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Siamese Mah Jongg

How mahjilla scores Siamese games using Gladys Grad rules and your group's 2026 NMJL card values.

SiameseGladys Grad rules · 2026 NMJL card

Two-player mahjong where each person plays two racks and keeps a running score until someone completes both hands or the session ends.

How scoring works

  • Scores accumulate on each player's total — not zero-sum like a 4-player settle-up.
  • Self-picks are NOT doubled in Siamese (unlike standard NMJL home games).
  • 1st Mah Jongg: card value from the card; jokerless doubles — but not on Singles & Pairs hands (leave jokerless off for those).
  • 2nd Mah Jongg: double the card value; jokerless doubles again on that hand (same Singles & Pairs exception).
  • Both mahjs at once: double the combined score for both hands.
  • Discard claimed for opponent's 2nd mahj: the thrower takes a penalty (default −25).
  • Wall game with no mahj exposed: everyone gains wall points (default +10).
  • At session end, the lower score pays the winner the difference.

What mahjilla asks you to record

  • Each mahjong as it happens — 1st, 2nd, or both at once
  • Hand value from the 2026 NMJL card (or Siamese card if you use one)
  • Jokerless only when the hand uses the jokerless bonus — never for Singles & Pairs
  • 2nd-MJ discard penalties when someone feeds the winning tile
  • Wall games when no mahj was exposed

Mah Jongg types

  • 1st Mah Jongg

    Their first exposed winning hand this round.

    Winner banks the card value (×2 if jokerless — not on Singles & Pairs).

  • 2nd Mah Jongg

    They completed both racks — the second hand pays double.

    Winner banks double the card value (×2 again if jokerless — not on Singles & Pairs).

  • Both at once

    Both hands declared and won on the same turn — scores doubled again.

    Winner banks twice the sum of a 1st and 2nd mahj score for that hand value.

Other events

  • 2nd MJ discard penalty

    A discard was claimed for the opponent's second mahj — the thrower loses points.

    Subtract penalty points from the discarder only — no change for the winner's running total from this row alone.

  • Wall game

    No mahj was exposed before the wall ran out — everyone gains wall points.

    Add wall points to every player at the table.

Example session

A 25-point 1st mahj (not jokerless) → +25. Later a jokerless 2nd mahj at 30 → +120 (30×2×2). A wall game → +10 each.

Singles & Pairs and jokers

On the NMJL card, Singles & Pairs hands cannot use jokers and do not get the jokerless bonus.

  • Jokers may only substitute in pungs, kongs, and quints — never in a single tile or a pair.
  • Hands in the Singles and Pairs section of the card are built from natural tiles only.
  • The jokerless bonus (double in settle-up, extra points in additive/Siamese) applies only when the hand could have used jokers but did not.
  • Singles & Pairs never qualify — score the card value only and leave Jokerless unchecked in mahjilla.

Check Jokerless when…

  • The hand is from any other section (2025, 2468, Consec, etc.) and was won without jokers.

Leave Jokerless off when…

  • The winning hand is from the Singles and Pairs section of the card.
  • The hand used one or more jokers.

mahjilla does not read the card for you — pick the hand value from the line and choose Jokerless based on the rules above.