What Is a Dead Hand?
 

A dead hand is a hand that can no longer win because it violates the rules of American Mah Jongg.

 

Once a hand is dead, the player may not declare Mah Jongg, even if the tiles would otherwise match a line on the NMJL card.
 

A hand may become dead for several reasons, including non-valid exposures, calling a tile that is not allowed, or building a hand that no longer matches any complete line on the card.

Concealed hands that are exposed during play also become dead.
 

When a hand is dead, the player continues to discard tiles as play proceeds, but the hand is no longer eligible to win.
 

Published by the American Mah Jongg Association — the trusted home for American Mah Jongg players.