Bob Loblaw's Mahjong Blog

As the calendar turns to 2005, I find myself reflecting on what has been, without question, the most pivotal year in my mahjong career. And I use the word "career" deliberately. What I do at this table is not a hobby. It is a discipline, a practice, and frankly, a public service to those willing to listen...

Let's talk numbers. This year I played 47 recorded sessions. Of those, I won—well, the win column requires some context. If we're talking strictly about who accumulated the most points at the end of a given evening, the number is modest. However, if we factor in moral victories, hands that were objectively superior but fell victim to tile variance, and games where I chose to prioritize experimentation over "winning," the picture changes dramatically...

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I am writing this 36 hours after the events of last Wednesday's game night, and I want the record to reflect my version of what transpired before others have the opportunity to characterize the evening in a manner that is, to put it generously, incomplete.

Let me begin by stating for the record: I did NOT flip the table. The table was already in an unstable condition due to a missing leg shim that I have mentioned to this group on no fewer than four occasions. If anything, my actions were an attempt to prevent the table from flipping...

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I have noticed an alarming trend in mahjong discussion forums and, frankly, at kitchen tables across this country: the widespread belief that the "Thirteen Orphans" hand is a worthwhile pursuit in American-style play. It is not. And I intend to explain why with a level of rigor this topic has previously lacked.

First, let me address what I believe is the source of this confusion. Many American players are exposed to Chinese or Japanese variant rules through imported media—movies, anime, whatever—where the Thirteen Orphans (also called "Kokushi Musou" in Japanese) is treated as some kind of legendary, game-winning hand. This has led to a deeply misguided belief that the hand carries over to NMJL play. It doesn't. Not in the way most people think...

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There is, in my opinion, a crisis of decorum at America's mahjong tables. Not everywhere—some circles maintain admirable standards—but I have witnessed, firsthand, a disturbing number of etiquette violations that go unaddressed. As both a player and an attorney, I believe in rules. Rules govern behavior. Behavior reflects character. And character, ultimately, is what separates a true mahjong gentleman from someone who merely pushes tiles around...

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