What makes a hand dead
A hand becomes dead when it can no longer legally win. Common causes are having too many or too few tiles, exposing groups that cannot fit any hand on the card, or declaring Mah Jongg when the hand is not complete. Once a hand is declared dead, that player stops picking and discarding for the rest of the game.
Calling another hand dead
If a player's exposures clearly cannot form any hand on the card, another player may point this out. Before calling a hand dead, the challenger should be certain — exposures can fit surprising hands. Most groups ask the challenger to name why no hand fits.
Mah Jongg in error
If a player calls Mah Jongg and exposes their hand in error, the hand may be dead if it cannot be corrected. If the error is caught before any further play and the tiles have not been exposed, it can often be corrected. These details matter, so many clubs keep a copy of the League's rules at the table.
Staying gracious
Dead hands are common among learners. Treat them as part of the game, not a disgrace. Counting tiles before your first discard, checking exposures against the card and pausing before calling Mah Jongg prevents most of them.
