The UK Mahjong Association is keen to help!
If there is even more fun to be had in playing mahjong, it is by playing in an organised competition with fellow enthusiasts. With as few as eight players, you have enough for a competition that will create great fun and excitement for all – and the good thing is that there is no upper limit on the numbers (provided that they are divisible by four, of course!). The major competitions typically occupy a weekend day (or even two), with each round limited in time, but there is no reason why, on a smaller scale, a competition could not be played over a series of evenings, spread out over a period of choice. We set out below some of the possibilities. Mahjong is undoubtedly at its best when bragging rights are at stake!
Informal Competition for a small group of enthusiasts.
Aggregate your scores over a set period of games. For this format, you don’t even need as many as eight, or even exactly four players, as long as four are available at each given time. In these days of the spreadsheet, it is easy to maintain a record of games and find an overall series winner. Here is a simple example:
| Alan | Ben | Celia | Dee | Eve | Fred | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | -24.3 | 6.6 | -13.5 | 31.2 | ||
| Game 2 | -8.7 | 27.4 | -29.8 | 11.1 | ||
| Game 3 | 4.1 | -3.9 | 18.3 | -18.5 | ||
| Game 4 | -24.0 | 34.8 | -11.5 | 0.7 | ||
| Game 5 | 35.0 | -31.2 | 10.9 | -14.7 | ||
| 1. Played | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 2. Opening Score | 90.0 | 120.0 | 90.0 | 90.0 | 90.0 | 120.0 |
| 3. Net Final Score | -28.6 | 34.2 | 21.9 | -12.3 | -13.9 | -1.3 |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Final/Opening % | -31.8 | 28.5 | 24.3 | -13.7 | -15.4 | -1.1 |
| Rank | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
More Organised (Day) Competition
Best fun is to be had by playing against as many different players as possible. We can supply table movements that maximise the opportunity for playing against as many different people as possible for most combinations of players and rounds. It is normal to set a time limit on games in this format.
For the small number of players likely to be involved, scores can be recorded on a spreadsheet (which we can supply if necessary) for use on a tablet or mobile phone. An example of the player movements for 12 players and 4 rounds is shown below. All other likely permutations are available.
| Table 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Table 2 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Table 3 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
| Table 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| Table 2 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Table 3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
| Table 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 8 |
| Table 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 7 |
| Table 3 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 9 |
| Table 1 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| Table 2 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Table 3 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
Organised competition with ranking (i.e. approved event by the European Mahjong Association)
The UK is allowed to run up to three such events per annum for both Riichi and MCR competitions. This type of event brings in players from all over the country, all over Europe, and even beyond. You will certainly have attended one of these ranked events before electing to organise one, but the UKMA stands ready to help you with the provision of equipment (sets, mats), checklists, publicity and guidance on organising a recognised event.
We can also provide the software (developed by UKMA) for computer-based scoring for larger numbers of players and rounds and straightforward training in how to use it.
Getting Organised
Help is available in setting up your own club to attract players and notes on training sessions.
Find a Game
We try to help players who are looking for a group to join. Let us know about your group or individual details, and we will try to match the two. You can contact the UKMA here.