As has been mentioned before when a player has matched his hand into four (4) sets and by a draw or a pung has mated the final pair he wins and announces "Mah-Jongg" or "Mah-Diao" (Dee-O), either being correct and in common usage, the latter being the most logical because of its English translation "mating the pair." A player must at all times during the game have thirteen (13) tiles, his draw every round momentarily giving him fourteen (14), his discard leaving him the thirteen (13). Then for every four of a kind that he fills he should have an extra tile in his hand on account of the extra loose tile draw.

Thus one is able at any time during the game to check his hand and ascertain whether or not he has the correct number of tiles in it. If he has not sets of four of a kind he should have thirteen tiles in his hand. If he has one set of four of a kind he should have fourteen tiles in his hand, two sets of four of kind 15 tiles, and so on.

If, at any time during the game, a player has an incorrect number of tiles in his hand, it becomes "dead." He must continue drawing and discarding, but when the scores are settled his score does not count and therefore he must pay all players. His only chance lies in endeavoring to prevent the other players from completing their hands, by holding the tiles which he believes they need and thus causing a draw game.