Pick and Rack
The process of picking up tiles from the wall and organizing them on your rack at the start of a game. This initial distribution establishes each player's starting hand of 13 tiles (14 for the dealer).
What Is Pick and Rack?
Right after the wall gets broken, it's time to pick and rack. You'll grab tiles in a set order, pulling them from the wall and arranging them on your rack. East (the dealer) ends up with 14 tiles. Everyone else gets 13. Simple as that.
Why does this matter? Because it's fair. Everyone knows exactly where each tile comes from, and nobody gets shortchanged. You see it done the same way whether you're playing casually at home or in a tournament setting.
Step-by-Step Process
The pick-and-rack process follows a strict order determined by the wall break. Starting from the break point, East picks the first two stacks (4 tiles). Then South picks the next two stacks, then West, then North. This rotation continues until each player has picked three rounds of 4 tiles (12 tiles each).
For the final pick, East takes 2 tiles (one from the top of each of the next two stacks), bringing East's total to 14. South, West, and North each take 1 tile in order, bringing their totals to 13. The remaining wall tiles stay in place for drawing during gameplay.
During this process, tiles should be drawn smoothly from the wall and placed onto each player's rack. Players typically wait until all picking is complete before organizing their tiles.
Organizing Your Tiles
Once everyone's picked, it's time to organize. Most players group by suit: Craks together, Bams together, Dots together. Numbers go in order. Winds, Dragons, and Jokers hang out at one end.
Take your time, but don't dawdle. Maybe 20-30 seconds total. You want your tiles sorted so you can start looking at the NMJL card and think about the Charleston.
Keep your rack tilted toward you. Your opponents shouldn't see what you've got. That's just how the game works.
Etiquette and Common Mistakes
Proper conduct during pick and rack includes several important guidelines. Do not comment on the quality of your draw ("Great hand!" or "I'm dead already"). Such remarks are considered poor etiquette and can influence other players' strategies.
Common mistakes include picking tiles out of order, taking too many or too few tiles, and disrupting the wall structure while picking. If a tile is accidentally exposed during picking, it should be placed back and the group should decide how to handle it. In tournament play, specific rules govern exposed tiles.
Another frequent error is organizing tiles too slowly, holding up the start of the Charleston. Be considerate of other players' time while still being thorough enough to avoid mistakes.