Sichuan vs Hong Kong
Sichuan and Hong Kong are both casual Chinese mahjong variants with exponential scoring — they look similar at first glance. The real differences are structural: Sichuan removes chows and honors and adds the missing-suit constraint, while Hong Kong keeps the full tile set.
Pung-only, no honors, mandatory missing-suit. The fastest variant in widespread play.
Casual Cantonese rules with exponential 2^faan payouts.
Sichuan vs Hong — every axis
| Axis | Sichuan | Hong |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sichuan, Chongqing, mainland mobile | Hong Kong, Guangdong, Cantonese diaspora |
| Chi call (claim chow from discard)? | Not allowed — but in-hand chows still legal | Allowed |
| Honor tiles | Removed | Full set |
| Missing-suit rule | Mandatory | None |
| Scoring math | Exponential (2^fan), 16-fan cap | Exponential (2^faan), 13-faan cap |
| Minimum to declare | 1 fan | 3 faan (table-dependent) |
| Pattern count | ~20 patterns | ~27 patterns |
| Round speed | 5-10 minutes | 15-25 minutes |
| Big-hand families | Pure Dragon Seven Pairs (8), 18 Arhats (16) | Great Three Dragons (8), Thirteen Orphans (13) |
Strengths
- •Faster — fewer rules, no chow-building decisions
- •Mobile-first variant with massive app ecosystem in China
- •Missing-suit rule creates unique strategic depth
- •Lower barrier to entry — most players learn in one round
- •Full palette of patterns including chows and honors
- •More universally recognized at Chinese home tables globally
- •Tile economy more familiar to non-Sichuan players
- •Classic family-table variant — what most parents teach kids
Which should you play?
Pick Sichuan if you play on Chinese mobile mahjong apps or have Sichuan/Chongqing connections. Pick Hong Kong if you're playing at a Cantonese-speaking home table outside Sichuan, or want the more classical Chinese mahjong experience.
Common questions
Can I switch between Sichuan and Hong Kong easily?+
Mostly yes — the underlying tile-reading skill transfers, and both use exponential scoring. The big adjustment is the no-chow rule in Sichuan and the missing-suit constraint, which fundamentally change strategy.
Which is more popular today?+
By raw player count, Sichuan wins (Tencent's mobile mahjong app alone has hundreds of millions of users in mainland China). By geographic reach and historical depth, Hong Kong is more recognized globally.