Rules of the Road

If a question arises during play, Director’s ruling is FINAL. All rules are decided by the NMJL guidelines. 

• NMJL card must be displayed during tournament play. 
• The game begins when designated East discards their 14th tile. 
• East is NOT in charge of the Rules of the Road. For disputes or questions call the Director over for a ruling.
• No picking tiles ahead. The next tile in play should not be touched or taken from the wall until the previous player has discarded. 
• A discarded tile cannot be called for an exposure or Mahjongg once the next player has racked the next tile from the wall IN the sloped part (NOT the top of the rack). 
• A tile is considered discarded when it is either placed on the table, or tile name is announced.
• If a player calls a tile but does not touch it, they may decide not to take it. Once the tile is touched or a player exposes their tiles, then the tile must be taken. 
• When a tile is called, the number of tiles in said exposure may be changed until caller has discarded (i.e., deciding Pung, Kong or Quint). The called tile must be used if picked up by the caller. Once caller discards no changes may be made.
• For joker exchanges, a player must initiate their turn by picking their next tile first, then they can perform the exchange. You MUST ANNOUNCE the joker replacement. If you place the intended exchanged tile on the table without verbalizing your desire to exchange for the joker, that tile which touched the table is now considered your discard, and cannot be used to replace the joker. 
• If a player TOUCHES a tile from the wrong side of the wall but DOES NOT rack or look at said tile, game play continues. If a player picks a tile from the wrong side of the wall and LOOKS AT OR RACKS IT, said player will be declared dead. 
• A player MUST verbally call for a discarded tile. If the tile is picked up without verbally calling, that player will be declared dead.
• When calling a discarded tile for an exposure or Mahjongg, the tile cannot be placed IN your rack. The called tile MUST be placed ON TOP of the rack, at which point the player will complete the exposure or Mahj by adding the remaining tiles from their rack on the TOP of the rack. 
• If 2 players call for an exposure or Mahjongg at the same time, the tile goes to the next player in the rotation. 
• If a hand is declared dead, jokers can be replaced from any exposure that existed BEFORE the hand was called dead.
• If an incorrect exposure creates a hand that does not exist on the NMJL card, until the hand is declared dead, the joker is available for exchange (even from said incorrect exposure). AFTER the hand is called dead, jokers from the incorrect exposure are NO LONGER permitted for exchange. 
• You may only use one of your hands to play in the game. If you pick a tile with one hand, and simultaneously discard with the other hand, you do not have the requisite 13 tiles IN YOUR RACK. You will be declared dead. 
• If at any time a player does not have 13 tiles in their rack, they may be declared dead. 
• If a player is called dead, call a Director to confirm. If it’s confirmed that said player is NOT dead, the player who made the call is now dead. Play continues with the remaining players.
• If a tile is misnamed on discard, correct the tile name and continue game play.
• A mis-named discarded tile CANNOT be called for an exposure. If calling player starts to expose tiles from their hand, based on what they hear as the identified discarded tile, their hand will be called dead.
• A mis-named discarded tile CAN be called for Mahjongg. The discarder is penalized, and the player calling Mahjongg receives the point value on the card. 
• If Mahj is declared in error and no tiles are exposed, all 4 players continue to play. If Mahj is declared in error AND any part of the hand is exposed, the player is dead, and play continues with remaining players. Exception: If a player calls Mahjongg and ends up only wanting the tile for an exposure instead, game play continues, no one is dead.
• Please silence your cell phones. No cell phone use during active tournament play, except in case of emergency.