Scoring
Scoring Formula
When one of the players declares Mah-Jong, all players reveal their hands and score them. Do not score drawn hands; proceed to play a goulash instead.
A player’s score is normally calculated with the following formula: (base) × 2doubles. First calculate a base score, then double it the appropriate number of times.
Score Limit
Before the match begins, agree with the players on the score limit. The score limit is the maximum score a player can receive for a single hand. If a player’s hand exceeds the limit, the player is awarded the score limit for the hand instead.
The default limit is 1000 points. Other common options are 500, 1500, or 2000.
It is possible for a losing player to have a higher score than the winner if the player had a particularly strong hand. It is still worth winning because, when settling up, all players pay the winner, and the winner does not pay anybody.
Special Hands
Special hands are scored differently a normal winning hand.
The score value of certain special hands is expressed as a percentage of the score limit. In such cases, the score is expressed as a percentage of that limit, such as 50% or 100%. For example, for a score limit of 1000, a 100% score limit hand is worth 1000 points and a 50% score limit hand is worth 500 points.
Some special hands specify a doubling factor rather than a limit score. For these hands, calculate the base score normally, but apply only the doubles associated with the special hand. No other doubling factors apply.
Special hands may also have a fishing score to reward players who attempt difficult hands. If a player who declared fishing remains one tile away from a special hand when someone declares Mah-Jong they are awarded the fishing score.
The score for special hands consists only of the hand’s score value plus the score for the bonus (Flower and Season) tiles calculated separately using the usual formula. Ignore all other points for pairs, pungs, kongs, etc. Note that if bonus tiles award any doubles apply them only to the base score from the bonus tiles. Do not apply those doubles to the special hand’s score.
The BMJA recognises 19 special hands, but many groups or clubs curate their own lists. For special hands, it is more important that the players agree on a list (including their scores) before the game than to enforce a “correct” list. The priority should be to avoid games in which not all players are aware of all special hands.
Multiple Scoring Arrangements
It may be possible to arrange your tiles into different hand arrangements, each worth a different number of points. The player is free to choose which hand they will score, as long as the arrangement is fixed, scoring is applied consistently, and it is a winning hand if the player declared Mah-Jong.
In particular, this may happen for special hands when a player has many Flowers and/or Seasons. Normally, for a special hand the Flowers and Seasons are scored separately from the hand and added at the end. However, it may be that, due to the large number of doubles, the hand scores higher if it is not calculated from the special hand score but by using the normal formula, which allows the doubles from the bonus tiles to apply to the entire base score.
The only exception is if the player announced fishing and the group is playing with the rule to enforce unchanged hands after fishing. In that case, the player must score the calling hand (or the winning hand if they won the hand).
Scoring the Hand
Suit vs Honour Tiles
The suit tiles: the tiles numbered “1” to “9” in suits of characters, bamboo, and dots
The honour tiles: the four Winds and the three Dragons
Terminal vs Simple Tiles
Terminal tiles: suited tiles numbered either “1” or “9”
Simple tiles: suited tiles numbered between “2” and “8”
Major vs Minor Tiles
Major tiles: terminal tiles (suited tiles numbered either “1” or “9”) and honour tiles
Minor tiles: simple tiles (suited tiles numbered between “2” and “8”)
Concealed and Exposed Sets
Concealed set: a set of tiles (chow, pung, or kong) made from self-drawn tiles that are hidden in the hand.
Exposed set: a set of tiles (chow, pung, or kong) that is completed with a discarded tile and therefore must be revealed on the table for opponents to see. A set completed with the winning tile claimed for a Mah-Jong also counts as exposed.
Counting the Base Score
Pairs:
Pair of Dragons: 2 points
Pair of the player’s Wind: 2 points
Pair of the prevailing Wind: 2 points
Pungs:
Exposed minor pung: 2 points
Concealed minor pung: 4 points
Exposed major pung: 4 points
Concealed major pung: 8 points
Kongs:
Exposed minor kong: 8 points
Concealed minor kong: 16 points
Exposed major kong: 16 points
Concealed major kong: 32 points
Bonuses:
Bonus tiles (Flowers and Seasons): 4 points each
Winner only:
Winning the hand: 20 points
Winning tile was drawn from the wall (Tsumo): 2 points
Counting the Doubles
For all players:
Player’s Wind pung: 1 double
Prevailing Wind pung: 1 double
Dragon pung: 1 double each
Original call: 1 double
Player’s Flower tile: 1 double
Player’s Season tile: 1 double
All four Season tiles: 2 doubles
All four Flower tiles: 2 doubles
For the winner only
No chows: 1 double
Concealed hand and last tile from the wall: 1 double
One suit and honours only: 1 double
Terminals and honours only: 1 double
Win with a supplemental tile: 1 double
Win with the last tile from the wall: 1 double
Win with the last discard: 1 double
Win by robbing a kong: 1 double
Win from an original call: 1 double
Counting a Special Hand Score
See pre-agreed special hand list for your game.
The BMJA special hand list is included in Special Hands.
Settling Up
All players start the match with 2000 match points.
At the end of each hand that has a winner (i.e., excluding drawn hands), the players pay match points to each other according to the following rules:
The winner receives their number of points for the hand from each of the other players.
All other players receive their number of points for the hand from each of the other losing players.
The East Wind player always receives and pays double. If they are the winner, they receive double the points from each other player. If they are a losing player, they both pay and receive double.
It is possible for a player’s match score to be negative, but the sum of all players’ match scores will always be equal to 8000 (four players times the initial 2000 points).