Classical Western scoring
Western rule books calculated points for sets and then applied "doubles" for valuable features such as dragon pungs or one-suit hands. Scores could become very large, so limits were set. This system, sometimes called classical or Western mahjong, differs from both modern Chinese faan and the American card.
British rules
In Britain, clubs and authors standardised their own version, still played today by some groups and occasionally at tournaments. Players who learned from older British books will recognise this style.
Wright-Patterson rules
Among American military families, a variant known as Wright-Patterson rules developed in the post-war decades, named after the Air Force base in Ohio. It has its own published rules and remains played in some communities.
Why learn them?
These styles are part of mahjong's history in the English-speaking world, and many vintage sets come with rule booklets in this tradition. They also make an interesting bridge between Chinese and American play.
