This page includes a detailed explanation of all the hands in Hong Kong Style Mahjong. To make it easier, the details have been divided into the following sections:
- Common Mahjong Hands, which will make up the majority of your gameplay,
- Bonuses, which earn extra levels,
- Bonus Hands, which will earn more points,
- Special Hands, which do not conform to the normal pattern, and
- Extra Special Hands, which are optionally included in the online game.
Common Mahjong Hands
These hands are part of the base game. Usually these hands will be used to determine the base level of a mahjong hand, and then any bonuses will be added on to that base level to calculate the winning level of a hand.
Chicken Hand
This is a base hand in mahjong, and is also the minimum level hand in mahjong. It usually has a mixture of suits, and also a mixture of sets and sequences. This hand earns level 0, and usually will have a small minimal payout.
Half Flush Hand
This is a base level hand in mahjong. This hand comprises entirely of one suit, and honour tiles. It can contain sets and sequences. This hand earns level 4.
Full Flush Hand
This is a base level hand in mahjong. This hand comprises entirely of one suit. It can contain sets and sequences. This hand earns level 7.
Mixed Pongs Hand
This is a base level hand in mahjong. This hand comprises more than one suit. It can contain only sets. This hand earns level 4.
Big Pongs Hand
This is a base level hand in mahjong. This hand comprises entirely of one suit. It can only contain sets of tiles. This hand earns level 8.
Bonuses
In Mahjong there are numerous bonuses that can be achieved. These bonuses are applied on top of the base hands. These bonuses are independant, and will be accumulated.
All Chows
If your hand comprises of all sequences, as well as the winning pair (eye), then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Concealed
If your winning hand was fully concealed, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Self Drawn
If your winning tile was drawn from the wall and not from another player’s discard, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
One Tile
If your winning tile was a single tile then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
- The eye, i.e. part of your winning pair to finish your hand
- A middle tile, i.e. the middle tile in a sequence, for example 5 from a 4,5,6 sequence
- An ending tile, i.e. 7 from a 7,8,9 or 3 from a 1,2,3 sequence.
Dragon Bonus
If your winning hand includes a set of dragons, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Player Wind Bonus
If your winning winning hand includes a set of your wind, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Prevailing (Round) Wind Bonus
If your winning includes a set of round wind, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Flower Bonus
If your winning hand includes a flower that corresponds with your seat then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Season Bonus
If your winning hand includes a season that corresponds with your seat, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
No flowers or seasons Bonus
If your winning hand does not include any flowers or seasons, then you will earn a +1 level bonus, which gets added to your hand’s base level.
Bonus Mahjong Hands
These hands are part of the base game, and have larger payouts in terms of base level or bonus level.
Big Dragons Game
Hand contains all three sets of dragons. You also need an eye to close the hand, this can be any tile pair. This hand earns a BONUS of 8 levels and is called a Big Dragons Hand.
Big Winds Game
Hand contains all four sets of winds. You also need an eye to close the hand, this can be any tile pair. This hand earns the maximum level and is called a Big Winds Hand.
Nine Ports
The nine ports game comprises of one suit only, and includes a pong of ones and nines, and a complete set of all the tiles from 2 – 8. Obviously from this situation any random tile that particular suit will lead to a winning hand (9 ports or openings to win). This hand needs to be concealed.
Jade Game
The Jade Game ( everything green) comprises a green dragon pong, and pongs and closing pair of only bamboo tiles.
Ruby Game
The Ruby game(everything red) comprises of a red dragon pong, and pongs and closing pair of only character tiles.
Pearl Game
The Pearl game comprises a white dragon pong, and pongs and closing pair of all stone tiles.
Four Closed Kongs
The Four Closed Kongs hand comprises four random closed kongs and a close pair all concealed and in hand(so it can been reached by self drawn only)
Small Winds Game
Hand contains three sets of winds and a pair of the other wind. You also need an eye to close the hand, this must be a wind tile. This hand earns a BONUS of 4 levels and is called a Small Winds Hand.
Small Dragons Game
Hand contains two sets of dragons and a pair of the other dragon. You also need an eye to close the hand, this must be a dragon tile. This hand earns a BONUS of 4 levels and is called a Small Dragons Hand.
Honour Tiles
Honour Tiles include the Winds and Dragons. These are special tiles and can be use to make higher level hands. They can be collected as sets (Pong) or can be used to make special hands such as Wind Snake or Thirteen Orphans.
Seven Twins(All Pairs)
The Seven Twins general hand comprises any seven pairs of random tiles
Special Mahjong Hands
These hands are part of the base game, but do not have the usual 3-3-3-3-2 pattern. They will have a larger base payout, and usually earn the maximum level.
Thirteen Orphans (Thirteen Unique Wonders)
The thirteen orphans(wonders) hand comprises of one tile off all winds and dragons, one tile number one and nine of bamboo, stones, and characters. The fourteenth tile needs to be a closing pair(eye) with anyone of the thirteen other tiles.
Seven Twins of Honour Tiles
The Seven Twins of Honour tiles comprises seven pairs of all winds and dragons tiles only.
Extra Special Hands
These hands are included in the Hong Kong Style Mahjong game, but are not generally part of the Hong Kong Style Mahjong game. They can be optionally included into your game and add a bit more interest. They are part of the Hong Kong New Style games and typically found in some online games.
Beijing Garden
Hand contains one to seven of one suit and one each of all the winds and dragons. This hand does not need an eye to finish, and finishes on the last qualifying tile. This hand earns level 8 and is called a Beijing Garden Hand.
Wind Snake
Hand contains one to nine of a suit and one of each wind. You also need an eye to close the hand, this can be any qualifying tile. This hand earns level 8 and is called a Wind Snake Hand.
Dragon Snake
Hand contains one to nine of a suit and one of each dragon and a wind eye. You also need an eye to close the hand, this can be any pair of winds. This hand earns level 8 and is called a Wind Snake Hand.
Knitted Fabric
Hand consists of seven matching tiles from two suits. This hand does not need an eye to close the hand. This hand earns level 8 and is called a Knitted Fabric Hand.
Double Knitted Fabric
Hand consists of four matching tiles from three suits. This hand needs an eye to finish, which can be any matching pair. This hand earns level 8 and is called a Double Knitted Fabric Hand.
