(Originally published Tuesday, July 31, 2007)
Yer Out!
Seasoned Reach players know Fouls that result in a do-over as Chombo, but Chombo is not the only type of foul. Here, we will call all mis-steps that result in penalty here Foul and list the penalties for each Foul as well.We will call the normal "Chombo" hand a "Hand Replay", the hand will be started-over from the beginning. The dealer will not change, no continuances will be added to the bank. All points used to declare Reach will be returned to the original owners. The tiles must be shuffled and the hand started over from the beginning. If the person guilty of the foul in a Hand Replay is the dealer, they will pay the other players 4,000 points each. If the guilty player is not a dealer, they will pay the dealer 4,000 points and the other non-dealers 2,000 points each.All of the following fall into the "Foul" category.
Tile Count – Too Many/Too Few: Dead Hand (optional hand replay)
If your hand is caught with more or less than 14 tiles during your turn (13 after your discard), your hand is declared dead. You must continue drawing and discarding tiles until the hand ends.
Some places choose to declare only hands with too few tiles as dead. In this case, a hand with too many tiles is a Hand Replay (see above).
(Too Many)
Exchange – Chow-Change: Dead Hand (Optional)
Many places do not allow a single tile to be replaced with a chow if the discarded tile also completes the chow. For example, if you have 1-2-3 and declares Chow on a 4, melds 2-3-4 and discard the 1 in the same turn, your hand will be declared dead. You must continue drawing and discarding tiles until the hand ends. (Some places allow the 4 to be discarded in this situation, but not the 1)
(Chow Change)
The player in this situation could not Chow 4-Craks and discard 1-Craks to get an All Simples (Inside) hand.
Oops! – Mistaken Pung/Chow: 1000 Point Penalty to the Reach pot
If you mistakenly declare Pung or Chow, without melding the set or run and without discarding, you must pay 1,000 points to the Reach pot. The next winner of a hand will get that amount.If you do meld the group and discard and the group is not a legal Bump or Chow, then your penalty will be a Hand Replay and you must pay the score penalty to all players.
Mistaken Wins “I just said it!” – Declaration Only: Dead Hand (optional hand replay)
Declaring Mahjong by mistake without exposing your hand will give you a dead hand. You must continue drawing and discarding tiles until another player wins or the hand ends in a draw.
Oops, I needed that! – Missed Win: Hand Replay
If you declare Mahjong on a discarded tile, but your hand is already a Missed Win (you have discarded one of your winning tiles in your own discard) your penalty is a Hand Replay. You must pay a penalty to each player and the hand will start over.
(Discard Pile)
(Missed Win Win)
If the player wins on a discarded 5-Dots or 8-Dots, it will be a foul. A self-drawn win is allowed.
Win on an Incomplete Hand: Hand Replay
If you mistakenly declare Mahjong and expose your hand tiles with a hand that is incomplete, your penalty is a Hand Replay and you must pay the penalty to the other players. The hand starts over.
(Incomplete Hand)
No Hand Points: Hand Replay
If you declare Mahjong with a hand that has no Hand Points, your penalty is a Hand Replay. Pay your penalty to the other players and start the hand over.
(Where are the points?)
Other Fouls
Get Ready! – Non-Ready Reach: Hand Replay
If you are caught declaring Reach without a Ready Hand (i.e. the hand ends in a draw and you must show your non-ready hand), your penalty is a Hand Replay. You must pay the penalty to the other players and the hand is started over again.
(Caught!)
(Caught!)
Out of the way! – Interference:: Hand Replay
If you cause the table/tiles to be knocked over or create a state that makes it impossible for play to continue, your penalty is a Hand Replay. You must pay a penalty to the other players and the hand will be started over.
POW
Making big mistakes in reading the board will cost you for being a nuisance to the other players…
The BIG Ones Limit Hand Pows
If you allow another player to Pung the final tile that fixes their Limit Hand, then you will be responsible for part or all of the score if they win the hand. If the hand is won on a Self-Draw, you will have to pay the entire score. If the player wins off of another player’s discard, you must pay half of the score. There are 3 hands that fall under this rule:
1. Three Big Dragons
If a player has already Bumped(Ponned) two Colored Dragons and you allow that player to Pung the third Colored Dragon, then you will be responsible for the points if the player wins the hand.
(The Third)
2. Four Big Winds
If a player has already Punged three winds and you allow them to Pung the fourth wind, you will be responsible for the points if they win the hand.
(The Fourth)
3. Four Quads
If a player has three Quads showing and you allow them to declare a fourth Quad off of your discard, you must take responsibility for the points if that player wins the hand.
(Fourth Again)
Non-Limit Quad Win Pow:
Fourth Again
If you allow a player to declare a Quad off of your discard and the player draws the winning tile from the King’s Tiles because they were allowed to Quad, the win will be treated like a River-Win and you will have to pay as if the hand was won from your discarded tile.
Now that you know what NOT to do, check out Ch. 9: The Draws to so you can run the game!
