Bam
One of the three suits in Mahjong, depicting bamboo sticks. Numbered 1 through 9 with 4 copies of each, totaling 36 Bam tiles in a set. Also known as Bamboo or Sticks.
What Are Bam Tiles?
Bam (short for Bamboo) is one of the three suits in American Mahjong, alongside Crak and Dot. The suit contains tiles numbered 1 through 9, with 4 copies of each number, giving a total of 36 Bam tiles in a standard set.
Bam tiles are visually distinctive, they depict green bamboo sticks arranged in patterns that correspond to the tile's number. The 2 Bam shows two sticks, the 5 Bam shows five sticks, the 9 Bam shows nine sticks, and so on. The notable exception is the 1 Bam, which traditionally features a bird (often a peacock, sparrow, or other ornamental bird) instead of a single bamboo stick. This artistic tradition dates back centuries and makes the 1 Bam one of the most recognizable tiles in any Mahjong set.
The name "Bamboo" reflects the tile imagery, while "Bam" is the standard shorthand used by American Mahjong players. You will also occasionally hear the suit called "Sticks," though this is less common. On the NMJL card, Bam tiles are shown in blue or green ink to distinguish them from the other suits.
Bam Tiles on the NMJL Card
On the NMJL card, Bam tiles are printed in blue or green, the specific shade can vary by year, but the color consistently distinguishes Bam from Crak (red) and Dot (black/dark blue). When the card shows a number in blue/green, it refers to a Bam tile of that value.
Bam tiles appear in hands across every category on the card. Some hands are suit-flexible (meaning you could use Bam, Crak, or Dot), while others specify Bam explicitly. Hands that combine tiles from all three suits often assign each suit a different role, for example, a hand might need pairs in Bam, Pungs in Crak, and Kongs in Dot.
When building your hand, remember that each Bam number has only 4 copies in the set. Building a Kong of 8 Bam requires all four 8-Bam tiles, which means even one copy in the discard pile reduces your chances. Jokers become essential for groups larger than a Kong, a Quint of any Bam number is impossible without at least one Joker.
During the Charleston, deciding whether to keep or pass your Bam tiles is an early signal of your strategic direction. Passing away Bams commits you toward Crak, Dot, or honor-based (Wind/Dragon) hands.
Identifying Bam Tiles
For new players, Bam tiles are generally easy to spot thanks to the distinctive bamboo stick imagery. Here is what to look for:
- 1 Bam: A bird (peacock, sparrow, or similar), the only Bam tile without visible bamboo sticks
- 2-4 Bam: Two to four bamboo sticks arranged simply, easy to count
- 5-9 Bam: Five to nine sticks in denser arrangements, sometimes requiring a quick count
Most modern American Mahjong sets print Arabic numerals on the tiles alongside the traditional artwork, which makes identification effortless even for beginners. The green coloring of the bamboo sticks also provides a visual cue, if you see green sticks on a tile, it is a Bam.
The 1 Bam with its bird design is a beloved tradition in Mahjong, and many collectors appreciate sets with particularly beautiful or unusual bird artwork on this tile.