Guangdong "Push Down and Win" Mahjong, also known as Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong (广东推倒胡麻将), is one of four popular variant of Guangdong Mahjong. “Push Down and Win” (Tuidaohu 推倒胡) refers to the moment a player reveals or “pushes down” all of their tiles onto the table to declare a winning hand (Hu 胡). In Guangdong Push Down and Win Mahjong, once you have a winning hand, you typically spread (push) all your tiles face-up on the table—hence the name “push down and win.” This simple physical action of laying all tiles flat at once is what gives the variant its descriptive name.
Guangdong "Push Down and Win" Mahjong is most popular in regions such as Shenzhen and Dongguan. It emphasizes a quick and straightforward gameplay style with only 108 tiles, disallowing "chow" (eating), focusing on "self-draw wins," "kongs," and "Chance Time"
Tiles to Play Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong With
Push Down and Win Mahjong is played with a set of 108 tiles, excluding flower and season tiles. These include 108 suit tiles, 36 Characters, 36 Bamboos, and 36 Circles, each numbered 1 to 9 with four copies per number. You will remove the 16 Wind tiles and 12 Dragon tiles.
Given that Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong uses only the 108 suit tiles, you should be able to play Guangdong Push Down and Win mahjong with most mahjong sets.
Basic Rules of Guangdong Push Down and Win Mahjong
Every turn goes the same way:
- Draw a tile from the wall or by take the tile that somebody just discarded
- Try to make a winning hand! The goal is to arrange your tiles into four sets of three and one pair. If you can't, go to step 3.
- Discard a tile in the center of the table, officially ending your turn.
- Immediately after a tile is discarded, someone else can take it to form a meld or to complete their winning hand. If nobody takes the discarded tile, that tile is out of play for the rest of the game and the next player draws from the wall.
By default, the next player is the player to the right (counterclockwise). Even if it is not your turn yet, this is not a time to sit idle. Although the next person is the player to the right by default, there are certain circumstances that allow somebody to jump ahead to call a discarded tile. Also, even if you are unable to call the tile, it is important for you to know what is thrown and what is out of play, so that you are not waiting for it in vain later on.
How to Setup Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong
Like most variants of mahjong, Guangdong mahjong is intended for four players. Rules and customs for dealing the tiles out vary from version to version and table to table.
Determining the Dealer
The next step is to determine the dealer. The dealer is determined by rolling dice. At the start of the game, one player rolls two six-sided dice, and the total value indicates the starting point for counting players in a counterclockwise direction, beginning with the player who rolled. The player where the count stops becomes the initial dealer and retains their role if the round ends in a draw or if they win the hand. If another player wins, the winning player becomes the new dealer for the next round.
Setting up the Wall
Setting up the wall begins with all 108 tiles being thoroughly shuffled face-down on the table. Once mixed, two players will build walls in front of them by stacking two layers of tiles, each layer containing 13 tiles side by side, resulting in a wall of 26 tiles per player. Then two players will build walls in front them by stacking two layers of tiles, each layer containing 14 tiles side by side, resulting a wall of 28 tiles per player. These four walls are then pushed together to form a square structure.
Breaking the Wall
Once the dealer has been selected, the dealer rolls the dice to determine the starting wall. Let’s say you are the dealer and you roll a seven.
Starting with your own wall, count the walls in front of each player, moving counterclockwise around the table: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. You should now be pointing at the wall of the player to your left.
The next step is to determine where to break the wall.
Use the same number from determining the starting wall. Starting on the end of the wall segment closest to you, count out seven tiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Pick up that seventh tile (since you rolled a seven) because it counts from the indicated player's right to his left (not players but tiles this time) the total sum of the rolls. The tiles immediately after become the draw wall.
The wall is basically like a long deck of cards wrapping around the table in a square. The draw wall is like the top of the deck where the tiles will be dealt from and where the players will draw tiles from during gameplay.
How to Deal the Hand
Tile distribution begins after the wall is broken. The dealer starts drawing tiles from the break point, following a counterclockwise order. The tiles are dealt in sets of four at a time, with each player receiving three sets (12 tiles total). Once every player has their initial 12 tiles, the dealer draws two additional tiles (for a total of 14 tiles), while the other three players each draw one more tile (for a total of 13 tiles).
Getting a Tile
The main way to get a tile is to draw it from the draw wall.
You can also get a tile when somebody discards it if it completes a a valid combination of three or four tiles, also known as a meld, or for a winning hand.
The called tile must be displayed face up with the completed meld. This open meld cannot be altered for the rest of the game. The discarded tile must be called immediately or else the tile becomes dead and will remain in the discarded tile area for the rest of the game.
Calling Tiles
A pung is a three-of-a-kind.
If you need the discarded tile to complete a pung, you have to say “pung,” grab it, and display the completed pung face up next to your flowers. Pungs are powerful because you can seize it even if it isn’t your turn, and everyone before you will lose their turn.
A kong is a four-of-a-kind.
Kong is like a special type of pung, and can also be grabbed even if it’s not your turn. However, you have to also grab an extra tile from the wall. This is necessary for you to have enough tiles to complete a winning hand.
Generally you cannot claim a discarded tile to form a pair. The only exception is if you are waiting for one more tile to win. You might be waiting to complete a pung, a chow, or an eye in order to win. No matter what you’re waiting for, you can seize it if somebody discards it, anytime. Winning using a discarded tile is called mahjong or hu.
FAQ: What Happens If Two People Want to Call a Discarded Tile?
In general, priority is given based on what the tile is being called for: winning takes precedence over pungs/kongs. If more than one player needs the discarded tile for mahjong, it goes to whoever is closer in turn after the person who discarded the tile.
Arranging your Tiles
Remember, the goal of mahjong is to have all of your tiles arranged into four sets and one pair. After getting a tile, you should arrange your tiles and attempt to incorporate your new tile into your hand.
As discussed above, kong is a four-of-a-kind, which may be formed from a discarded tile. Related to kong is a concealed kong when you have four-of-a-kind that’s hidden in your own hand, which means that you drew it yourself and did not complete it using a discarded tile. In this case, because it’s concealed, the identity of the tile is valuable information and should not be displayed. But because it is a four-tile meld, you must declare it and get a tile from the wall. Turn the outside tiles facedown to mark it as a concealed kong. Just like with open meld, your secret tiles will be out of play the rest of the game with no changes permitted.
Another related concept is open melded kong. Open melded kongs are generally locked in and cannot be changed. If you created a pung from a discarded tile, and later on, somebody throws the fourth matching tile, you will not be able to kong the discarded tile, because your pung was already open. However, there is a special exception: if it’s your turn and the tile that you draw from the wall happens to be the fourth matching tile, then you can add it to your completed pung. Declare the open melded kong and set the matching tile on top of the middle tile of the pung. Since this is now a four-tile meld, you must draw a replacement tile.
Discarding a Tile
Generally, players should prioritize discarding isolated tiles that cannot easily form pairs or sequences with their other tiles. For example, terminal tiles like 1 and 9 from any suit are harder to integrate into melds, especially if they are isolated. Similarly, lone Wind or Dragon tiles that are not part of a pair or set should also be discarded early to avoid holding onto dead weight.
Another key consideration is monitoring opponents' discards to avoid giving them useful tiles. For example, if multiple players are discarding a certain suit, it might be safer to follow suit and discard similar tiles. Conversely, if a player notices an opponent collecting a particular suit, they should avoid discarding tiles from that suit in the later stages of the game.
Arranging your Called and Discard Tiles
Discards can be haphazardly placed in front you. You call tiles do not need to indicate who dropped the tile.
When the Game Ends
If no player wins and all tiles have been drawn from the wall, the round ends in a draw and the dealer retains their position.
Winning in Guangdong Push Down and Win Mahjong
Winning in Tianjin Mahjong requires forming a valid hand composed of four sets or melds and one pair. A player can only win through self-draw. Again, discarded tiles cannot be used to claim a win.
End of Game
The game will end in a draw when last tile is drawn, there is no dead wall. If the game ends in a draw, you will start a new hand with the same dealer continuing.
Chance Time (Mǎi Mǎ (买马))
Chance Time is a unique feature of Guangdong Push-Down Hu in which an separate payouts is calculated based on who wins or loses matching the Chance Time Indicator. As a note, Chance Time is localized from the phase Mǎi Mǎ (买马) which translates to buying horses. The Chance Time tile represents a tile drawn or revealed at the end of the hand that determines additional bonuses or penalties for specific players. This mechanic adds suspense and can significantly affect the final scores.
How is the Chance Time Indicator Determined?
After a player declares a winning hand, the horse tile is revealed from the unused tiles at the end of the wall starting with the top last column of tiles. The number or suit of the revealed Chance Time Indicator determines player affected. The numerical value of the tile (1 to 9) is used to count counterclockwise starting from the dealer.
For each dealer continuation, flip over one additional Chance Time Indicator (up to a total of 4). If the number of tiles left the wall is less than the needed number to flip, only flip over what is available.
Notes about how Chance Time is Scored
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Winning Matches the Chance Time Indicator:
- If the Chance Time Indicator matches the winner, the winner receives a bonus of 2x Base Score (typically 2) as a bonus from all losing players.
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Losing Player Matches the Chance Time Indicator:
- If the Chance Time Indicator matches a losing player, that player pays a penalty of 1x Base Score and the dealer pays a penalty of 1x Base Score. If the Dealer matches the Chance Time Indicator, they pay the full penalty of 2x Base Score
-
Multiple Chance Time Indicator:
- If the dealer wins consecutive hands, they flip over additional Chance Time Indicators, up to 4 horses total. The bonuses and penalties stack additively for each additional indicator, amplifying the payouts.
How is Chance Time Paid Out?
The Chance Time Indicator affects payouts depending on which player it corresponds to and who wins the hand. Below are all possible scenarios:
| Scenario | Winning Player | Matches Indicator | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player wins, Chance Time Indicator matches them | Non-dealer (e.g., P2) | Winning player (P2) | All losing players (P1, P3, P4) pay 2× base score to the winner (P2). |
| Dealer wins, Chance Time Indicator matches the Dealer | Dealer (P1) | Winning player (P1 Dealer) | All losing players (P2, P3, P4) pay 2× base score to the dealer. |
| Player wins, Chance Time Indicator matches a losing player | Non-dealer (e.g., P2) | Losing player (e.g., P4) | P4 pays 1x Base score as the Chance Time penalty and P1 (The Dealer) pays 1x Base score as the Chance Time penalty |
| Dealer wins, Chance Time Indicator matches a losing player | Dealer | Losing player (e.g., P4) | P4 pays 2× base score as as the Chance Time penalty |
| Player wins, Chance Time Indicator matches the dealer | Non-dealer (e.g., P2) | Dealer | P1 (The Dealer) pays 2× base score as the Chance Time penalty |
| Dealer wins, Chance Time Indicator matches a non-dealer | Dealer | Non-dealer (e.g., P2) | P2 pay 2× base score to the dealer as the Chance Time penalty |
Points and Payout in Guangdong Push Down and Win Mahjong
In Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong, the scoring and payout system rewards special hand patterns. Points are calculated based on the winning hand's structure, multipliers, and any special conditions met during the game. Since Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong is a game of self-drawn wins, all other players will pay when a self-draw occurs.
Initial Points
Decide in advance how long you’ll play for and what “rate” you’ll use. If you plan to play for several hours, you might, for instance, reshuffle seating every hour or so. Also agree on how many “points” each player starts with—represented by chips or some other marker.
Common values are 50 points or 100 points, however you can go as high as you like. These points serve as a baseline for calculating wins and losses.
Instant Payout Table
Whenever a Kong is declared, the player is paid out instantly. Here is the Instant Payouts used for Kongs.
| Hand | Description | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Concealed Kong (暗杠) | Declaring a concealed kong. All other players pay 2 per. (Base Score x 2 per player) | 6 |
| Exposed Kong on Discard (Fàng Găng 放杠) | Declaring an exposed kong from a concealed triplet in hand. The discard pays. (Base Score x 3) | 3 |
| Add-On Kong (Míng Găng ) | Declaring an exposed kong by adding on a self-drawn tile to an exposed pung. All other player pay 1 per. (Base Score x 1) | 3 |
Base Score
The Base Score for Guangdong Push Down and Win Mahjong is 1. Feel free to increase the base score to whatever your group feels is appropriate.
Winning Hand Payout Formula
The payout in Guangdong Tuidaohu Mahjong is simplified. Add all the hand multipliers together then multiply by the base score.
Payout from Hand = Base Score x Sum of all Hand Type Multipliers
For example if you scored an All Simples, All Triplets as the dealer, it would be as follows:
The score would be Total Multipliers from Patterns (3), 1 from All Simples and 2 from All Triples, multiplied by the base score (1) for a total of 3 points from each player. Then you would be paid out from Chance Time for a total below:
Total Payout = Payout from Hand + Payout from Chance Time
Points and Payout Table for Push Down Mahjong
| Hand Type | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken hand (平胡, Píng Hú) | ×1 (no stacking) | A basic hand with no special structures; no triplets, quads, or specific patterns required. |
| All Simples (断幺九, Duàn Yāo Jiǔ) | ×1 | A hand containing only simple tiles (2-8) without terminals. |
| Mixed Outside (混边, Hùn Biān) | ×1 | A hand with at least one meld containing terminals (1s, 9s). |
| Póng-Póng Hu (碰碰胡, Pèng Pèng Hú) | ×2 | A hand composed entirely of triplets, quads, and a pair, without honors. |
| Seven Pairs (七对, Qī Duì) | ×3 | A hand of seven distinct pairs, without honors. |
| Luxurious Seven Pairs (豪华七对, Háo Huá Qī Duì) | ×5 | Seven pairs, with one pair being four of a kind. |
| Pure One Suit (清一色, Qīng Yī Sè) | ×5 | All tiles in the hand are from the same suit, with no honors. |
| Pure Terminals (清老頭, Qīng Lǎo Tóu) | ×9 (no stacking) | A hand made entirely of terminal tiles (1s and 9s) from a single suit, without honors. |
| Nine Gates (九連宝燈, Jiǔ Lián Bǎo Dēng) | ×10 (no stacking) | A hand made from the 1, 9, and all intermediate tiles (2-8) of a single suit, with one extra tile from the same suit. |
| All Green (緑一色, Lǜ Yī Sè) | ×10 (no stacking) | A hand made entirely of green tiles: 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 of Bamboo. |
| Earthly Hand (地胡, Dì Hú) | ×13 (no stacking) | A win by a non-dealer with the first draw before any calls are made, before any player has discarded. |
| Heavenly Hand (天胡, Tiān Hú) | ×13 (no stacking) | A dealer win with the starting hand (before any draws or discards). |
