# Choosing a hand (American mahjong, lesson 4)

How to find the hand on the card that fits your tiles. Interactive version: https://learnmahjongquick.com/learn-american-mahjong/choosing-a-hand

### 1. Start with your tiles

The card has many hands. You don't need to read them all.

- Look at your tiles first.
- Notice what you have a lot of: a number, even numbers, winds…
- That points you to one part of the card, called a section.
- Then look only at the hands in that section.

### 2. What your tiles point to

Each section of the card uses certain tiles.

- Evens (2, 4, 6, 8): 2 Bam, 4 Dot, 6 Crak, 8 Bam
- Odds (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): 1 Dot, 3 Bam, 5 Crak, 7 Dot, 9 Bam
- 2026 (2s, Soaps, 6s): 2 Dot, Soap, 2 Dot, 6 Dot
- Winds & Dragons (Winds and dragons): North, East, Red Dragon, Green Dragon

### 3. Three more sections

- Like Numbers (One number in every suit): 5 Crak, 5 Bam, 5 Dot
- Consecutive Run (Numbers in a row): 3 Dot, 4 Dot, 5 Dot, 6 Dot
- 369 (3s, 6s and 9s): 3 Bam, 6 Bam, 9 Bam

Note: There is also Singles & Pairs. Those hands are concealed and use no jokers, so they are harder for beginners.

### 4. Count what you have

- Pairs and sets you already hold count the most.
- Jokers fit any set of 3 or more. They help almost any hand.
- Flowers fit many hands. Keep them early.
- The best hand is the one that needs the fewest new tiles.

### 5. Which hand is closest?

Your tiles have lots of even Bams.

Try it: Which card hand is closest to these tiles? 2 Bam, 2 Bam, 4 Bam, 4 Bam, 4 Bam, 6 Bam, 8 Bam, 8 Bam, Green Dragon, Flower, 3 Crak, 7 Dot, North. Choices: evens-1, odds-1, winds-1 (House Card ids).

### 6. Which hand is closest?

Look for 2s, Soaps and 6s.

Try it: Which card hand is closest to these tiles? Flower, Flower, 2 Dot, 2 Dot, Soap, Soap, 6 Dot, 2 Crak, 2 Crak, 2 Bam, Joker, East, 7 Bam. Choices: evens-2, year-1, like-1 (House Card ids).

### 7. One more

Count the 3s, 6s and 9s.

Try it: Which card hand is closest to these tiles? 3 Dot, 3 Dot, 6 Dot, 6 Dot, 6 Dot, 9 Dot, 9 Dot, 3 Bam, 4 Bam, 5 Crak, Soap, Joker, East. Choices: run-3, odds-1, 369-1 (House Card ids).

### 8. Stay ready to change

- At the start, keep 2 or 3 hands in mind.
- In the Charleston, pass tiles none of them use.
- After the Charleston, go for the closest one.
- If other players take the tiles you need, switch to your next hand.
- In a game, tap Card to see the hands you are closest to.

### 9. Quiz: Choosing a hand

- Q: You have lots of these. Which section should you look at? [2 Bam, 4 Bam, 6 Bam, 8 Bam] A: Evens
- Q: Which section uses these? [North, North, East, South] A: Winds & Dragons
- Q: Which section uses these? [2 Dot, Soap, 2 Dot, 6 Dot] A: 2026
- Q: Which hand should you go for? A: The one that needs the fewest new tiles. Go for the hand you are closest to. A bigger value doesn't help if you can't finish it.
- Q: Do you have to remember the whole card? A: No. Keep the card in front of you. Everyone looks at it while they play.

## What this lesson teaches

- Start with your tiles, then look at the section they fit.
- Go for the hand that needs the fewest new tiles.
- Keep 2 hands in mind until after the Charleston.