MOSCOW - Look no further: finally, there is a successor to the sadly disappeared Mahjong-O-Magic website where you could calculate the value of winning hands. Russian mahjong lover Stanislav Ilyin has developed a site where both beginners and advanced players can check if they can determine the value of a given hand within a short time.

The ‘MCR Quizer’ website consists of a competition mode and a practice mode. Start ‘er up, and try ‘free run’, which might be the easiest level. Before I know it, I am calculating and calculating. The problems are not exactly easy. Just as I think I have found the answer, time’s up… Next question. Now I am faster. Open combinations: Bamboo 1-2-3, Character 1-2-3, Character 7-8-9; Closed combinations: Dots 1-2-3, Characters 7-7. Mixed triple chow: 8; All Chows: 2; Two terminal Chows: 1; must be eleven… Wrong! Darn… But what, isn’t it a selfdrawn? But where do I find the right answer? And where do I click to get a new problem in the same series?

MCR Quizer’ is very entertaining, although the interface might be a lot clearer. But if you are an MCR lover, do visit this site often. And send your comments to Stanislav, so, with your help, he can improve the site.

Another part of the site is ‘what to discard’, which you might want to compare with the well-known but also sadly vanished Tilehog webserver, where discards and possible solutions are discussed. If you have yourself registered on the MCR Quizer, your scores are kept. Hats off for another fine website for those who love the ‘New Mahjong’!

MCR Quizer
What to discard