Out with Replacement Tile

What Is Out with Replacement Tile

Out with Replacement Tile—sometimes called Kong on or Flower on a Kong—is an 8-fan bonus in Chinese Mahjong. It occurs when declaring a Kong leads directly to drawing the winning tile from the dead wall. Though difficult to orchestrate intentionally, savvy players keep this possibility in mind when close to winning and in possession of a potential Kong. If that replacement tile completes your hand, you collect a valuable 8-fan windfall that can significantly boost your final score.

The Tile Pattern of Out with Replacement Tile

In Chinese Mahjong, Kong on occurs when you declare a Kong (adding a fourth identical tile to an existing Pung, or revealing four identical tiles from your concealed hand) and then draw the replacement tile (from the special “supplement” or “dead” wall) that immediately completes your winning hand.

• Declaring a Kong: You either promote an exposed Pung to a Kong by adding the fourth identical tile, or reveal a fully concealed Kong from your hand.
• Drawing a Replacement Tile: In Mahjong, any time a Kong is declared, you must draw a replacement tile from the dead wall (a separate portion of the wall, originally set aside for flower/season tiles and Kong draws).
• Completing Your Hand: If that single replacement tile is precisely what you need to finish your 14-tile hand and declare Mahjong, you trigger Kong on, earning 8 fan as a bonus.

Fan Value of Out with Replacement Tile

Under Chinese Mahjong scoring, Out with Replacement Tile is awarded 8 fan. This bonus can be combined with other patterns your hand might satisfy. For example, if you also have All Pungs or Mixed One Suit, you add those fan values to the 8 fan from “Kong on,” potentially achieving a very high-scoring result.

Strategies and Considerations of Out with Replacement Tile

Immediate Replacement Draw: Declaring a Kong gives you an extra draw. If you’re in a “one tile away” (tenpai) situation, this extra draw could be your winning tile.

Element of Surprise: Sometimes, players delay declaring a Kong. If you sense that you’re likely to draw your winning tile soon, or if you want to maintain secrecy, you might wait until a critical moment to declare.

Risk of Revealing Strength: Once you declare a Kong, opponents see you are advanced enough to have four identical tiles. They may tighten their defenses, anticipating that your hand could be close to completion.

High-Value Endgame: Successfully pulling the tile you need from the replacement draw can suddenly turn a medium-scoring hand into a big point swing thanks to the 8-fan bonus.

Combine with Other Patterns: “Kong on” stacks with patterns like “All Pungs,” “Half Flush,” “Mixed Triple Chow,” etc. If you are building a strong hand that includes one or more Kongs, keep in mind the possibility of this bonus.

Opponent Suspicions: If other players see you holding a potential Kong (e.g., you have a Pung exposed and seem to be waiting for that fourth tile), they might avoid discarding it. They also know that if you do declare a Kong from your hand, you get a free draw that could be dangerous.

Forced Discards: In some situations, you must discard a tile immediately after making the Kong to maintain a 13-tile hand. Opponents will watch carefully to see if that discard might be “dangerous” or “safe,” especially if you are nearing completion.

Not Too Common: While it’s an exciting way to win, you cannot reliably plan an entire hand around “Kong on,” because it depends on chance and specific timing.

Stay Alert for Opportunities: Nevertheless, if you are close to winning and have a Pung that can be upgraded to a Kong, or you’re holding four identical tiles concealed, it’s often worth taking the chance on the extra draw—particularly if you only need one more tile to win.