Can You Call a Tile to Complete a Single or Pair?
One of the questions we hear most often—both when teaching new players and sitting at the table with seasoned ones—is this:
Can I call a discarded tile to complete a single or a pair?
It’s an easy rule to get tripped up on, especially when you’re building hands like 13579, NEWS, or 2025. These hands often tempt players to pick up that missing tile as soon as it hits the table.
The Rule
You can only call a discarded tile for a single or pair if it is your winning tile—your 14th tile that completes Mahjong.
That means:
If you’re still building and need additional tiles, you cannot call to complete a single or pair.
Jokers cannot be used in singles or pairs, even in groupings such as 135, NEWS, or 2025.
Why It Matters
If you call and expose a single or pair too early, your hand becomes dead. This is one of the most common mistakes new players make, and it can end your game before you even realize it.
Tips from Our Table
Save your calls for the right moment—sometimes the winning wait is worth it.
Practice spotting hands on the National Mahjong League card that include singles or pairs, so you’ll know where this rule applies.
Keep Jokers in mind for other groupings—they’re powerful, but not in singles or pairs.
At Mockingbird & Magnolia, we love helping players untangle tricky rules like this. If this tip has you nodding along (or raising an eyebrow), you’re not alone—singles and pairs stump almost everyone at first.
These are just a few tips, from our table to yours.
Want to learn more? Join us for a Mahjong lesson or strategy session. Check out our upcoming classes →
