![]() When a round is finished, the position of dealer shifts to the player on the dealer’s right. The dealer is assigned the position of East wind and play proceeds in a counter-clockwise motion to the other players, each of whom is assigned the wind respective to their position in regard to the dealer. Mahjong: Standard GameĪ standard game begins with the players choosing a dealer either by means of a high-scoring roll of the dice or by the blind drawing of wind tiles (featured in image below). Some sets may also include countersto help with scoring and racks into which players may place their tiles so they remain hidden from the other players. Mahjong: The DiceĪ mahjong set will also include a number of dice with which players determine who is to deal and where the dealing is to begin and a marker to show who is dealing and which round is being played. The honor tiles are divided between dragons (red, green and white) and winds (east, south, west and north) while the optional bonus tiles (flowers and seasons) are used mainly for the purposes of scoring and gambling. There are four copies of each of these tile in a set. In mahjong there are three suits for simples:Įach suit consists of nine tiles numbered one through nine. ![]() ![]() There are three categories of tiles:Īs is the case with a set of playing cards, the simples fall into suits. The most distinctive pieces in a mahjong set are undoubtedly the tiles.īased originally on paper cards, the tiles are now solid, chunky pieces with an image or character on one side (similar in a sense to a domino) and a thick backing of bamboo or, more usually these days, plastic on the other. The goal in mahjong is to complete a set with your tiles similar to a poker or rummy hand.Īnyone used to card games where a winning hand consists of a straight flush or a full house can easily get their head around the basic rules of mahjong. You'll need to sign up before you sail.This quintessentially Chinese game is, in fact, very similar to a number of Western card games such as rummy. Cruise Critic's onboard meet & mingle get-togethers are also a perfect place to find additional players for your game - in addition to meeting avid cruise fans. You can get to know your fellow cruisers before stepping foot onboard and you can post a message asking who'd like to meet up for a game of mah jongg on the first sea day. Before you leave home, join your cruise's roll call on Cruise Critic's message boards. If you're not traveling with enough mah jongg aficionados to play a game onboard, you'll need to recruit extra players. How to Find Other Mah Jongg Players Onboard It's not an ideal solution, but it's better than showing up for a game only to realize that the ship's mah jongg set is incomplete or missing altogether. While mah jongg game boards can be large and bulky, you can find lightweight travel sets and versions that utilize cards instead of tiles to help make the game more portable. Related: TSA-Friendly Travel Gear for Your Next CruiseĪlternatively, consider bringing your own set. Voila! Now you'll have a complete set that's ready for a game with your new cruise buddies. Or, grab an extra tile from another set, place easily removable washi tape on the top and write the character or symbol for the missing tile. You might find that you need access to a few onboard sets in order to compose one complete set that's ready for play with your group.īring some supplies with you for "mah jongg emergencies." For example, re-create missing tiles using Post-its that can be cut down to tile size and used in place of the missing pieces. It's wise to locate the sets as early as possible onboard and do a quick check to make sure all 144 tiles are accounted for. While you might find one or more mah jongg sets onboard your cruise ship, it might not be a complete set. Those little devils go missing easily, especially on a cruise ship where curious bystanders or children might handle the set and use the pieces for other purposes. If you play mah jongg regularly, you're no stranger to the small tiles that are integral to the game. Related: Top 5 Reasons to Love Thanksgiving Cruises
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