more tables, MAH-JONGG can be played as a progressive game.
Four hands are played at each table. East passes each hand, each player having a turn as East. In the event of a Dead Hand, East also passes.
At the end of four hands the players figure up their counters to find the number of points won or lost and enter these as plus or minus scores on cards provided for the purpose. Care should be taken that the totals of the plus and minus scores at the end of the four hands balance before they are entered on the cards.
The two players having the highest scores then progress to the next table where four more hands are played in the same way. The two players with the lowest scores remain at the same table for another four hands, but are privileged to change their seats.
Before starting play, as soon as each new table is ready, counters are redistributed, 2,000 points to each player.
The players progress in this way from table to table, and at the end of the play the plus and minus scores on each player's card are totaled and the highest net score determines the winner of the progressive competition play.
One Dice Throw.
Some players start a hand by throwing the two dice only once: this throw indicating both the wall to be opened and the tiles to be removed. For example, if a six and one are thrown, making seven, then the seventh pair of tiles in West's wall are removed.