# Making sets (Hong Kong mahjong, lesson 2)

Chows, pungs, kongs and the pair. A hand is 4 sets and a pair. Interactive version: https://learnmahjongquick.com/learn-hong-kong-mahjong/making-sets

### 1. A winning hand

You win with 14 tiles: 4 sets and 1 pair. A set is 3 tiles that go together. A pair is 2 matching tiles.

- 2 sets: 1 Dot, 2 Dot, 3 Dot, 5 Bam, 5 Bam, 5 Bam
- 2 sets: 7 Crak, 8 Crak, 9 Crak, East, East, East
- 1 pair: Red Dragon, Red Dragon

### 2. Chow: 3 in a row

A chow is 3 numbers in a row, all in one suit.

- Chow (3, 4, 5 Dots): 3 Dot, 4 Dot, 5 Dot
- Not a chow (Different suits): 3 Dot, 4 Bam, 5 Crak
- Not a chow (Not in a row): 2 Crak, 4 Crak, 6 Crak
- Not a chow (Honors have no numbers): East, South, West

Note: If you know American mahjong: runs like this are allowed here.

### 3. Pung: 3 alike

A pung is 3 matching tiles. Same number and same suit, or the same honor.

- Pung (Three 7 Bams): 7 Bam, 7 Bam, 7 Bam
- Pung (Three Norths): North, North, North
- Not a pung (Different suits): 3 Dot, 3 Bam, 3 Crak

### 4. Kong: 4 alike

A kong is 4 matching tiles. It counts as one set, the same as a pung.

- Kong (Four 6 Dots): 6 Dot, 6 Dot, 6 Dot, 6 Dot
- Kong (Four Green Dragons): Green Dragon, Green Dragon, Green Dragon, Green Dragon

Note: When you make a kong, you take one extra tile. Lesson 5 shows how.

### 5. Make a chow

Try it: Pick 3 tiles that make a chow in Bams. Tiles to pick from: 4 Bam, 5 Dot, 8 Bam, East, 5 Bam, 6 Crak, 6 Bam.

### 6. Make a pung

Try it: Pick 3 tiles that make a pung of Green Dragons. Tiles to pick from: Green Dragon, Red Dragon, Green Dragon, 2 Bam, White Dragon, Green Dragon, 1 Bam.

### 7. Quiz: Name that set

- Q: What is this? [1 Dot, 2 Dot, 3 Dot] A: Chow
- Q: What is this? [9 Bam, 9 Bam, 9 Bam] A: Pung
- Q: What is this? [White Dragon, White Dragon, White Dragon, White Dragon] A: Kong
- Q: What is this? [2 Crak, 2 Crak] A: Pair
- Q: What is this? [4 Bam, 5 Bam, 6 Dot] A: Not a set. A chow must be all one suit.
- Q: What is this? [East, South, West] A: Not a set. Winds have no numbers, so they can't make a chow.
- Q: What makes a winning hand? A: 4 sets and a pair

## What this lesson teaches

- A chow is 3 in a row in one suit. A pung is 3 alike. A kong is 4 alike.
- Honors can make pungs and kongs, never chows.
- A winning hand is 4 sets and a pair.