Question: Is it recommended that a player always call another player’s hand dead?

Answer: A player’s hand is not officially dead until another player verifies and announces that the hand dead.  Therefore, if a player announces their own hand dead, it is not actually dead until another player chooses to declare the hand dead.

Here are some things to contemplate before you choose to declare your opponent’s hand dead:

1. A player’s hand might not be declared dead if you want to exchange a Joker from an exposure that would otherwise be unavailable after declaring the hand dead.
2. A player’s hand might not be declared dead if you want them to continue discarding tiles from their hand that you might need.
3. A player’s hand might be declared dead so that everyone gets more picks from the wall.
4. A player’s hand might be declared dead to prevent them from giving Mah Jongg to another player.
5. The stage of the game you are in might influence your decision to call another person’s hand dead.

Please note that other factors may come into play depending on what phase of the game you are in.

Mah Jongg Made Easy 2024, pgs. 19, #15 and 20, #18