Sets: Pair, Pung, Kong, Quint

In American Mah Jongg, every winning hand is built from specific tile groupings called sets. These sets define how many identical tiles must be grouped together and are used consistently across the NMJL card.

Understanding sets is essential for reading the card correctly, recognizing legal hands, and knowing when tiles can be called or exposed.

What Is a Set?

A set is a group of identical tiles that form part of a legal hand.

Each set has a specific size, and the NMJL card uses these groupings to define every hand.

The four primary sets used in American Mah Jongg are:

Pair
Pung
Kong
Quint

The sets have varied rules regarding exposures and joker usage.

Pair

A pair is a grouping of two identical tiles.

Examples:

Two identical dots
Two identical bams
Two identical craks
Two identical winds
Two identical dragons

Key rules for pairs:

A pair always consists of exactly two matching tiles.
Jokers may not be used in pairs.
Pairs often appear in the Singles and Pairs section of the card.

Pairs must always be made using natural tiles.

Pung

A pung is a grouping of three identical tiles.

Examples:

Three 5 Dots
Three 7 Bams
Three Red Dragons

Key rules for pungs:

Jokers may be used in pungs.
Pungs may be exposed by calling a discard.
Pungs are one of the most common groupings on the NMJL card.
A pung counts as one complete set within a hand.

Pungs are often used as building blocks for open hands.

Kong

A kong is a grouping of four identical tiles.

Examples:

Four 2 Craks
Four North Winds
Four Green Dragons

Key rules for kongs:

Jokers may be used in kongs.
Kongs may be exposed.

Kongs appear regularly on the NMJL card and are an important part of many hands.

Quint

A quint is a grouping of five identical tiles.

Examples:

Five 6 Bams
Five White Dragons

Key rules for quints:

Jokers may be used in quints, and are necessary in most cases except Flowers.
Quints may be exposed.
Quints only appear in specific sections of the NMJL card, depending on the year.

Quints are less common than other sets but are clearly identified on the card when they appear.

Jokers and Sets

Jokers are permitted in:

Pungs
Kongs
Quints

Jokers are not permitted in:

Pairs
Singles

Jokers represent the missing tile in the set and players must follow all NMJL rules regarding exposure and swapping.

Why Sets Matter

Understanding sets allows players to:

Read NMJL card lines accurately
Know which tiles can be called
Avoid illegal exposures
Identify dead hands early
Build hands more efficiently

Once a player understands how sets work, the logic of the NMJL card becomes much easier to follow.

Common Mistakes Related to Sets

Some frequent issues include:

Attempting to use jokers in pairs
Miscounting tiles in a grouping
Confusing pungs and kongs
Exposing tiles in a concealed hand

Clear knowledge of sets helps prevent these mistakes.