# Making sets (American mahjong, lesson 2)

Pairs, pungs, kongs and quints, and where jokers fit. Interactive version: https://learnmahjongquick.com/learn-american-mahjong/making-sets

### 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.

### 2. 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.

### 4. 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.

### 7. 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.

### 8. 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.

### 9. Quiz: Name that set

- Q: What is this? [5 Dot, 5 Dot] A: Pair
- Q: What is this? [2 Bam, 2 Bam, 2 Bam] A: Pung
- Q: What is this? [Flower, Flower, Flower, Flower] A: Kong
- Q: What is this? [4 Crak, 4 Crak, 4 Crak, 4 Crak, Joker] A: Quint
- Q: What is this? [4 Bam, 5 Bam, 6 Bam] A: Not a set. A run like 4, 5, 6 is not a set in American mahjong.
- Q: What is this? [6 Dot, 6 Bam, 6 Crak] A: Not a set. Different suits don't match.
- Q: Is this a pair? [East, Joker] A: 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.