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'''Japanese mahjong''' {{kana|麻雀、 麻将、 or マージャン}} is the Japanese varation to the 4-player table card game of mahjong, whose objective can be best described as a combination of gin rummy and poker. Tiles are primarily used to play the game, and the game is available online.  It can also be played with regular [[Mahjong_equipment#Playing_cards|mahjong playing cards]]. It's a four player game that combines the elements of calculation and strategy with the elements of risk assessment, observation skills, and luck.
'''Japanese mahjong''' {{kana|麻雀、 麻将、 or マージャン}}, or '''riichi mahjong''', is the Japanese variation to the 4-player table game of mahjong. Best described as a combination of gin rummy and poker - it is a game that combines the elements of calculation and strategy with elements of risk assessment, observation skills, and luck. It is traditionally played with tiles.


The Japanese variation is primarily played in Japan. Yet, it is available to everyone via a few Internet sites and video games. With the past 10 years or so, the game is spreading its way into Western cultures.  While a few Westerners were exposed to the game prior to the creation of mahjong anime and manga, Western interest had significantly sparked a new wave of Western riichi players.  The formation of play groups across North America and Europe is indicative of that trend.
The Japanese variation is primarily played in Japan, though it is available worldwide through internet sites and video games. Throughout the past 20 years, the game has increased prominence in western cultures through mahjong-centric media.


Gin rummy can trace its origins back to the mahjong that was played in China. Gin rummy is a card game which centers itself towards developing [[mentsu|tile groups]] of sequences (1-2-3, 6-7-8) and/or triplets (9-9-9).
==History===
Mahjong overall is only a roughly 100 year old game. Originating in China, the game managed to spread across the country, East Asia, and even to the United States during the 1920s. The riichi variant itself only started emerging in Japan after World War 2. The modern riichi variant today began in the 1960's, while the addition of red 5's started appearing in the 1980's. It originated as a gambling game, though play for fun or sport are also common.


Besides the tile groups, players also need to meet another condition called [[yaku]]. The yaku can be synonymous to "poker hands", where yaku are a set of patterns or conditions. Just like a poker hand, for example the "full house", each yaku is associated with a name. In addition, yaku directly affect the value of a player's hand, as each yaku has an associated value. The yaku add richness and depth to the game but at the same time requires some additional starting knowledge. When mahjong is not played on/via a computer, scoring by hand also requires additional starting knowledge. The game is otherwise known as '''riichi mahjong''', due to a feature in the game rules allowing [[riichi]].
==Basic Overview==
The object of riichi mahjong is to score the most points. At the start of each round, players draw and discard tiles, competing to be the first to get a winning hand. Then, the hand is scored based on its value. If the hand is won directly off another player's discard, the discarder must pay the winning payer. If a player draws their own winning tile, everyone else splits the payment. After a player wins, hands reset, and the next round starts.


Finally, the game is a zero-sum game. All players begin with a certain number of points, usually 25,000. Player hands are used to take points from other players.  So, it is the objective of each player [[Tile efficiency|to develop their hands]] to accumulate more points than any of the opponents.  Individual hands are scored with appropriate yaku and [[dora]].  Each [[Agari|winning hand]] value is determined with the number of [[han]] and [[fu]], that corresponds to a specific number of [[Scoring|points]].  On the flip side, it is also the objective of each player to [[Defense|minimize point losses]] against opponents.  
There are two requirements to win a hand:
*Form a hand's "winning shape". With a few exceptions, players must make a hand with that contains [[tile group]]s (either [[Shuntsu|sequences]], 1-2-3; or triplets, 3-3-3) and one pair (3-3). This is similar to how gin rummy is played. In mahjong, you need 4 tile groups + 1 pair to win.
*A hand must have at least one [[yaku]]. Yaku can be synonymous with "poker hands" - yaku are patterns/critera that score points. For example, a "pair" in poker means having two of the same number card. [[Toitoi]] ("All Triplets") is when the hand consists entirely of triplets (that is, having 4 triplets in total). A yaku that is harder to get scores more [[han]], which equates to more points.


==Game development history==
Mahjong is a zero-sum game - whenever a player gains points, the other players lose a total of that many points. Therefore, [[tile efficiency|developing hands quickly]] and [[defense|minimizing point losses]] are important aspects to the game.


Mahjong overall is only a 100 year old game or so.  Originating in China, the game managed to spread across the country, East Asia, and even to the United States during the 1920s.  The riichi variant itself only started emerging in Japan after World War 2.  The modern variant today began in the 1960's, while the addition of red 5's started appearing in the 1980's.
===Differences===
 
===Main differences===
The game of mahjong itself has numerous variations across the world, including an attempted standardization of "World Mahjong". Virtually every country in East Asia and the United States has a form of mahjong. While they all have the same general principles, they each have very distinct rule variations.
The game of mahjong itself has numerous variations across the world, including an attempted standardization of "World Mahjong". Virtually every country in East Asia and the United States has a form of mahjong. While they all have the same general principles, they each have very distinct rule variations.


Japanese mahjong features these major aspects of the game, that are not used in many of the other mahjong variants.  Although, these are not unique to Japanese mahjong.
Japanese mahjong features a few aspects of the game which are not found in most variants of mahjong:
 
* [[Riichi]]
* [[Riichi]]
* [[Dora]]
* [[Dora]]  
* [[Furiten]]
* [[Furiten]]
* [[Discard pile|Arranged discards]]
* [[Discard pile|Arranged discards]]
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{{main|Rules overview}}
{{main|Rules overview}}


Unfortunately, the rules to the game is complex. The basic game mechanics can be generally in compliance with other mahjong variants.
Unfortunately, the rules to the game is complex. Gameplay is generally similar to most Asian-originated variants of mahjong.


==Mahjong tiles and suits==
==Mahjong tiles and suits==
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The game's setup features the 136 tiles, arranged in four walls of 17 tiles long double-stacked.  After shuffling the tiles, all four players are responsible for creating the initial setup, which has every tile face down.  A dice roll is used to determine both the initial dealer at the start of the game as well as the '''wall break''' at the beginning of each hand.  After this process, both the [[dead wall]] is separated; and the tiles are dealt to each player to produce their [[haipai|starting hands]].  Play begins once the dealer makes the initial draw and discard.
The game's setup features the 136 tiles, arranged in four walls of 17 tiles long double-stacked.  After shuffling the tiles, all four players are responsible for creating the initial setup, which has every tile face down.  A dice roll is used to determine both the initial dealer at the start of the game as well as the '''wall break''' at the beginning of each hand.  After this process, both the [[dead wall]] is separated; and the tiles are dealt to each player to produce their [[haipai|starting hands]].  Play begins once the dealer makes the initial draw and discard.


==Game play==
==Gameplay==
After the initial setup, then the game may begin. With online sites and automatic tables, the above setup procedure may be ignored.
After the initial setup, then the game may begin. With online sites and automatic tables, the above setup procedure may be ignored.


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