The Game of Mah Jong
EAST WIND
The position of East Wind is important and is considered the Leader of the game.  The position of East Wind alternates among the players throughout the game.

The East Wind commences the game by discarding a tile.  East Wind will also score double and pay double to all the other players.
CORRESPONDING TILES
There is one Flower Tile and one Season Tile to correspond with each Wind - and one Dragon ile to correspond with each Suit.


Flower No. 1  ..................  Spring   ......................  Fisherman  ..................  East Wind
Flower No. 2  ..................  Summer  ....................  Woodcutter  .................  South Wind
Flower No. 3  ..................  Autumn  .....................  Farmer  .......................  West Wind
Flower No. 4  ..................  Winter  .......................  Scholar  .......................  North Wind

                             Red Dragon   ..............................................................   Characters
                             White Dragon  .............................................................  Circles
                             Green Dragon  ............................................................   Bamboo
DETERMINING EAST WIND AND POSITIONS TO PLAY
Temporary Positions
Before play commences, place each of the Direction Tiles (Wind Tiles) face down on the table.
Each player takes a position around the table and each tosses the dice to determine which play represents the temporary East Wind and the other temporary positions.

  • A total score of 5 or 9  ........................................................... .....  East Wind
  • A total score of 2, 6 or 10  ............................................................. South Wind
  • A total score of 3, 7 or 11  ............................................................. West Wind
  • A total score of 4, 8 or 12  .............................................................  North Wind 
THE TEMPORARY EAST WIND
The temporary East Wind will then be the first to pick one of the Direction Tiles, the second by South Wind, the third by West Wind and the fourth by the North Wind.

In turning over the Direction Tiles, each player will know which position to be seated at.  The count is always taken anti-clockwise from the East Wind position, so that:
  • South Wind sits at the right of East Wind
  • West Wind sits opposite to East Wind
  • North Wind sits at the left of East Wind
THE GAME TILES
There are four games to a round.  Each round will bear a Direction name:
  • ​The first four games will be termed ...................................      The East Game
  • The second four games will be termed ............................         The South Game
  • The third four games will be termed  ................................       The West Game
  • The fourth four games will be termed  ..............................       The North Game
THE EAST WIND POSITION DURING A GAME
After each hand has been played, the position of East Wind passes on to the play on East's right - South Wind - unless East Wind called Mah Jong, or the game is a Goulash, in which case East Wind retains the title.

If either South, West or North Wind call Mah Jong, then the position of East Wind passes onto the South Wind position.  Then:
  • South Wind     ..............................................  becomes East Wind
  • West Wind      ...............................................  becomes South Wind
  • North Wind     ................................................ becomes West Wind
  • East Wind       ................................................ becomes North Wind  

When each player has been East Wind once, the first round is over and the 'prevailing wind' for the next round becomes South Wind.

When four complete rounds have been played and each Wind has been a Leader, then the game is over.