What is a quint in mahjong?
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A quint is a group of five identical tiles, like five 4 Bams. A set holds only four of any tile, so every quint needs at least one joker, with one exception: there are eight flowers, so five flowers can be all real tiles.
How big is each group?
A pair is two tiles, a pung three, a kong four, a quint five and a sextet six, all identical. Jokers fill any group of three or more, never a pair.
- Pair: 2 identical tiles. Never a joker.
- Pung: 3.
- Kong: 4.
- Quint: 5. At least one joker, unless it is flowers.
- Sextet: 6. At least two jokers, unless it is flowers.
How do jokers work in a quint?
A quint takes jokers like any group of three or more. With four real tiles at most, a numbered or honor quint always holds at least one joker, and often more. That is why a quint hand is really a joker question: if you are not already holding jokers, you are hoping, not planning. A good habit is to wait for two jokers before you commit.
Count the jokers you can see. A set has eight. If six are already on racks or in the discards, a quint hand is close to impossible.
Can you call a discard for a quint?
Yes. A quint is an exposure like a pung or kong. Call the discard, lay the five tiles face up with the called tile among them, and discard. Like any exposure, it is locked once you discard, and any joker in it can be swapped out by a player holding the real tile.
Where tables play it differently
- All-joker groups. Many players assume they are illegal. League rules let you hold a group of nothing but jokers hidden on your rack, though you can never expose one.
- Flower quints. A few players assume every quint needs a joker. Five real flowers are a legal quint.
- Sextets. A sextet is a legal group, but plan for one only if your card has a hand that uses it.
A worked example
You hold three 4 Bams and two jokers. That is already a quint:
If South throws the fourth 4 Bam, you could call it and expose a quint of four 4 Bams and one joker, keeping a joker free for another group. And a flower quint needs no joker at all:
Common questions
How many jokers do you need for a quint?
At least one, since only four of each tile exist. Five flowers are the exception and need none. Most players want two jokers in hand before they chase a quint.
Can a quint be made of flowers without jokers?
Yes. A set has eight flowers and they are all interchangeable, so five real flowers make a legal quint.
Can a pung be 3 jokers?
Only hidden on your rack. League rules allow a concealed group of all jokers, but an exposure must include the real tile you called, so you can never expose three jokers.
What is a sextet in mahjong?
Six identical tiles. It needs at least two jokers unless it is flowers. Plan for one only if your card has a hand that uses it.
Can you call a discard for a quint?
Yes. A quint is an exposure, so you can call the discard that finishes it, then lay the group face up and discard.