Mah Jongg in Error

When a player declares Mah Jongg, they must clearly display (expose) their complete 14-tile hand on top of their rack. All other players should then verify that this hand meets the requirements of one of the hands listed on the current NMJL Card.

Invalid Mah Jongg (Mah Jongg in Error)

If the declared Mah Jongg hand does not meet the requirements of one of the hands on the current NMJL Card:

  • The player’s hand is dead.
  • They cannot pick, discard, or claim tiles for the rest of the game.

Exposures and Mah Jongg in Error

If the declared Mah Jongg hand is invalid, the following rules apply to the player’s exposures:

  • If the player was playing an Exposed Hand (X):
    • Any valid exposures that occurred before Mah Jongg in Error remain on top of the player’s rack, including any Jokers which are available for a Joker Exchange.
    • Any exposures that occurred during the Mah Jongg in Error, must be returned to the player’s sloping part of their rack, including any Jokers.
  • If the player was playing a Concealed Hand (C):
    • All tiles must be returned to the sloping part of their rack.

Resuming Play After Mah Jongg in Error

Provided none of the following has occurred, the game continues for the remaining active players:

  • No other player has exposed tiles from the sloping part of their rack.
  • No player has thrown their tiles onto the playing area, destroying their hand.
  • No other player has disturbed or destroyed the walls of tiles.

Immediate Withdrawal of Mah Jongg Declaration

A player who declares Mah Jongg but immediately recognizes they do not have a winning hand may withdraw their declaration without penalty if none of the following actions have occurred:

  • The player has not exposed any tiles from the sloping part of their rack.
  • No other player has exposed tiles from the sloping part of their rack.
  • No player has thrown their tiles onto the playing area, destroying their hand.
  • No other player has disturbed or destroyed the walls of tiles.

Changing Mah Jongg Declaration to a Discarded Tile Claim

If a player declares Mah Jongg by claiming a discarded tile but realizes they do not have Mah Jongg, they may convert their Mah Jongg declaration to a discarded tile claim, provided:

  • The player has not exposed any tiles other than those related to the claimed discarded tile exposure.
  • No other player has exposed tiles from the sloping part of their rack.
  • No player has thrown their tiles onto the playing area, destroying their hand.
  • No other player has destroyed their hand or disturbed the walls of tiles

Simultaneous Claim for Same Discarded Tile for Mah Jongg with Mah Jongg in Error

If two players claim the same discarded tile simultaneously for Mah Jongg:

  • Preference is given to the player who is next in turn (to the right of the discarder), unless the other claimant has already begun exposing tiles from their hand specifically for that claimed tile, in which case the player who exposed tiles first has preference.
  • If both players have begun exposing tiles from their hand, it is recommended that preference returns to the player next in turn.
    • Note: The NMJL does not have a specific rule stating who has preference when both players have exposed tiles in attempt to claim the discarded tile.
  • If the player with preference has an invalid Mah Jongg (Mah Jongg in Error), the discarded tile is then awarded to the next player who claimed it for Mah Jongg.

Simultaneous Claim for Same Discarded Tile for Mah Jongg vs Exposure with Mah Jongg in Error

If two players simultaneously claim a discarded tile—one for Mah Jongg and another for an exposure, the Mah Jongg claim takes precedence.

  • A Mah Jongg declaration always takes precedence, even if another player has already begun exposing tiles to claim the discarded tile for an exposure.
  • If the Mah Jongg declaration is invalid (Mah Jongg in Error), the claimed discarded tile remains in the dead hand.
    • If a player exposes tiles to claim a discarded tile for an exposure but loses precedence to another player’s Mah Jongg declaration, their hand is now dead due to exposing tiles without successfully claiming a discarded tile.

One Player Actions After Mah Jongg Declaration Becomes Mah Jongg in Error

  • If a player exposes tiles from the sloping part of their rack or throws their tiles onto the playing area upon hearing a Mah Jongg declaration, and that declaration is later found to be invalid (Mah Jongg in Error), the player who exposed or discarded their tiles prematurely now has a dead hand.
    • The two remaining players (Player C and Player D) continue playing. If Player C’s hand is later declared dead, Player C pays Player D double the value of the hand Player C was attempting to complete.
  • If a player destroys any of the remaining walls after hearing a Mah Jongg declaration, and that declaration is determined invalid (Mah Jongg in Error), the game ends. The player who destroyed the wall pays each remaining active player the value of the lowest-valued hand on the current NMJL Card.

Two Player Actions After Mah Jongg Declaration Becomes Mah Jongg in Error

  • If two players expose tiles from the sloping part of their racks or discard their tiles onto the playing area upon hearing a Mah Jongg declaration, and that declaration is later found to be invalid (Mah Jongg in Error), both players who exposed or discarded their tiles prematurely now have a dead hand.
  • The player who incorrectly declared Mah Jongg must pay the remaining active player, who made no errors, double the value of the hand that was incorrectly declared.

Mah Jongg in Error With Concealed Hand (“C”)

  • If a player declares Mah Jongg with a Concealed Hand (“C”) and the declaration is found to be invalid (Mah Jongg in Error), all tiles must be returned to the sloping part of their rack.