Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR)

What is MCR?

Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR), also known as Chinese Official, is the standardized tournament ruleset established by the Chinese National Mahjong Committee in 1998. It was adopted by the World Mahjong Organisation for international competition.

Key Features

• 81 Scoring Patterns (Fan): The most extensive pattern system of any mahjong variant
• Minimum 8 Fan: Every winning hand must total at least 8 fan points
• No Chicken Hand: Unlike Hong Kong mahjong, minimum-point hands are not allowed
• Tournament Standard: Used in World Mahjong Championships and sanctioned competitions worldwide

How MCR Differs from Chinese Classical

While MCR evolved from Chinese Classical mahjong, there are significant differences:

Feature	Chinese Classical	MCR
Scoring patterns	~20 patterns	81 patterns
Minimum to win	0 (varies)	8 fan
Flower tiles	Bonus points	Specific fan patterns
Tournament use	Casual play	International standard

Scoring Overview

MCR uses a fan-based scoring system with 81 recognized patterns divided into categories:

1. 1 Fan patterns: Pure Double Chow, Short Straight, etc.
2. 2 Fan patterns: Dragon Pung, All Chows, etc.
3. 6 Fan patterns: All Pungs, Half Flush, etc.
4. 8 Fan patterns: Mixed Straight, Reversible Tiles, etc.
5. 12-88 Fan patterns: Lesser/Greater Honors, Thirteen Orphans, etc.

The total fan value determines the final score, with a minimum of 8 fan required to declare a winning hand.