Real Mah Jong, The

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs

GAME DESIGNER:Paul Grosse
GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware
GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware
Copyright 1998, Paul Grosse

The Real Mah Jong is a nice freeware game that offers excellent, no-frills gameplay. The author named the game “real Mah Jong” because contrary to popular Western belief, the actual Mah Jong game that is played in Asia is NOT the solitaire remove-the-tiles game, but a competitive game played by four players that is similar to card games poker and rummy, but with more sets and elaborate scoring rules. The game is played in many countries in Asia, each with its own scoring system, although the basic tile set remains the same. The players essentially compete to “go out” (i.e. finish the game) with various combinations of tiles, including pairs, three of a kind, and consecutive numbers (“straight flush” in poker). Because The Real Mah Jong lacks comprehensive on-line help and other useful options for novices, it is recommended only to intermediate players or those who have read the basic rules. It’s fun and more than adequate for its price (zero), but you are well advised to check out Hong Kong Mahjong or Four Winds Mah Jong instead for a more comprehensive and attractive presentation of this underrated parlor game.