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Synopsis
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Individual sets vary, although the illustrations below will approximate any set the reader has. Read the first page
Concordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
I bought my first copy of Whitney's handbook in the 1980s when I acquired my mahjong set and since then I have found it invaluable. I taught myself to play from its contents and was immediately enamoured of the game. I have set up four mahjong groups and currently run a group for the North Norfolk U3A. I gave my old copy of the handbook to a member of our group and recently bought my second copy from Amazon. It is well worth the money and my first choice for anyone starting to play the game. The book covers the so-called "official", i.e. traditional, Chinese game (upon which the British game is modelled)and the Japanese and American variants.
For British players, however, I would suggest as a companion volume for its simple presentation, excellent photographs and and as an easy reference to the British game "Mah-jong" in the A & C Black "Know the Game" series.
There is one caveat, however. This book covers the 'domestic' rules which are still favoured by most casual players but does not include the official mahjong competition rules which were drawn up in 1998, adopted in the 2002 World Championship and which have now been adopted by the World Mahjong Organisation established in October, 2005.
But if you want to learn to play the traditional, domestic game of mahjong and simply have fun then this is the book to get you started. But, beware! This game is very definitely - addictive!
Whitney's handbook is the only book that most players will ever need to become a knowledgeable, confident and winning Mah Jong player. The basics of play, including seating, dealer selection, wall-building, tile-dealing and play are laid out clearly with helpful examples and good illustrations. The scoring of Mah Jong is explained with numerous carefully-constructed examples, with helpful diagrams of each tile scenario for good visual reference.
The strategy of the game is brilliantly explained in Part III, again with numerous examples that gradually train beginning players how to quickly make strategic decisions to enhance their play. As Whitney explains, Mah Jong is a game governed by sheer luck of the draw, yet the "skillful player is actually one who knows how to adapt to his luck." Her extensive explanations and examples of both "offensive" and "defensive" strategies are the soul of the book, and I, for one, was amazed how quickly my comphrehension of the game improved after having read the entire chapter.
It is true that the focus of the book is primarily on the Japanese and American rules and variations, but Chinese equivalent terms are included in an extensive Glossary-Index. For the vast majority of players, this will not be a serious problem.
If you buy one book on Mah Jong, it should be this one.
To get the most out of the book, I recommend taking the time to work through the example exercises yourself (before going on to the analysis discussion.) Once you've gone through the book this way, you'll pretty much know everything that an expert player knows. The only thing left is to get in enough playing time to put the theory into practice.
In addition to the game aspects, the book discusses the accompanying rituals and etiquette, as well as many variations on the rules.
Whitney explains clearly and concisely, using easy to understand diagrams. She even manages to explain Mah Jong's rather complex scoring system, which can be a bit off-putting for beginners.
Her inclusion of the differences between Japanese and American rules is also quite helpful, although I've found that as with any game, some of the rules and terminology vary from region to region.
All in all a good book for those looking to begin playing Mah Jong, particularly those in Japan or with Japanese friends.
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