What Is a Sextet in American Mahjong?
A sextet is a six-tile group shown as one connected unit on an American mahjong card. It is larger than a pung, kong, or quint and must be read exactly as printed. The six positions may represent matching tiles, a repeated number structure, or another card-specific arrangement, so the word sextet describes the group size rather than one universal tile pattern.
Sextet Basics
- Group size
- Six tile positions that belong together as one printed unit.
- Card spacing
- The lack of a gap between symbols shows that the six positions form one group.
- Joker eligibility
- Jokers may normally be used in an eligible group of three or more, unless the card or hand type requires natural tiles.
- Exposure status
- An exposed sextet must match the exact printed group and remain legal for the selected hand.
Read the Printed Group Before Naming It
Do not assume every run of six symbols is a sextet. A printed line may contain a pair beside a kong, two pungs, or six individual positions separated into smaller groups. The spaces on the card determine where one group ends and the next begins.
Before exposing tiles, trace the symbols from left to right and identify each printed group. If all six positions are connected with no separating gap, treat them as one six-tile unit. If the card separates them, build the smaller groups exactly as shown.
Sextet Versus Other Group Sizes
Kong
Four matching positions in one group. It may often contain natural tiles and jokers.
Quint
Five positions in one group. Because only four natural copies of an ordinary tile exist, many quint structures require at least one joker.
Sextet
Six positions in one group. Its exact composition and joker needs depend on the printed card line.
Before Building or Exposing a Sextet
- Confirm that all six positions form one printed group.
- Check the required suit, number, wind, dragon, flower, or year relationship.
- Verify whether the hand is exposed or concealed.
- Use jokers only where the card and standard joker rules allow them.
- Do not treat nearby pairs or singles as part of the sextet.
- Recheck the complete line before calling a discard.
Sextet Questions
Does a sextet always use six identical tiles?
No. The exact symbols on the card control the tile relationship. Sextet refers to the six-position group size.
Can a sextet contain jokers?
Often yes, because it is a group of three or more, but the current card and any natural-tile restrictions remain controlling.
Can I expose a sextet?
Only when the selected hand is exposure-eligible and the exposed tiles match the exact printed group.