Making sets
American mahjong, lesson 2. Pairs, pungs, kongs and quints, and where jokers fit.
1. A hand is 14 tiles
You win by making your 14 tiles into sets. A set is a group of matching tiles.
- Pair (2 alike): 5 Dot, 5 Dot
- Pung (3 alike): 7 Bam, 7 Bam, 7 Bam
- Kong (4 alike): North, North, North, North
- Quint (5 alike): 2 Crak, 2 Crak, 2 Crak, 2 Crak, Joker
Note: There are only 4 of each tile, so a quint needs a joker. Flowers are different: there are 8.
Go to step 12. Alike means exactly alike
Same number and same suit.
- Pung (All 3 Dots): 3 Dot, 3 Dot, 3 Dot
- Not a set (Different suits): 3 Dot, 3 Bam, 3 Crak
- Not a set (Different numbers): 3 Dot, 3 Dot, 4 Dot
3. No runs
In some games, 3, 4, 5 in one suit is a set, called a run. In American mahjong, it is not.
- Not a set (A run): 3 Dot, 4 Dot, 5 Dot
- Yes (Three pungs in a row): 3 × 3 Dot, 3 × 4 Dot, 3 × 5 Dot
Note: Numbers in a row still matter. Some hands ask for a set of each number, like the pungs above.
Go to step 34. Flowers all match
Any flowers make a set, even with different pictures.
- Pung (3 flowers): Flower, Flower, Flower
- Pair (2 flowers): Flower, Flower
5. Where jokers fit
A joker can stand in for any tile in a set of 3 or more.
- Yes (Pung): 7 Bam, 7 Bam, Joker
- Yes (Kong): East, East, Joker, Joker
- No (Never in a pair): 5 Dot, Joker
6. Make a pung
Try it: Pick 3 tiles that make a pung of 7 Bams. Tiles to pick from: 7 Bam, 7 Dot, 7 Bam, 7 Crak, Joker, 4 Bam, 7 Bam.
Go to step 67. Make a kong
Try it: Pick 4 tiles that make a kong of North winds. Tiles to pick from: North, South, North, Joker, East, Green Dragon, Joker.
Go to step 78. Make a pair
Try it: Pick 2 tiles that make a pair of Red Dragons. Tiles to pick from: Red Dragon, Joker, 1 Crak, Green Dragon, Red Dragon.
Go to step 89. Quiz: Name that set
Question: What is this? [5 Dot, 5 Dot]
Answer: Pair
Question: What is this? [2 Bam, 2 Bam, 2 Bam]
Answer: Pung
Question: What is this? [Flower, Flower, Flower, Flower]
Answer: Kong
Question: What is this? [4 Crak, 4 Crak, 4 Crak, 4 Crak, Joker]
Answer: Quint
Question: What is this? [4 Bam, 5 Bam, 6 Bam]
Answer: Not a set. A run like 4, 5, 6 is not a set in American mahjong.
Question: What is this? [6 Dot, 6 Bam, 6 Crak]
Answer: Not a set. Different suits don't match.
Question: Is this a pair? [East, Joker]
Answer: No. Jokers can't be used in a pair.
What this lesson teaches
- Sets are matching tiles: a pair (2), pung (3), kong (4) or quint (5).
- Matching means the same number and the same suit.
- Jokers fit sets of 3 or more, never a pair.
