Different Versions of Mahjong

Author: Neha Agrawal

Most mahjong is played by four players sitting around a table, or, in online versions, sitting in front of their computer screen but in place in one of the four simulated chairs. However, there are other versions of the game which involve less than four players.

You can play mahjong with just two or three players. The action is much faster than in the four-person game. This might be quite appealing to many, including experienced players who might be looking for a change of pace.

In the traditional Mahjong four player game, each competitor is one of the basic directions of the compass-north, east, south and west. One or two directions are missing when you cut down the number of players.

The wind tiles are also an important part of the game. Players will increase their score when they win with their own wind. Besides the winds, there are also other signs of nature built in to mahjong, including the seasons and the flowers.

When you go down from a total of four players in mahjong, some players believe that you’re disturbing the natural rhythm of the game. You’re disturbing the perfect harmony and balance of mahjong that were built into the rules of the game over many centuries. This might not be noticeable to newer competitors, but more experienced players should notice a different pace to the game.

There are other variations of the game which, in some cases, also change the number of players. One of these is Japanese mahjong. There is a Riichi version of Mahjong and also a Kansai mahjong. These games add extra tiles to the action, which changes the game a bit. They add a faster pace to the game, though the basic rules are not changed.

It’s also possible online to play a solitaire version of the game. At some sites, you don’t compete with other players, but you make your moves against a computer.

You might find it difficult to find solitaire mahjong being played for money in a casino. It is more of a game, like the card game solitaire, to be played on your mobile device for fun while you are riding on a train or bus. If you can find a place that offers betting on mahjong solitaire, it will probably be a competition based on the time each winner took to complete his hand.