Mahjong FAQ · Learn at the table
A practical answer from Omaha Mahjong Club’s Chinese Mahjong learning library.
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Chinese Mahjong
When a player draws their winning tile directly from the wall rather than claiming a discard, it is called a self-draw win (自摸/zimo). In most scoring systems, a self-draw win means all three other players each pay the winner the full hand value, rather than only the discarder paying. This makes self-draw wins significantly more lucrative than discard wins and adds an extra fan bonus in some rulesets.
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Mahjong FAQ
Good Mahjong deserves good refreshments. Every class includes access to our self-serve station: - Chinese tea - Light snacks, such as pretzels and candy - Bringing your own snacks and beverages (of any kind) are welcomed
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At the start of a game, seats are typically assigned randomly by rolling dice or drawing tiles. Each seat corresponds to a wind: East, South, West, and North, which determines each player's seat wind tile bonus for that round. East seat is the dealer for the first hand. After each hand, seats and wind assignments rotate, though the exact rotation method varies by ruleset. The game typically consists of at least one full East round and one South round.
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