Concealed Marking
The letter "C" printed next to a hand on the NMJL card, indicating that the hand must be played entirely concealed with no exposures allowed except when declaring Mah Jongg.
What Does the C Mean?
On the NMJL card, the letter C printed after a hand pattern means that hand must be played concealed. A concealed hand has strict rules:
- You cannot call any discards from other players during the game (except to declare Mah Jongg on your final tile).
- You cannot make any exposures on your rack.
- Every tile in your hand must come from the wall via self-draw or through the Charleston.
Concealed hands are marked with C because they are more difficult to complete without the ability to call tiles. To compensate, concealed hands are typically worth more points, often 35, 50, or even 100 points.
Not all sections have concealed hands. Some sections like Singles and Pairs are always concealed. Other sections mix open and concealed hands within the same category.
Strategic Implications
Choosing a concealed hand changes your entire game plan:
- No calling, You rely entirely on drawing from the wall. Your tile acquisition rate is one tile per turn with no shortcuts.
- Joker flexibility, Jokers can still be used in concealed hands (in groups of three or more), but you cannot benefit from Joker exchange since you have no exposures for opponents to exchange with.
- Stealth, The major advantage is invisibility. Opponents cannot read your hand because nothing is exposed. This makes defensive play against you nearly impossible.
- Higher reward, The elevated point values compensate for the difficulty. Winning a 50-point concealed hand earns double what a 25-point open hand would.
When scanning the card during hand selection, note which hands carry the C marking. If your starting tiles lean toward a concealed hand, be prepared for a slower, stealthier game where patience and favorable draws determine your success.