Mahjong Titans Chow, Pung and Kong in Mahjong
Most Chinese Mahjong hands are built from a few set types. Once you can read them quickly, the game feels much less random.
Practice sets Play a hand and watch how chows, pungs and kongs change your discard choices.
Start a Hand Chow
A chow is three consecutive suited tiles, such as 3-4-5 of bamboo.
Chows only use suited tiles, not winds or dragons.
Pung and kong
A pung is three identical tiles. A kong is four identical tiles and usually has special draw or scoring rules.
Pungs are easier to recognize, but they can be slower to complete than open-ended chows.
Claiming discards
Claiming a discard can complete a set immediately, but it exposes part of your hand.
Beginners should claim when the set clearly moves the hand forward, not only because the button is available.
FAQ
Can winds make a chow?
No. Chows use numbered suited tiles only.
Should I always claim a pung?
No. Claim if it improves your winning path or satisfies your ruleset strategy.