The Magnolia Classic Tournament Rules

GENERAL CONDUCT

Play is according to National Mah Jongg League Rules plus Tournament Rules. Players will use the current year’s NMJL Card.

Players must be courteous, respectful, and gracious. Bullying and intimidation will not be tolerated. This tournament enforces a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for rude, inconsiderate, or abusive behavior.

  • Please do not judge or criticize opponents’ play.

  • Be patient with all players — everyone learns differently.

  • Players must bring and display their official National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card during play. If a player does not have their card, they may purchase a replacement from Mockingbird & Magnolia for $15.

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE

  • East starts the game by discarding their 14th tile. The game does not begin until this happens.

  • All players must participate in every round, unless excused due to an emergency and approved by the Director.

  • If a dispute arises during play, the Director’s ruling is final. Players should not resolve rules or scoring disputes at the table.

GAMEPLAY RULES

PICKING & THROWING TILES

  • No picking ahead. You must not remove the next tile from the wall until the previous player has discarded.

  • If you touch a tile from the wall or a discard, it is yours.

  • Picking from the wrong end of the wall and looking at the tile will result in a dead hand.

  • If the wall was misaligned and tiles were hidden, a mistaken pick will not be penalized.

  • Turns begin with a pick or a call. Jokers cannot be exchanged before picking.

CALLING TILES

  • You may call a discarded tile for Mah Jongg or exposure until the next player has racked or discarded.

  • You must verbally call the tile before picking it up.

  • If two players call at the same time for Mah Jongg, the tile goes to the next player in rotation.

  • If you do not verbally call, you cannot claim the tile.

  • A called tile must be placed on the flat rack surface, not on the slope. Otherwise, your hand is dead.

  • You may change your mind only if you have not touched the tile.

DISCARDING TILES

A discard is considered “intent” if you:

  1. Place it on the table, or

  2. Begin to say the tile’s name

Once you begin either action, the tile must be discarded.

JOKERS

  • Jokers may be exchanged only after a tile is picked.

  • To exchange a joker from another rack, you must ask and offer the natural tile.

  • Once you declare a joker exchange and place a tile, the joker is yours.

  • Jokers from dead hands are not available.

  • If exchanging a joker gives you Mah Jongg, it is considered self-picked.

MAH JONGG DECLARATIONS

  • When declaring Mah Jongg, your hand must be displayed clearly as shown on the card.

  • A valid Mah Jongg claim must include:

    • Verbally calling “Mah Jongg”

    • Placing the called tile properly on the rack (not in the slope)

  • If Mah Jongg is called but the tile is not placed on the rack, it is not valid.

MAH JONGG IN ERROR

If Mah Jongg is declared in error:

  • If no hands are exposed, play continues.

  • If one hand is not exposed, that player gets +10 points; others score 0.

  • If two hands remain unexposed, play continues.

  • If all hands are exposed, all players score 0.

  • If the error is corrected before exposure, play continues without penalty.

DEAD HANDS

A hand is dead if:

  • The wrong tile is picked and looked at

  • A joker is exchanged before picking

  • There is an incorrect number of tiles in hand

  • A player may declare another hand dead, but if they are incorrect, their own hand becomes dead.

  • Dead hands score 0 points; no additional penalties apply.

  • You cannot go dead during the Charleston.

SCORING

SCORE SHEET PROCEDURE

  • East is responsible for marking the score sheet after each game.

  • The player who makes Mah Jongg must sign the score sheet.

  • West will verify East’s score sheet for wall games and Mah Jongg wins.

  • All players are responsible for checking their score sheets before signing.

  • Once turned in, no score changes will be made.

POINTS BREAKDOWN

  • Winning Hand (amount on card): As listed

  • Self-picked Mah Jongg: +10

  • Winning hand with no jokers (excluding Singles & Pairs): +20

  • Wall Game: +10 to all players (except dead hands or Mah Jongg in error)

  • Mis-naming a tile called for Mah Jongg (penalty to discarder): -25

  • Mis-naming tile for exposure: -10

  • Throwing Mah Jongg to 0 or 1 exposure: 0

  • Throwing Mah Jongg to 2 exposures: -10

  • Throwing Mah Jongg to 3+ exposures: -20

  • Times Up (incomplete game): 0 to all players

  • Dead hand: 0 points

  • Note: If there is a disagreement on a penalty or points, contact the tournament directors for a ruling prior to finalizing the round.

TILE NAMING & MIS-NAMING

  • If a tile is misnamed during discard:

    • It can still be called for Mah Jongg.

    • It cannot be called for exposure.

    • A player exposed based on a miscall is dead.

  • If a misnamed tile results in Mah Jongg:

    • Mah Jongg receives hand value.

    • The discarder is penalized 25 points.

THE CHARLESTON

  • Missteps during the Charleston do not result in a dead hand.

FINAL REMINDERS

  • All games are played by National Mah Jongg League rules, with the enhancements and penalties outlined in this document.

  • Only the Director may interpret rules or resolve disputes.

  • East is responsible for maintaining timely play, scoring, and fairness at the table.