Hand
A specific pattern of tiles that constitutes a win in American Mahjong. Each year's NMJL card lists approximately 50-60 valid hand patterns organized by category.
What Is a Hand in American Mahjong?
In American Mahjong, a "hand" has two meanings. It can refer to the tiles a player currently holds on their rack, or more specifically, to one of the winning patterns listed on the NMJL card. When players say "I'm going for a hand," they mean they're trying to build a specific winning pattern.
Every valid winning hand is printed on the annual NMJL card. Unlike other Mahjong variants where many different combinations can win, American Mahjong requires your tiles to exactly match one of these predetermined patterns.
Hand Structure
Most hands consist of 14 tiles arranged in groups:
- Pairs, Two identical tiles
- Pungs, Three identical tiles
- Kongs, Four identical tiles
- Quints, Five identical tiles (require Jokers)
- Sextets, Six identical tiles (require multiple Jokers)
The specific combination of groups, the suits and values involved, and whether Jokers are permitted in each group are all dictated by the hand pattern on the card.
Choosing a Hand
One of the most important strategic decisions in American Mahjong is choosing which hand to pursue. After the Charleston and your first few draws, you should identify 2-3 possible hands and work toward the most promising one.
Factors in hand selection include:
- How many tiles you already have toward the hand
- Whether the hand is concealed (harder) or can use exposures (easier)
- The hand's point value (higher points = harder but worth more)
- Whether key tiles have already been discarded