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The Mahjong Guide symbolThe Mahjong Guide

How to Declare Mahjong

Declaring mahjong ends the hand, so verification should happen before the rack is pushed forward or tiles are mixed. The winning tiles must match one current-card line exactly, not approximately.

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Verify the hand before speaking

  • Count fourteen tiles, including exposures.
  • Match every group to one exact card line.
  • Confirm suit and color relationships.
  • Check concealed or exposed status.
  • Verify all joker placements.
  • Confirm the final tile was obtained legally.

How to reveal the win

  1. Say “mahjong” clearly.
  2. Place the winning tile with the hand.
  3. Expose the concealed portion in organized card order.
  4. Identify the matching section and line.
  5. Allow the table to verify the hand before tiles are shuffled.
  6. Apply the agreed scoring or payment rules.

Two ways to receive the winning tile

Self-picked

The player draws the winning tile from the wall during the normal turn. Some scoring systems assign a premium.

Called discard

The player claims the most recent discard because it completes the entire hand. A final pair or single may be completed this way for mahjong.

Do not expose first and verify later

Once the hand is revealed after a false declaration, play usually cannot continue normally. Quietly check the card, group sizes, and joker positions before announcing the win.

Winning questions

Can a concealed hand call the final discard?

Generally yes, because the discard completes the entire hand rather than creating an intermediate exposure.

Can a joker be the final tile?

A joker may complete an eligible pung-or-larger group, but not a single or pair.

What if two players call mahjong?

The governing priority rules determine the winner, usually based on turn order from the discarder when both claims are otherwise valid.

Fourteen-Tile Verification Map

Tile count
Count every concealed tile and every tile in an exposure. Physical tile count must equal fourteen at the completed hand.
Printed groups
Match each cluster to the spacing and group sizes on one exact card line.
Suit relationships
Apply the card colors consistently to suits and matching dragons.
Natural-only positions
Verify that singles and pairs contain no jokers.
Exposure status
Confirm that any face-up groups are allowed by the printed line.
Final tile source
Confirm whether the last tile was drawn, called legally, or obtained through a valid joker exchange.

Three Last-Tile Situations

Completing a Pair

The final discard may complete the winning pair even though a pair cannot normally be called as an intermediate exposure.

Completing a Joker-Eligible Group

A natural tile or joker may complete an eligible pung-or-larger group, subject to the exact line and normal turn rules.

Completing a Concealed Hand

A concealed hand may generally claim the final discard for mahjong because the call ends the game rather than creating an intermediate exposure.

Finish the hand correctly

American Mahjong Scoring Explained

Scoring

Apply card values and table rules.

American Mahjong Dead Hand Rules

Dead Hand Rules

Avoid an invalid declaration.

American Mahjong Rules Explained

Complete Rules

Review the full game sequence.

Keep reading

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