What I have noticed of late, specially while playing Goulash, is that once a player throws a tile, and the next person picks from the wall; then another player wants to claim the throw.
Here comes the importance of "Racking", and "Window of Opportunity" rule.
Normally, when a discard has been made by the player at your left and it is your turn, you follow these steps:
1. Pause and count 3. This is so that anyone at the table can have a chance to call for the current live discard.
2. Take the tile from the live end of the wall, and bring it towards yourself. Some people look at the tile while doing so, but this is a bad idea because other players can see the tile, too.
3. Some people just look at the tile without racking it. This is acceptable; but just know that the window of opportunity on the live discard remains open while you're looking at your new tile. You might have to put it back.
Some people, in the interest of closing the window so as to have the chance to think about the tile, rack the tile and then look at it. That's acceptable too; and of course, racking the tile closes the "window of opportunity" on the current live discard, ie. Now, no one can claim the discard.
People who "tap" the tile on the top of the rack, or who stand the tile on the card, are wrong in thinking that they have thereby closed the window of opportunity. The rule is clear, and the word "racking" should be self-evident.
4. If you'd just looked at the tile without racking it, ( and no one claims the discard ) you can now either rack it or discard it (or declare mah jongg, of course) -- either move closes the window of opportunity on the current live discard.
If you'd racked a tile, you can now discard one (or declare mah jongg, of course).
So, the bottom line is, if the next player has "racked" a tile, the window of opportunity for any other player has closed.
But if the tile has not been racked, the discard remains eligible to be claimed by any other player.
Here comes the importance of "Racking", and "Window of Opportunity" rule.
Normally, when a discard has been made by the player at your left and it is your turn, you follow these steps:
1. Pause and count 3. This is so that anyone at the table can have a chance to call for the current live discard.
2. Take the tile from the live end of the wall, and bring it towards yourself. Some people look at the tile while doing so, but this is a bad idea because other players can see the tile, too.
3. Some people just look at the tile without racking it. This is acceptable; but just know that the window of opportunity on the live discard remains open while you're looking at your new tile. You might have to put it back.
Some people, in the interest of closing the window so as to have the chance to think about the tile, rack the tile and then look at it. That's acceptable too; and of course, racking the tile closes the "window of opportunity" on the current live discard, ie. Now, no one can claim the discard.
People who "tap" the tile on the top of the rack, or who stand the tile on the card, are wrong in thinking that they have thereby closed the window of opportunity. The rule is clear, and the word "racking" should be self-evident.
4. If you'd just looked at the tile without racking it, ( and no one claims the discard ) you can now either rack it or discard it (or declare mah jongg, of course) -- either move closes the window of opportunity on the current live discard.
If you'd racked a tile, you can now discard one (or declare mah jongg, of course).
So, the bottom line is, if the next player has "racked" a tile, the window of opportunity for any other player has closed.
But if the tile has not been racked, the discard remains eligible to be claimed by any other player.
Comments
Post a Comment