3. Building winning hands
Understanding what makes a winning hand is the key to playing Mahjong. Learn the structure and requirements for a valid win.
What is a Winning Hand?
A winning hand in Mahjong consists of a specific combination of tiles that follows a standard pattern. The first player to complete a valid hand wins the round.
Standard Winning Hand Structure
Every winning hand must contain:
- Four Sets - Combinations of three or four tiles
- One Pair - Two identical tiles (also called "eyes")
Total: 14 tiles (13 tiles in hand + 1 tile to complete the hand)
Types of Sets
Your four sets can be any combination of:
Chow (Sequence)
Three consecutive tiles of the same suit. Example: 1-2-3 of Bamboo.
Pung (Triplet)
Three identical tiles. Example: Three 5 of Dots.
Kong (Quad)
Four identical tiles. Example: Four East Wind tiles.
Examples of Winning Hands
Example 1: Basic Hand
- Chow: 1-2-3 Bamboo
- Chow: 4-5-6 Characters
- Pung: Three 7 Dots
- Pung: Three Red Dragons
- Pair: Two East Winds
Example 2: All Pungs
- Pung: Three 1 Bamboo
- Pung: Three 5 Characters
- Pung: Three 9 Dots
- Pung: Three Green Dragons
- Pair: Two South Winds
How to Win
You can win in two ways:
1. Self-Draw Win
Draw a tile from the wall that completes your hand. This is worth more points than winning from a discard.
2. Win from Discard
Claim a tile discarded by another player that completes your hand. You must declare "Mahjong!" immediately.
Important Rules
- You must have exactly 14 tiles to win
- All sets must be valid (no incomplete combinations)
- You can only win with a tile that completes your hand
- If you can win, you should declare it immediately
Practice Tips
Use the interactive game above to practice building valid winning hands. This will help you recognize winning opportunities during actual gameplay.