PICKY, PICKY, PICKY – OR IS IT?

A JOKERLESS HAND!

Gladys Grad, the Grand Master of American-style Mah Jongg tournaments, has some new Q&A’s in her latest newsletter. Here’s an interesting one and I’d like to hear back from you as to whether or not you think Miriam’s friend was being picky or just following the table rules…

 Q.  I made the jokerless hand today of 3 sets of consecutive numbers (FF1122 1122 1122).  One of our “table rules” is to announce when we make a hand without jokers.  In this case, I didn’t announce it as this was an obvious “jokerless hand.”  I was paid $1.00 since I picked my mahj tile.  My friend said I should have announced it!  Was that necessary?  Miriam

A. You have initiated a “house rule” in your own game that “you must announce when you make a jokeless hand.”  Perhaps, your opponent was being a little picky about the details of your “house rule.”  However, unless you were all in agreement and specific about the “terms” of your “house rules,” you really can’t expect everyone to be in agreement when an issue arises….especially one that doesn’t appear on the back of the NMJL Card.

In a tournament, you are well advised to clarify the hand that you played, and to announce the score you are entitled to receive.  That way, when your score is verified and initialed by the person across from you, you all know your score is correct.  Or sometimes, we need a little deeper insight into the obvious.

 

14 thoughts on “PICKY, PICKY, PICKY – OR IS IT?”

  4. Katie A.

    I agree with Shirley and Boots, S&Ps don’t get double for being obviously jokerless. If you really want to follow rules, make sure you know them first.

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  5. Sharon

    I particularly like to play by the rules and skip table rules. Does no bonus for S&P hands mean there is no double pay out for picking your own MJ? Seems inconsistent to me.

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  8. Tracy C.

    I’m with Shirley and Boots — If it is a singles and pairs hand, you don’t get the jokerless bonus — Isn’t that why those hands are worth more on the card? I always assumed this was a NMJL rule to exclude S&P from doubling for jokerless. I’ve never been in a group that doubled for jokerless S&P — Only doubled for the self-pick in that section!

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