Section by section

Singles and Pairs: no jokers, big points

Six concealed hands that pay 50 and 75, and why they are almost always the wrong choice.

The card · lesson 7 of 10

Every hand in this section is concealed and every one is made of singles and pairs. Not one group in the whole section can hold a joker. You build these from your own draws alone, and you may not call for a tile until the last one.

FF 2026 2026 2026

Three suits, concealed, 75. The best-paying hand on the card, and thirteen groups that take no joker.

11 22 33 44 55 66 77

One suit, any seven consecutive numbers as pairs, 50.

NN EE WW SS 1D 1D 1D

The four winds as pairs, then a like number with its matching dragon in each of three suits.

So when is this section right? When the rack is already most of the way there on the deal: five or six pairs and no jokers to waste. A rack that has jokers in it has no use for them here, and that alone is a reason to look elsewhere.

Tip

The honest use of this section is defensive. Late in a hand that has gone nowhere, a rack of stray pairs can quietly turn toward one of these and stop feeding the table. You will rarely finish it. You will also rarely be the one who throws the winning tile.

Free to read. Its 2 quick drills are part of Mahjee Pro in the app.