When a player needs one tile go out, the hand is "ready" and should be declared.
When a player succeeds in completing his hand either by drawing the final necessary piece or by "Punging" a discard from the table, he lays down his hand and the score is counted both for those pieces he had previously completed by "Punging" and has laid face up and also for any concealed combinations now disclosed in his hand. This is called "Drawing for Mah Jong".
Figure 1: A Winning Hand
If a player needs only one tile to win, then he may claim that tile from any discard, even if it is to complete a "Chow" or the pair. This is referred to as fishing, and a claim to win the game takes precedence over any other claim.
If two players could win with the same discard, then the one whose turn would come next in the normal turn order gets to take it and win the hand. Also, a player who is fishing may claim a tile added to a concealed pung to turn it to a kong, and thus win (and gets bonus points for doing so). This is called robbing a kong.
A sacred discard occurs if a player discovers that a previously discarded tile (by that player) would permit the player to go out. This tile is a sacred discard and should be declared. If another player discards an identical tile, the "ready" player may not use it unless she has drawn from the wall at least once after their own discard.
Where one player completes his hand, all hands are laid down and each man scores his hand, beginning with the winner. Each score includes combinations concealed in the hand and combinations already on the table, according to the score sheet.
The game is usually scored with chips, the players settling in chips at the end of each hand. Score may, however, be kept on paper.
A Draw
Should the game proceed with no hand completed for game until there are only fourteen pieces (seven twos) left in the wall, none of these last fourteen pieces can be drawn, but the game is declared a "draw" and no scores count. In counting the fourteen pieces, the one or two "loose tiles" on the end of the wall, are included in the fourteen.
Should both "loose tiles" be used, by drawing for two or more sets of fours, then the two last pieces are placed on top of end of wall as new "loose tiles". When a draw occurs the hand stops. The deal passes and a new hand begins.
The Dealers Extra Hand
The "Dealers Extra Hand" occurs when East wins. He/she keeps the deal, and this hand is played in addition to the four hands of that round. No limit exists on the number of extra hands a dealer may play.
Paying the winner
When a player wins by completing his hand the other 3 players pay him his entire score regardless of their scores. Each of the 3 losers then settles with the other 2, each one of the 3 losing players paying each one that has a larger hand the difference between their scores.
