Mahj Basics 02: Set the table and build the walls
Place four racks, mix the tiles face down, build four walls of 19 stacks, and roll to choose East, all from one clear tabletop viewpoint.
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Transcript
Four seats, four racks
Before any tile moves, give every player one clear position. American mahjong has four players, with one rack at each place. From your seat, one player is to your right, one is across, and one is to your left. Keep the middle of the table open for the walls and, later, the discards. Your own tiles belong on the sloped front of your rack. You can see their faces there, but the other players cannot. Remember: four players, four racks, and an open middle.
Build four walls
How big is a wall? 19 stacks long and 2 tiles high. First, put every tile face down in the middle and mix them. Then each player builds the wall in front of their own rack. Make 19 stacks, with two face-down tiles in each stack. Count the stacks from one end to the other. Then straighten the wall without turning any tile over. Here is a common mistake. A wall is 19 stacks long, not 19 loose tiles long. If your mat has wall guides, place the finished wall on the guide in front of that player’s rack. The guide keeps all four walls clear of the discard area. Remember: each wall is 19 stacks long and 2 tiles high.
Who is East?
Someone has to make the first move, and the dice decide who. Each player rolls the dice. The player with the highest total is East for the first deal. East is a role at the table, not a fixed compass spot in the room. East handles three visible jobs: rolling to locate the wall break, beginning to take tiles from the opening, and making the first discard when regular play begins. Say who East is out loud, so the whole table has one starting point. Remember: the highest roll is East, and everyone can point to East’s rack.