There are some hands, like 2024 or NEWS, where jokers are forbidden. These hands are considered singles since each tile is different. In these cases, drawing the tile or switching a blank is the only way to complete the hand.

The goal of mahjong is similar to poker, in that the aim is to make matching sets and pairs. A set is three or four identical tiles or three consecutive tiles (also known as 'melds'), and a pair is two of the same tiles (often called 'eyes'). To win mahjong a player must form four sets and one pair.