When to Switch Hands

Stay flexible early, commit at the right moment

Goal: Know exactly when to stick with your primary hand, when to pivot to a backup, and how NMJL®'s exposure rule makes the timing critical

Estimated time: 8–11 minutes

Prerequisite: Lesson 16

Unlocks: Lesson 18

Why it matters: The players who win consistently aren't always the ones with the best starting tiles — they're the ones who recognize the right moment to commit and never chase a losing hand.

Step 1 of 12

🔒 The Most Important Rule First

The NMJL® rule that makes every hand-switching decision permanent:

The rule

The moment you expose a group (Pung, Kong, or Quint), your remaining options must all include that group. You can still switch — but only within compatible families.

This lesson is about choosing wisely before that first call.

The exception

Concealed hands (C on the card) — no exposures, full flexibility, but win only by self-draw or a Mahjong discard.