Scoring Chart

The system for assigning point values to winning hands and determining payment amounts in American Mahjong. The NMJL card assigns specific point values to each hand, with payment rules varying based on how the winner completes their hand.

Point Values on the NMJL Card

The NMJL card is your go-to reference for hand values. Simple as that. Every winning pattern gets a point value assigned. Usually somewhere between 25 and 75, maybe more.

Why the variation? Some hands require more precise tiles. A quint takes planning and luck. Concealed hands demand patience and skill. Easy patterns are worth less. That's just how it works.

Here's the thing though: the card changes every year. What was worth 50 in spring might be 40 now. Patterns get removed. New ones appear. You'll want to really study the new card when it comes out. Find the sections you like. Spot hands that match your tiles.

Standard Payment Rules

So. You won. Who pays? How much?

It depends on how you completed your hand. Called someone's discard? That player pays double. Everyone else pays the regular amount. It feels harsh. But think about it, they threw the winning tile.

Let's say it's a 30-point hand. The person who discarded pays 60. The other two? 30 each. You collect 120 total. This double payment rule is basic Mahjong theory. The real financial hit teaches you to be careful. Especially late in a game when opponents are close to winning, every discard matters.

Self-Drawn Wins

Draw your winning tile from the wall? Everyone pays double. Simple as that.

Take that 30-pointer again. Now it becomes 180 total instead of 120. Each opponent pays 60. That's a real difference in your pocketbook.

And this matters strategically. The extra money for self-draw is tempting. Some players will hold tight, refusing to call a discard, betting that the right tile comes from the wall. It's a gamble. Do you grab the sure thing and accept the smaller payout? Or do you wait, hoping for self-draw and the bigger score? These decisions pile up across a session and shape how the game gets played.

Chip Setup and Score Tracking

At the table's start, everyone gets chips. Four stacks of colors. White, red, green, black. They represent different values. 1 point, 5 points, 10 points, 25 points. The breakdown varies by group.

Why chips and not cash? Because pushing paper money around is messy and slow. Chips look better. The tactile feeling of moving them is satisfying. Players trade chips after each hand according to the score. At the session's end, count them up.

Some groups skip chips entirely. Apps track everything digitally. Paper scorecards work too. What matters is keeping clear records of wins and losses. Whoever has the most chips at the end is the session winner.