Hand Value and Payment

Base Hand Values

• Every hand listed on the current NMJL CardThe product published annually by the National Mah Jongg League which dictates the collection of groupings that will form the… More has an assigned hand value.
• When a player declares Mah Jongg, the assigned hand value is used to determine the amount each player pays the winner.
• At least one player always pays the winner double the assigned hand value.
  • Except when a player’s error requires them to pay four times the hand’s value—this is known as “paying for the table.”

Calculated Total Hand Value

• Mah Jongg from a Discarded Tile
  • Player who discarded the winning tile pays double the base hand value.
  • All other players pay the base hand value.
• Mah Jongg from Self-Picked Wall Tile
  • All players pay double the base hand value.
• Mah Jongg via Joker Exchange
  • Treated as self-pickedWhen a player obtains the final tile (14th tile) to make a winning hand (Mah Jongg) by either picking the… More.
  • All players pay double the base hand value.
• Jokerless Hand Bonus
  • A hand that contains no JokersThe Joker tiles are typically engraved with the word “Joker” and a symbol indicating that this tile is special.Joker tiles… More receives an additional doubling, resulting in up to four times the base hand value.
  • Mah Jongg from a Discarded Tile & Jokerless
    • Player who discarded the winning tile pays four times the base hand value.
    • All other players pay double the base hand value.
  • Self-Picked Wall Tile or Joker Exchange & Jokerless
    • All players pay four times the base hand value.
• Important: JokerlessWhen a player’s exposed 14-tile winning Mah Jongg hand does not contain a Joker tile. A Mah Jongg hand without Joker… More hand bonus does not apply to NMJLThe organization responsible for annually publishing and mailing the NMJL Card. This organization also publishes the official rules to American Mah… More hands in the Singles and Pairs section (base hand values already factor in no JokersThe Joker tiles are typically engraved with the word “Joker” and a symbol indicating that this tile is special.Joker tiles… More allowed).
• Note: If a JokerThe Joker tiles are typically engraved with the word “Joker” and a symbol indicating that this tile is special.Joker tiles… More was previously exposed but later exchanged out, resulting in a JokerlessWhen a player’s exposed 14-tile winning Mah Jongg hand does not contain a Joker tile. A Mah Jongg hand without Joker… More hand at Mah Jongg, the JokerlessWhen a player’s exposed 14-tile winning Mah Jongg hand does not contain a Joker tile. A Mah Jongg hand without Joker… More bonus still applies. Payment calculation is based solely on the tiles exposed at the time of Mah Jongg declaration.

Payment from Players with Dead Hands

• Players whose hands have been declared dead must still pay the winner the calculated total hand value announced.

Using Chips or Scorekeeping

• Players typically use chips for payments.
• If chips aren’t available, keep score using pen and paper.
• All players start the game with the same number of points or total value of chips.
• When a player wins (declares Mah Jongg), they announce the calculated total hand value, and each player pays accordingly.
• After payments are complete, a new game begins.