Mahjong is a popular four-player game in Chinese culture that originated in the 19th century, based on card and domino game elements. It is often known in English as "Chinese dominoes". There are several different versions of the game which vary in rules and style, but the general objective of the game is to remove all pieces from the board. Mahjong is a game of strategy, memory and luck and it can be played with tiles or cards.
Mahjong in El Salvador is usually played with tiles, though some variants of the game can also be played using cards. In the version of Mahjong played in El Salvador, the goal is to build four sets of tiles in ascending or descending order, and one pair of two duplicated pieces. Players take turns to draw and discard tiles with the intention of making winning combinations. The player that completes a set first wins the game.
Winning combinations in Mah Jong consist of one pair of two identical tiles, and four sets composed of three tiles in either ascending or descending order. The pairs and sets must be built in a specific pattern and the pieces cannot repeat. The most common winning combinations are Pungs, Kongs and Chows.
Pungs are formed by three tiles of the same number or honor. For example, if the tiles are 9-dots, bamboo and Craks, Pungs are made by three tiles of the same number and two tiles of the same suit.
Kongs are three tiles of the same suit and same number, for example, if the tiles are red dots, in a Kong it would be three red dots.
Chows are three tiles in sequence, for example if the tiles are bamboo 1, bamboo 2 and bamboo 3, in a Chow, it would be three tiles in increasing numerical order from one to three.
Any successful Mahjong player needs to be aware of the basic strategies for winning the game. The most important strategy of the game is to observe which tiles your opponents are collecting. This will enable the player to determine their opponentās plans, helping them to decide which tiles to discard in order to obstruct their opponents and keep the game under control. Another important strategy is to keep track of the tiles that have been discarded. Players should observe and remember which tiles have been discarded and so have a better chance of completing winning combinations. Additionally, players should rely on their memory to recall which tiles their opponents are collecting.
Mahjong is a complex game of strategy and luck, played in El Salvador with tiles. The main objective of the game is to be the first to make four combinations of tiles, each of which must follow ascending or descending numerical order or be composed of three identical tiles, plus one identical pair. To become a successful Mahjong player, it is important to understand the strategies of the game, such as observing opponents' collects and remembering which tiles have been discarded. With practice and skill, players can soon become experts in the game.